For the Record:

On Saturday, April 19, 2008, I, like many homeowners in Ocean Grove, received a letter dated April 16, 2008 from the Neptune Township Office of Historical Preservation Commission, specifically from its Chairwoman, Deborah Osepchuk.

To sum up the subject of the letter, Ms. Osepchuk has made the little strip of land between your front sidewalk and the curb (what we’ll simply refer to as the “grass strip”) her crusade to regulate. While I understand the motivation behind maintaining grass strips in Ocean Grove, the tone of this letter was surprisingly hostile and inappropriate (residents are threatened by court action should they not have a “proper” grass strip). In addition, the language in her letter does not conform to the language contained within the actual ordinance. Thus, since Ms. Osepchuk took so much time and paper (at least two large trees perished in order to supply paper for her campaign if every housing unit in Ocean Grove received a letter), I will likewise devote this lengthy letter to picking apart the rationale of requiring a grass strip, from an environmental standpoint.

For those of you reading this who were not fortunate enough to have received Ms. Osepchuk’s letter, let me sum-up some of her key points:

- “Ocean Grove has been designated a National Historic District in part because of its pioneering original design.”

- “The design tended to use indigenous plants in somewhat formal arrangements that framed, rather than hid, the beauty of the homes’ details. Grass front yards and the grass strip were used to set off this frame.”

- “It is a tribute to the foresight of the town’s founders, that today the grass strip is recognized for its important environmental function of filtering fertilizers, pesticides and soil found in run off from properties into the street gutters, storm drains, eventually the lakes, and ocean with every rain storm.”

- “ “The Ocean Grove Historic District Architectural Guidelines for Residential Structures” reflect the historical, aesthetic, and functional significance of the traditional Ocean Grove grass strips by clearly stating that only grass, low-growing ground cover such as ivy or Bay Harbor Juniper, and trees whose lowest branches are at least 8 feet above grade are allowed in the grass strip. Paving materials, bricks, loose stones, bushes/rose bushes, cornstalks, pumpkins, tomato plants, tall ornamental grasses, vegetable and flowerbeds, etc. are all inappropriate materials and are NOT permitted, under the guideline.”

- “To remediate this situation, the Historic Preservation Commission will now issue “Notice of Violations” to homeowners who do not follow the Design Guidelines in regards to plantings, surfaces, and hard landscape items placed in the grass strips.”

- “Failure to address a Notice of Violation will result in the issuance of a Municipal Court Summons. In addition to the Design Guidelines, the Township of Neptune Land Development Ordinance prohibits planting in the grass strip area [504 Curb Design Standard Para 5].”

The following is the ordinance being referred to:

504 CURB DESIGN STANDARDS

B. Design standards. The following standards shall be used to prepare and review any development plan that involves the construction of new curbs or repair of existing curbs

5. Planting strips. The area located between curbs and sidewalks or walkways shall be either planted with grass or another type of ground cover plant material. Planting strips located in the public right-of-way may be paved with bricks or other similar type decorative paving materials as specified by the Township Engineer. In no instance, however, shall a planting strip be permitted to be covered with asphalt or loose stones of any variety.

Let me begin by stating that I have nothing against grass strips, per se. It’s true that grass strips, like any vegetation, do perform a valuable function by filtering fertilizers, pesticides, and soil found in run-off. However, I don’t believe residents should be required to have them, as opposed to other forms of vegetation, for several reasons.

First of all, this is a beach town, and the types of grass typical of a lawn or grass strip are not native to this area. Furthermore, the fertilizers and pesticides which the grass strip filters, most often originate by maintaining grass strips and lawns. Maintaining a nice healthy grass strip or lawn often involves the use of synthetic pesticides and other chemicals which are harmful to the environment. Additionally, the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, which require fossil fuels to be manufactured, has been shown to be detrimental to combating global warming.

And speaking of global warming, grass strips require mowing or weed-whacking, both of which not only contribute to global warming, but also create noise pollution and, in the case of gasoline-powered lawnmowers, contribute to urban smog during the summer. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, up to 5% of smog in some urban areas was due to pre-1997 small gasoline engines such as are typically used on lawnmowers.

Besides pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, grass also requires great amounts of water, a resource which we should be striving to conserve. Maintaining a green lawn with copious amounts of water was not a problem in temperate Victorian England where the concept of the lawn originated, as natural rainfall was sufficient to maintain a lawn's health. However, our climate differs from England (fortunately), thus making reliance of rainfall for healthy lawns impractical.

As I stated earlier, the language contained within Ms. Ospechuk’s letter does not conform to the language contained within the actual ordinance included above. Ms. Ospechuk’s letter states that only trees whose lowest branches are at least 8 feet above grade are allowed in the grass strip. No tree limbs should be under a height of 8 feet?!?! That would mean that no new trees can be planted in Ocean Grove!!!

When a person buys and plants a tree, they do not plant an adult, mature tree whose lowest limb is not under 8-feet high. Young trees may have limbs much lower than that. Thus, the letter directly contradicts efforts of the Township’s Environmental / Shade Tree Commission, which actively supports the planting of new trees within Ocean Grove. Furthermore, the Township’s ordinance makes absolutely no reference whatsoever to this limb height requirement, nor does the Historic District Architectural Guidelines for Residential Structures. I would love to know where this 8-foot limb requirement came from.

Ms. Ospechuk’s letter also specifies that paving materials, bricks, loose stones, bushes/rose bushes, cornstalks, pumpkins, tomato plants, tall ornamental grasses, vegetable and flowerbeds, etc. are all inappropriate materials and are NOT permitted, under the guideline.

Once again, however, the ordinance does not indicate that. The ordinance merely states that the strips should be “planted with grass or another type of ground cover plant material”. Another type of ground cover plant material is not specific and could include many items such as flowers, vegetables, and even mulch. Yes, mulch is a ground cover plant material. So long as it was made from a plant, which mulch normally is, it qualifies as ground cover plant material.

Flowerbeds are inappropriate?!?! Well, from an environmental standpoint, they are far more appropriate than are grass strips. For one thing, grass strips are monocultures of non-indigenous plants which require inordinate amounts of sunlight, fertilizers, and water to maintain their vitality.

Flowerbeds, on the other hand, are composed of a variety of plants, thereby increasing biodiversity, which provide not only beauty but food for butterflies, honeybees, and birds, as well as others. It may be quite difficult to grow grass under or nearby a tree such as a maple, whereas flowers or other plants may thrive and provide beauty to an otherwise barren strip of soil.

I take exception to tomato plants and vegetables being deemed inappropriate. I believe that such plantings are a very creative and environmentally-conscious use of the grass strip area. With fuel costs being as high as they are lately, as well as the energy costs associated with the farming of commercially available crops, anyone who is growing their own food should be encouraged and not admonished.

Furthermore, has the Historical Preservation Commission never heard of a “Victory Garden”? Victory Gardens (as defined on Wikipedia) were “vegetable, fruit and herb gardens planted at private residences in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the war effort these gardens were also considered a civil "morale booster" — in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. Making victory gardens became a part of daily life on the home front.” Isn’t the United States currently in the midst of a war? I thought we are, in which case the planting of a Victory Garden certainly seems more than appropriate.

Where I do agree somewhat with Ms. Ospechuk, is with regards to impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces such as concrete or asphalt, result in greater water run-off, less infiltration of water into the soil, and less opportunity for run-off to be filtered by plants. Thus, an objective for grass strip planning should be to have as little impervious surface as possible.

As I walk throughout Ocean Grove, what I love to observe is the uniqueness of the homes and plantings throughout town. Whether it be with roses, cornstalks, ivy, or grass, I enjoy the character and charm with which each homeowner expresses their individuality.

To dictate what a resident may or may not plant as well as threatening them with legal action, is NOT in the character of Ocean Grove.

- Anonymous