Village of Homer mayor Hal McCabe. (Photo provided by the Village of Homer).
The village of Homer is offering a program similar to the one in the city of Cortland.
Homer officials are inviting village residents the opportunity to sign up for “No Mow May,” which allows residents to grow out their lawn without the risk of a citation for the entire month of May.
The program welcomes village residents to register their properties by pledging not to mow in May. During the month of May, the village’s code department will be directed to not issue citations for the properties enrolled in the program.
The village code for lawns, which states that lawns cannot get higher than six inches, won’t be used as citations against village residents who sign up for the program.
Village mayor Hal McCabe noted this program is a big help to pollinators.
“It gives pollinators a chance to thrive,” McCabe said at Tuesday’s village Board of Trustees meeting.
Details on the “No Mow May” program is as follows:
“Plants of all types including food crops, gardens, trees and others depend on pollinators to reproduce. Pollinators have been under significant anthropogenic pressure in recent years resulting in significant decline. Early spring is a time of vulnerability for pollinators as they emerge from hibernation and food sources are scarce. Residential yards can be an important stopgap nectar source for pollinators if left to grow naturally during this critical period. Lawn mowing removes flowers of violets, dandelions, and other flowering lawn plants.”
“I think this is a great idea,” village board member Kevin Slack said. “It’s really important that we do this because the pollination and the fact that the bees generate so much pollination is really important to what we’re doing here.”
The deadline to register for the “No Mow May” program is Friday, May 5.
To register for the program or to receive more information, contact the village office at 607-749-3322, or email village treasurer/clerk Tanya Digennaro at [email protected].
