Although Gulfport city staff prepared an ordinance attempting to deal with weeds growing over curbs and sidewalks, city council sent the resolution back to the drawing board before agreeing to the new rules.
Vice mayor David Hastings, a supporter of altering the way the city handles code issues, was the first to express concern over the proposed ordinance, saying that the ordinance would put dwarf pampas grass in his business landscaping in violation.
“According to this, if it’s over 12 inches, it’s a nuisance,” he said of language defining weeds as “all grasses, annual plants and vegetations other than trees and shrubs.”
The city manager said that would classify as a tended shrub that does not grow over the sidewalk and the city would consider it a shrub.
“That may be the intention, and correct me if I’m wrong, Mr. City Attorney, but that’s not what it says,” he replied; city attorney Andy Salzman said he was correct.
“So Bruce can come up there and just dig those things out,” the vice mayor added.
Councilwoman Banno voiced her support for the ordinance, but others joined in with Hastings.
“I didn’t feel we needed to bring this forward in the first place... Also, I have similar issues with the language to what the vice mayor said,” councilman Sam Henderson said.
“I echo the sentiment but I’m trying to think about the goal,” councilwoman Jennifer Salmon said, suggesting changes to the wording.
Ultimately, city council tabled the motion, asking staff to rework the ordinance to make it clearer and less restrictive. Council will hear the revised ordinance in February.
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