Charlotte City Council Approves Ordinance To Protect Pollinator Gardens From Code Violations

The Charlotte City Council voted Monday to exempt naturalistic and pollinator gardens from height restrictions by unanimous approval. Now residents can register gardens with the city to dodge fines when vegetation shoots past 1 foot.

This ordinance codifies a program the city launched back in 2023, which permitted residents to register naturalistic landscapes for protection against enforcement actions. But that process wasn't written into municipal law, so officials had no binding duty to honor it. Residents with native plant gardens kept receiving violation letters warning them to trim vegetation or face penalties.

Councilwoman Joi Mayo praised Monday's vote as a method to boost biodiversity and strengthen climate resilience during the region's ongoing drought. Mayo works as community engagement manager for Trees Charlotte, a nonprofit committed to preserving the city's tree canopy.

"These naturalistic landscapes are going to help so much with that because we're not going to have to use as much water to maintain that," said Mayo, according to The Charlotte Observer. "It's so imperative that we are creating solutions to climate change locally."

Local plants outperform manicured lawns when it comes to environmental health. They support native pollinators. They don't depend on pesticides. Naturalistic gardens grow tall, flower, and seed with minimal mowing.

Representatives from the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, NC Native Plant Society, and other organizations spent months pressing city leaders to enshrine an exemption into law. These groups showed up at city meetings week after week to speak on the issue.

Dimple Ajmera, an early champion of the issue on the City Council, said the change stems from their input. "That just shows the power of organizing and the power of constituent advocacy," said Ajmera. "I'm excited to see how this is going to encourage more pollinator gardens."

Alden Picard, conservation coordinator for the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and lead community organizer behind the ordinance change, called it a win for property owners. "This is a common-sense approach to conservation," said Picard. "It gives property owners the choice to choose stewardship over degradation, to choose environmental protection over environmental assault."

The city plans to launch an outreach campaign so residents learn about the registration process. Rebecca Hefner, the city's director of housing and neighborhood services, said residents should discuss the rule change with their homeowners' associations so they might adopt similar policies. The ordinance doesn't override homeowners' association rules.

"We encourage all neighborhoods to embrace this," said Hefner.