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A proposal to hike next year’s budget by $1.7 million to battle dandelions will be debated at council later this month.

A city committee approved Friday a one-year budget adjustment recommendation by administration to increase the frequency of mowing in parks, green spaces and boulevards next spring and summer to “address the visual impacts of dandelions.”

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Bureaucrats would also be tasked with developing a long-term strategy to combat dandelions, which are not considered prohibited or noxious weeds under the Alberta Weed Control Act.

The province also restricts the use of herbicides and pesticides near waterways or in areas prone to erosion into a waterway.

A dry, warm spring and summer allowed dandelions to thrive this year, triggering a wave of complaints to the city.

“We had a warm, dry season this year which lead to more growth in dandelions than other things,” said Chris Manderson, the city’s natural area management lead.

The city received 5,299 calls about grass and weed control between May and July this year — 74 per cent relating to private property.

City bylaws state that grass and weeds can’t grow taller than 15 centimetres on private property.

An exact year-over-year comparison is difficult since tallies from 2011 to 2014 were over a five-month period, from May to September. In 2014, the city recorded a total of 5,404 complaints, down from 7,813 in 2011.