$1,000 Fine For Not Mowing Your Lawn

There are now a thousand reasons to fix your lawn mower.

In this depressed real estate market, sellers need granite countertops and new stainless steel appliances just to compete. And sellers better hope they live on a street with white picket fences and ornate gardens to obtain fair market value.

But what happens if you have neighbors who just refuse to tidy up their lawn? A town in New York thinks it found the solution with a lawn mowing fine.

So if you're unhappy with a neighbor's efforts at cutting his grass, you can now report him to the appropriate officials resulting in a $1,000 fine to your neighbor for the first offense and a possible $10,000 fine for repeat offenses, reports CBS.

Officials at Massapequa Park on Long Island rationalized the big fines by saying that unkempt property lower home values and create a health and public safety hazard, reports CBS.

While this fine may seem unfair to some property owners like the elderly and those who just don't care, home owners should know that while they usually can do what they want on their property, the local government does have general powers over health and safety when it comes to land. So they can make you mow your lawn if there are health and welfare reasons for doing so.

The best way to combat the lawn mowing fine would be a grass roots movement (excuse the pun) by residents to repeal the ordinance. Residents can let lawmakers know they are not happy with the law, can seek a modification of the penalty, or a reduction in fine by exercising their voting rights.

This lawn mowing fine was passed on Long Island, sure. But receiving a $10,000 fine for neglecting the lawn seems a bit extreme. Expect some pushback on the lawn law as soon as someone is dinged. These are New Yorkers, after all.

Related Resources: