A move by some members of the Waukegan City Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee to allow residents to forego cutting their lawns in May to benefit the environment is gaining support, and Mayor Sam Cunningham wants to see a contemplative approach.
Gaining popularity in parts of the U.S. as the “No Mow May” movement, Ald. Lynn Florian, 8th Ward, proposed the idea to her colleagues on the committee. She said it is a way to help the bee population and other pollinators make flowers grow.
Florian said participants who choose not to cut their grass in May — and place a sign in their yard letting city code enforcement inspectors know the high grass is both intentional and permissible — would not be cited for letting it grow tall.
“People believe it helps to provide an environment for the bees coming out in the spring,” she said. “I hope we’ll have an opportunity to pass this. There were already people doing this last year. There were signs in the community.”
Committee members formed a consensus of support for No Mow May during a meeting on Monday at City Hall in Waukegan, starting the process to enable residents to participate in No Mow May without fear of receiving a citation for letting their grass exceed city height limits.
Once the consensus was formed, Michael Castaldo, Jr., an attorney with Corporation Counsel Ottosen DiNolfo Hasenbalg & Castaldo, said he would prepare an ordinance for the committee to consider and recommend to the City Council.
Though there are nearly five months until May 1, Cunningham, who was not at the committee meeting, said between a variety of existing city regulations and assuring No Mow May will work in Waukegan, some caution is needed.
“There is some kind of process for things like this,” he said. “Something like this is positive, but it is not a likely rollout for (May of) 2026. We need to begin the process.”
During the meeting, Ald. Sylvia Sims Bolton, 1st Ward, wanted assurances that the program is not mandatory. Florian assured her it would be completely voluntary. Florian wants those who choose to let the grass grow for the month of May to be able to do so.
“All I want is for people to do it and not get code enforced (in) May for having taller grass,” Florian said. “If they want to participate, they can. They’ll get a sign that says this is on purpose. It is something people want to do, and we’re making it possible so they’re not having issues with code enforcement.”
Bolton also wanted to know more about potential environmental benefits. Noelle Kischer-Lepper, the city’s director of planning and economic development, said bees that nest in the ground start to emerge in May. They need to fly from plant to plant as they get out of the ground to pollinate.
“When people mow, it kills them,” Kischer-Lepper said. “Our country has had an issue with the bee population declining because of diseases and other things that affect the bee population. That makes it harder to pollinate flowers that are food sources for us.”
Ald. Keith Turner, 6th Ward, said No Mow May is a great idea the moment Florian finished introducing it. He believes it is a worldwide issue as bees are threatened in a lot of places.
“To me, this is a great idea,” Turner said. “Spring is a time of rebirth and renewal. There’s a global crisis with bees, in particular. There’s all kinds of insect life and animal life and plant life that is going. I’m all for it.”
Glenview and Northbrook are among other north suburban towns that allow No Mow May. It is also permitted in Oak Park, Lombard, Riverside, Westmont and LaGrange Park. It started in the U.S. in 2020 in Appleton, Wisconsin.
The Chicago Tribune contributed to this story.
