KROX has recently received several complaints regarding Crookston residents blowing their grass clippings out into the street. We spoke with City Officials and found out not only is it illegal to blow your grass clippings into the road, but they are bad for the sewer system, the health of the river, and a hazard to motorcycles.
City of Crookston Public Works Director Pat Kelly says not only does blowing the clippings into the street look bad, but the clippings can also block the drainage off the road causing backups. “It is illegal to shoot grass clippings, throw dirt, gravel, rocks, what have you into the streets,” said Kelly. “We would appreciate if people tried to get their clippings blown back onto the yards. There are a lot of benefits to your lawns for maintaining your grass clippings in there from what I understand as far as nourishment for the grass and things like that. But if you can keep from blowing it in the street, otherwise it makes things difficult. It rains, goes and plugs up the catch basins, and drainage gets poor and starts backing up. Just overall it looks terrible, and we’d certainly appreciate if people could bag their clippings or blow them back on their lawn.”
Crookston Police Chief Paul Biermaier added that the grass clippings are mostly water and for that reason can act like a sheet of ice for motorcycles and bicycles. “Part of our city code has a provision called obstruction in streets, more specifically dumping in streets,” said Biermaier. “If anybody is interested that’s under 96.02.C. It specifically lists leaves and grass among many other things that it’s illegal to dump in the streets. There seems to be a lot of that right now, and I notice that around the streets. I found out that grass clippings are about 85 percent water so when they are on the street and come between motorcycle, bicycle, rollerblade tires it can act like a sheet of ice. Then these people have to respond if they start to lose control. That could be veering out into traffic, crashing into the curb. We need to get people in town to stop putting that kind of stuff out on the street.”
Biermaier also said those clippings carry fertilizer into the storm sewer to the river and the chemicals encourage algae growth deteriorating the health of the river. “All of our storm sewers, our street sewers go to the river,” said Biermaier. “Those storm sewers can get clogged up over time. I’m no expert with the chemical part of this, but grass clippings have phosphorus and other fertilizers that people put on their yards. When that gets into the rivers, streams, and lakes, it encourages algae growth. So if you’re not concerned about the dangers to people using bikes maybe you’re an environmentalist and the fact that this is bad for water systems and the animals that live in that water maybe that will help you to stop blowing grass clippings into the street.”
According to City Code, blowing grass clippings into the street is a misdemeanor in addition to safety risk explained Biermaier. “People probably need to know that according to our city code this is a misdemeanor offense,” said Biermaier. “And each day the clippings are left on the street is considered a separate offense. We need your help. We have lots of other things or as we’re told once in a while more important things to do. So help us out. We don’t want to have to go around and step up enforcement on this. But by and large, the thing that people really need to be aware of is the dangers to the motorcyclists, the bicyclists, the rollerbladers. I’m no expert in the law either, but I’m guessing if someone was to get hurt because of the clippings you left in the street you have a certain amount of personal liability for that. If the other reasons don’t appease you, do it for your own sake. Don’t get drug into a lawsuit if somebody gets hurt.”
96.02.C Dumping in Streets
It is a misdemeanor for any person to throw or deposit in any street any nails, dirt, glass or glassware, cans, discarded cloth or clothing, metal scraps, garbage, leaves, grass or tree limbs, paper or paper products, shreds or rubbish, oil, grease or other petroleum products, or to empty any water containing salt or other injurious chemical thereon. It is a violation of this section to haul any material, inadequately enclosed or covered, thereby permitting the same to fall upon streets. It is also a violation of this section to place or store any building materials or waste resulting from building construction or demolition on any street without first having obtained a written permit from the Council.
