Landscaping services in Plymouth Township are now an “essential service” and will no longer be subject to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Stay Home Stay Safe executive order.
Professional landscaping has been one of the hotly contested businesses in the debate regarding essential services during the stay-at-home order in the state.
Last week, Plymouth Township Supervisor Kurt Heise weighed in on the issue and weeded out any doubt about the township position on landscaping services.
“As supervisor of the Charter Township of Plymouth, I am hereby deeming certain professional landscaping services as essential functions of our township government for the following reasons and conditions, and therefore not subject to police enforcement under the various orders of the governor,” Heise said, in a prepared statement.
Reasons cited included: “The township maintains a Grass & Weed Ordinance that is currently in effect and is binding on all homes and businesses within the township. Failure to abide by this ordinance carries with it financial and administrative penalties; The township has a public health and safety interest in maintaining clean and well-kept properties, free of vermin, insects, mosquitoes and debris. This also lessens the health burden on residents with seasonal allergies, asthma and similar conditions and the township has a public health and safety interest in seeing that senior citizens and other vulnerable adults with health or physical limitations can maintain their properties without exposing themselves to physical harm or health risks.”
Northville Township Supervisor Bob Nix said he is taking a “wait and see” approach to the issue, which he acknowledged is a “hot potato.”
“We hope to get some relief by next week, he said. “I think there's going to be relief-we're going to wait the next 7 to 10 days to see what happens,” he said. Nix said that Heise “took one approach,” to the professional landscaping issue and acknowledged that all the surrounding communities are facing this same issue.
“We've spent so much time on this--we've been in touch with the Michigan Townships Association, (MTA), the Michigan Municipal League, (MML) and we're hoping for some relief soon,”
Nix agreed that there have been strong reactions on both sides of the issue and said “a lot of folks have reached out.”
The Plymouth Township decision applies only to grass and weed maintenance and cutting, which includes lawn mowing, edging, applying fertilizer and servicing trees and bushes. Irrigation system seasonal start-ups and required maintenance are also included.
Nonessential landscaping services, such as mulch application, brick paving, water features/fountains or other primarily decorative outdoor services are not covered by the decision.
