News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Cookeville City Council will consider revising an ordinance to prohibit blowing grass clippings onto roadways.
The revision would classify grass clippings as a form of litter. Planning Department Director Jon Ward said that are multiple issues that come with grass clippings in the roadways.
“It’s a safety hazard,” Ward said. It causes a hazard for motorcyclists and cyclists, it also can impact the drainage if grass clippings cover drainage grates, stop up ditches, things like that.”
Ward said he examined the language of similar ordinances in other cities, and applied the language from their ordinances to revise Cookeville’s ordinance. He used Hendersonville as an example, citing they included grass clippings along with other items they chose to include in the ordinance.
The revision comes at the request of council member Mark Miller who said he wants to see motorcyclists better protected on roadways.
“As a former state trooper, I remember working a wreck where a motorcyclist hit some grass clippings, and they actually wrecked and it was the motorcyclist’s fault because there was no rule saying you can blow your grass clippings down the road way,” Miller said. “So I just want to provide some protections to our motorists and motorcyclists.”
Mayor Ricky Shelton asked at Monday’s work session how the city would enforce the new ordinance. Council Member Eric Walker asked about a possible grace period. Those issues will be considered by staff prior to Thursday’s meeting.
Miller said he thinks for residences, punishment for violating the ordinance would most likely be a civil action, rather than a criminal matter. City Manager James Mills said that for city-owned properties, enforcement would be like any other city ordinance in that they would cite the offender and take the issue to court.
Council will review the change to the streets and sidewalks section of the city ordinance at its meeting Thursday night.
