Missouri Officials Discuss Landscape Maintenance Requirements

St. Peters, Mo., officials discussed landscaping Saturday during a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen, Planing and Zoning Commission and the Board of Adjustments.

Officials discussed making several changes to city codes pertaining to property maintenance.

Mayor Len Pagano suggested changing the code to reflect the distance trees should be planted from property lines. Pagano charged that trees should be planted at least 6 feet behind the property line."Last year in the High Point subdivision, a tree from another yard fell on another house," Pagano said. "People plant them right on the property line and it grows. That's where it starts to be a problem. If you want a tree, plant it in your own yard."

Pagano suggested adding a line to the city's resident guide book that would make homeowners responsible for damage caused by vegetation.

"I am seeking advice from state legislators about it," Pagano said.

City Administrator Bill Charnisky said the city will discuss drafting a landscaping ordinance during a work session Thursday night. Among the discussion topics will be whether to vote to amend the city's property maintenance code in an attempt to regulate tall wild flowers like the ones growing in one resident's yard.

Frank Leisti, a resident of the St. Peters Hills subdivision said his plants were 7.5 feet tall until he recently trimmed them.

The city is considering drafting an ordinance that targets residents with similar vegetation.

The idea for the regulation stemmed from a plea by Jeff Fellows, a Coldwell Banker Gundaker real estate agent. During a board meeting last month, Fellows asked the city to cut down what he called weeds growing in Leisti's yard.

Fellows' client, Mary Ann Peppers, is trying to sell her home, which is next door to Leisti's home. Fellows brought pictures he'd taken of the overgrown garden on the neighboring property and showed them to city officials and members of the media.

"Buyers would like to buy (Peppers') home, but when they see the home next door, they're out of there," Fellows said. "There is no way I'm going to be able to sell this woman's property with it looking like this."

Pratt said she and Ron Darling, city manager of health and environmental services, discussed approaching Leisti about his garden but have not done so.

Leisti said he received numerous notices of public nuisance on his door after an ice storm last year knocked down two trees on his property.

Leisti said he feels targeted.

Officials considered making it mandatory that all residents have grass in at least 50 percent of their front and back yards.