The Grapevine Prairie Garden

Dear Grapevine Native Plant Enthusiasts,

I’m reaching out to raise awareness about an issue that could impact gardeners who grow Texas native plants. For the past year and a half, I’ve been disputing Grapevine’s outdated landscape code with Code Enforcement over my front yard, which features 2-3 ft. tall, perennial Texas natives. This started with a single neighbor’s complaint, but now the City is reviewing the code. If rewritten poorly, this new code could impose restrictive rules that discourage native plant gardening and limit our ability to create sustainable, Texas-appropriate landscapes.

Currently, the code is poorly written and lacks clarity. It makes no distinction between water-thirsty turf grasses and drought-tolerant native grasses. Code enforcement insists that all grass in a residential area, including cultivated and ornamental grasses, must be kept under six inches tall, completely ignoring the environmental benefits of native plants. 

Native plants conserve water, attract pollinators, and create vibrant ecosystems—qualities that are especially critical as summers grow hotter and water becomes scarcer. Our city should be leading the way in promoting sustainable, Texas-appropriate landscaping, not doubling down on a one-size-fits-all turf grass standard.

I want to warn my fellow gardeners: all it takes is one neighbor’s complaint for Code Enforcement to start citing you. Based on my experience, their officers are not well-trained to identify or appraise native plants in relation to the code as it is currently written. The current review of the code is an opportunity to advocate for a future-focused, inclusive policy, but without community involvement, there’s a real risk the new rules will further restrict front-yard, native plant gardening.

I urge you to contact the Director of Development Services and the City Council quickly and let them know you support a code that encourages diverse, sustainable landscaping and the freedom to express yourself with native plants. Together, we can ensure Grapevine embraces a greener, more resilient future.

Thank you for standing with me in this effort.

Sincerely,

Tim Yatko
Grapevine Resident and Native Plant Advocate

City Staff to email:
Director of Development Services emarohnic@grapevinetexas.gov

City Attorney mboyle@boyle-lowry.com

Mayor and Council to cc:
wtate@grapevinetexas.gov, pslechta@grapevinetexas.gov, sharronr@grapevinetexas.gov, lleal@grapevinetexas.gov, dfreed@grapevinetexas.gov, ccoy@grapevinetexas.gov, dodell@grapevinetexas.gov