Lawndale’s Stand Against Natural Yard Withers

After debating with the city of Lawndale for three months about whether they had created a nuisance, Brad and Amy Henderson can finally return to what they do best: playing in the dirt.

The Hendersons -- Brad, 34, a botanist, and Amy, 31, a biologist -- viewed their frontyard as an example of native landscaping, a natural sanctuary in the city. It was even designated a wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

Lawndale officials said they don’t dispute the value of the native plants. But overgrown vegetation, they said, can present a safety concern.

But when is something overgrown? That was the question concerning the Hendersons’ garden. The 320-square-foot garden sits between a high school’s playground and a small, inconspicuous residence. It flourishes with cactuses, roses, sage scrub, fruit trees and a little lawn.

“I can’t blame the guy for having it like it is,” said Martin Engel, 77, a neighbor, “for the privacy and all. It gives you something else to look at besides the houses.”

The city, however, didn’t feel the same way.

After code enforcers passed by the house, the couple was cited Oct. 11 for “excessive overgrown vegetation in frontyard,” and was told to “cut all overgrown grass and weeds.”

Brad Henderson did what he did the last time he was cited for this two years ago. He mowed the grass.

This time, however, mowing wasn’t enough. Twelve days later, the Hendersons received a notice stating they had five days to schedule a hearing or face legal action. By the time the Hendersons received the letter, the five days had passed. Brad Henderson drafted a letter of his own, asking the city to explain what it meant by “weeds.”

“I am not completely sure what part of my yard is referred to in your correspondence with me, but I believe that the native dune scrub -- on the 164th Street side of my property, is being referred to as ‘overgrown grass and weeds.’ ”

Things got complicated in January, when the Hendersons received a third letter from the city telling them to cut back the overgrown plants. That was after a story in the Daily Breeze drew attention to the Hendersons. It also drew the attention of Catherine Rich, executive officer of the Urban Wildlands Group, who introduced the couple to Frank Angel, an attorney who began representing them before the city.

Besieged with more than 70 e-mails from residents imploring the city to back off, Mayor Harold Hofmann visited the house and said he didn’t see what the trouble was about.

Angel said the city officials could not explain to him or the Hendersons where the weeds were. City officials said the debate was never about individual plants but whether overgrown plants were encroaching on public property.

“The city thought its position was clear from the beginning,” said John Hemer, community development director. “This was never about the natural habitat.”

Both sides have tentatively come to a truce that would allow the Hendersons to keep their yard in a wild state while trimming plants that encroach on the sidewalk.

Hemer isn’t too concerned about the dispute with the Hendersons anymore. The yard is looking good, he said.

“I got plenty of stuff to work on,” Hemer said. “There’s a budget crisis -- maybe you’ve heard of it.”