Town Council – Propose Town Ordinance
TEMPLATE
Use this template as a guide to write your own letter. An example is given below. See also: How to Use the Templates.
Re: Proposed ordinance for (SUBJECT OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE)
Dear (NAME OF TOWN COUNCIL),
I have been a resident of (NAME OF TOWN) for (NUMBER) years.
In that time, I have become aware of (DESCRIBE THE SITUATION YOU WISH TO ADDRESS).
(DESCRIBE WHY THIS IS A PROBLEM.)
(DESCRIBE WHAT YOU PROPOSE.)
Therefore, I would like to propose creating a city ordinance that (GROUP AFFECTED BY PROPOSAL) be required to:
(LIST WHAT YOU WANT THE ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE.)
This ordinance would have the added benefits of:
(DESCRIBE THE BENEFITS OF YOUR SOLUTION.)
I am happy to provide information to the Council on native plants and invasive species. How can I work with you to craft a bill to move forward with this proposed ordinance?
With respect,
(YOUR NAME)
Help Your Town or HOA
I help municipalities and homeowners associations develop policies that promote native plants and pollinators.
EXAMPLE
This example will give you an idea of how to use this template.
Re: Proposed ordinance for local businesses to replace lawn with native pollinator gardens
Dear Green Hill City Council,
I have been a resident of Green Hill for twelve years. In that time, I have become aware of how much of our land is kept as lawn around local businesses. These lawns are frequently sprayed with pesticides on a regular basis in order to maintain a perfect carpet of grass.
Unfortunately, the downside to this is that all the food that our bees need to survive and pollinate our landscape is destroyed. The clover and dandelions that we seek to remove are lunch and dinner to these creatures. Luckily, there is an attractive, low-maintenance alternative: creating gardens of native wildflowers.
Native plants are preferred by our local bees, as they have the perfect blend of nutrients for them. There are also many other pollinators that require specific native plants in order to survive or raise their young. Monarch butterflies, for instance, require milkweed for their caterpillars; they cannot survive on any other type of plant.
Therefore, I would like to propose creating a city ordinance that all local businesses be required to:
Install gardens on all sidewalk strips and 50% of their lawns.
Maintain at least 70% native species in these gardens.
Avoid any species listed as invasive for our region.
Refrain from pesticide use on these gardens and any remaining lawn.
In addition to providing habitat for our local pollinators, these native gardens are cost-effective because they:
Do not require mulching. Plant stalks should not be cut down in the winter, as they provide food and shelter to pollinators. This has the added benefit of building up a layer of mulch for the spring, so none needs to be added. In fact, it is preferable not to add it, as it often has dyes that can hurt the insects, and it can impede ground nesting for local bees.
Require less water. Once established, native plants do not need a lot of watering and care. They are designed for our environment and will thrive in it. This is a far cry from the amount of watering and care needed to maintain a grass lawn.
Reduce mowing. Native gardens reduce the amount of lawn that needs to be mowed.
I am happy to provide information to the Council on native plants and invasive species. How can I work with you to craft a bill to move forward with this proposed ordinance?
With respect,
Kayla Johnson
Photo by Louis Paulin on Unsplash.