Spring is a wonderful time in Craig and Moffat County.

The rolling uplifts that surround us are a brilliant green — in some places purple, yellow or blue — beautiful and thriving after the rain these last few days and weeks. The Earth has awakened and, when the wind picks up, her dandelion blossoms are thick in the air now almost like the snow we know so well.

But that thriving foliage is evident now in town as residents begin to fire up their lawn mowers and weed eaters for the green season. As our tourism season progresses, it’s important for residents to remember a few things about their lawns. 

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According to the city’s ordinance, grass inside the city should not be more than 12 inches and various weeds cannot be in excess of six inches. The punishment for violating the ordinance ranges from a fine to a lien on your property if fines go unpaid.

Aside from the potential legal headaches, homes whose lawns are overgrown can attract pests. Overgrown lawns don’t help keep our town beautiful and don’t do anything to complement the volunteer work that’s been done this last year to present a clean image of Craig to our visitors. Craig Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, volunteers with Northwest Colorado Health, Boy Scouts of America, local businesses and many others have all chipped in to help keep the city clean and free of trash in certain areas.

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There’s an opportunity for volunteerism here as some of Craig’s vacant homes and lots are in need of a little maintenance. While it’s always easy to call the city when a neighbor’s lawn is overgrown, here in Craig we help each other. Residents might consider donating some sweat and gasoline for a lawnmower to help keep their neighborhood nice.

Keep this in mind before you call the city’s code enforcement folks on your neighbors: Craig’s community service officers have been busy these last few weeks, often issuing multiple verbal warnings and citations for high grass, weeds, and sometimes trash. It’s usually better to talk with neighbors about any nuisance foliage that might be the source of neighborly angst before calling code enforcement.

There’s much to look forward to in Craig. Our downtown is beginning to see more revitalization as several new small businesses get ready to open. The city is prioritizing façade and sidewalk improvements to enhance and beautify our city. Elected officials and volunteers are doing their part to keep Craig beautiful.

Keeping our lawns managed and free of trash is an easy thing the rest of us can all do to help keep Craig beautiful. Once your lawn is done, maybe if there’s a little bit of extra time in your day and gas in your tank, you can help that neighbor who’s a little slow to mow.