Keep Hampton clean

Editorial: Any minute you go outside this time of year, the sound of lawnmowers fill the air. Lawn mowing and summer go hand in hand.
With the abundance of rainfall lately, lawn mowing seems to be necessitated on a more-than-regular basis. Those that mow their lawn regularly and keep up with the general maintenance of the grounds around their homes should be applauded. Freshly mowed yards combined with the vibrant flora this time of year set a perfect summer scene.
Not only do they look good, mowed lawns stay in line with city code. City code mandates that grass is not to be more than six inches in length. If the city deems a yard to be overgrown, it can hire a service to mow the lawn and bill the owner after the fact.
Overgrown lawns can be an eyesore, but also lead to a diversion of city resources, as it takes time to enforce the ordinance.
Those that mow their lawns regularly are also not out of the woods. Blowing grass clippings into city streets is also against city code. Loose grass can get into and clog storm drains which can result in flooding. Again, this leads to a use of city resources that could have been avoided with just a few extra minutes of care. Additionally, grass clippings in the streets are unsightly and can also pose a safety hazard to bicyclists and other pedestrians.
It seems each city council meeting this summer, city officials have commented that both overgrown lawns and discarded grass clippings are major issues. We can help alleviate those issues by being mindful of our surroundings.
Aside from grass issues, the Fourth of July is also a reminder that littering is still very much a problem today. It’s hard to walk very far down a city sidewalk or trail without seeing some remnants of discarded fireworks.
Wrappers, cans and other items from outdoor activities are also common sights. Again, it doesn’t take long to make sure we are keeping our city clean and don’t make extra work for others.
As stated several times, summer is a wonderful time of year to enjoy the great outdoors and the work city crews put into making public places a good setting for summer celebrations. Let’s keep it that way.