The City of Mendota is reminding residents that grass is supposed to be kept at a low level and off city streets.

An announcement was made by the Mendota City Council on behalf of the Mendota Streets Department ahead of mowing season, reminding residents that an ordinance is in place to keep grass at a reasonable level and off city streets, and that failure to comply may result in a ticket.

“No grass clippings are supposed to be in the streets,” Public Works Chairman Jim Fitzpatrick said at the April 20 meeting of the Mendota City Council. “[Residents] are supposed to manage. If your lawn mower puts the clippings out there, you can take them back out there and put them back where they’re supposed to be.”

Mayor Dave Boelk said at the Monday, May 4 meeting, that residents may now have extra incentive to abide by the city code on these matters.

“Driving around this weekend I noticed that there was a ton of long grass, and a lot of grass out in the street, too,” Boelk said. “I am going to issue the order to compliance enforcement to start ticketing. We’re going to get real on this stuff.”

Boelk said that the tickets for violations of these ordinances will be up to $250.

Streets Department Director Nick Stremlau said that the reasoning behind this is that grass left in the street could eventually clog storm drains.

“That’s our main concern,” Stremlau said. “We don’t want to get grass into the underground system.”