CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Butterflies and other pollinators frequented the marigolds, sunflowers, cosmos, dill and zinnias at their peak in Will Hatchel’s front yard, alongside numerous goldfinch, Iowa’s state bird.
But no longer.
Hatchel, who meticulously tended his front yard sanctuary for four years, was forced to cut down the plants this week after an anonymous complaint.
“I understand,” he said, citing the city ordinance that prohibits tall plantings in the right-of-way.
At the same time, he wondered about the timing of the complaint, when the plants were at their peak in serving as food sources for the birds, bees and butterflies.
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Hatchel also wondered if the complaint might be politically motivated, as he isn’t shy about expressing his opinion of Donald Trump on banners and other signs in his yard.
A banner hangs outside of Will Hatchel’s home in northeast Cedar Rapids. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
After a warning from the city, Hatchel cut back the plants to 24 inches, essentially removing all of the blossoms that provided a colorful wildlife sanctuary in front of his northeast Cedar Rapids home.
Milkweed, which serves as the sole food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars, was among the plantings.
Monarchs continue to lay their eggs on milkweed at this time of year. The resulting generation of butterflies migrate to Mexico in the fall.
Dill, which Hatchel also had to cut down, is another host plant for butterflies, including swallowtails.
He also had to remove tomato and pepper plants, which were recently producing food.
The city of Cedar Rapids operates on a complaint system regarding code violations, so one homeowner might be forced to remove plantings and the house next door does not.
See more about the city’s complaint system: Iowa gardener receives another violation notice
Absolutely ridiculous. He should have been giving an award for trying
to feed the the bees, butterflies and other insects that are beneficial to our community. I would rather have a natural habitat than plain ole grass any day.
I agree Debora, I call BS. If they were weeds or uncut grass I could see the point but flowers, no way. I say l Sometimes I hate living in Cedar Rapids.
then hit the road
Exactly!
we’re living I’m a prison outside of a facility with an invisible fence
Absolutely, I agree with you. He should be given a tax break for having urban Bio-Sanctuaries. Grass lawns do nothing for pollinators and should be taxed extra for environmental hazards.
I agree with you. The bees and butterflies need flowers.Without bees there is no food supply. This guy yards looks very nice. Smh
People have too much time on their hands. We pay taxes on our properties, high taxes I might add. I often see piles of JUNK on these right of ways for weeks, but beautiful flowers must be destroyed. They city has better things to do, the roads around my nieghborhood are full of potholes, but they’re worried about a butterfly, bird and bee sanctuary? Really?
it’s disgusting. I am his neighbor and its all political. disgusting for the city to use force to implement this. yeah I gotta take in bunch of inherited stuff to sell to pay prop taxes. meanwhile they just busted squatters next door, across from will. my other neighbor In his teens was almost arrested but had a gun pulled on him by police after he was acting all wild next door. this is not the iowa I grew up in
oh well. I’m sure the new data center will be great
If that’s the case have them come by 1203 19th Ave sw.. They can complain all they want… I’ll tell all of them the same thing.. I don’t even mow.. ( fresh greens daily for my rabbits..) I’ll will not be told jack.. if you feel like asking questions.. we all have to live here.. If I don’t complain about the smell of your weed killer and exhaust from your lawn mower or that you have to mow it weekly then please stop by and pick a sun flower or have a berry.. life’s to short to complain..
based
This makes my heart hurt.
I hate nosy neighbors who expect everyone’s yard to look the same or they will complain. There are cars who drive around and around our property sometimes twenty times a day. Some are realtors and No my house is not for sale. At least some are looking for codes violations. if I were him I would buy a fence and that is just step one
I would bet my house it wasn’t any of his neighbors. my house is in one of the pictures. we’ll like a small piece of it but still!!!
Blame the person who complained, not the city. The city doesn’t go around looking for violations. They only follow up on complaints. No complaints = no problem
The city creates the rules. If we don’t like the rules, we can speak out, push back, vote accordingly, & get involved by volunteering for committees, task forces, & public office. Until the rules change, we need to abide by them.
no definitely blame the city for giving into Karen’s
So much hate in this world. We can’t even enjoy a beautiful garden of flowers, without some self-righteous fool filing a complaint. I feel bad for Mr. Hatchel & the work he put into creating such a lovely space that would have fed our pollinators.
If it was me, I would have made them get a court order to force me to cut my flowers and plants.
I feel for you. was told told my plot of sunflowers and pollinators was in way of delivering mail and need to be cut down. but we moved our mailbox instead.
I’m sure this was beautiful and I agree with the importance of these types of plantings, but every city has regulations about the right of way area.
Great article, I just had a lengthy conversation with the City last week when both of my sisters were reported by this 1 neighbor and everyone knows who she is .She has caused so much harassment and hardship for my family members, constantly reporting unnecessary calls to the city. This woman is calling on neighbors on the SE and SW side. She may be the same person calling on people because she has nothing better to do than cause problems. The City is doing what they are supposed to do, but this crazy woman has no life.
thogh it may have been b beautiful he should have known a out the ordinance. planting his plants on the correct side of the sidewalk then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.
I live next to him and he is a nice guy. since we’re in a socially engineered politically divided world , this was obviously aimed at him due to his political beliefs that are on his truck etc. I’ve seen several cars take pics of his house. I’ve seen posts about him elsewhere that he isn’t even aware of. he had a real nice yard and all. it’s too bad that the city made him do that
I’m so sorry for this unfortunate display of hatred-however benign it may seem. God is watching us from a distance.
People can harass you anonymously.. All they need to do is call the city and a letter automatically and a threatening letter automatically goes out to you – whether you are in violation or not. This happened to me for no reason about once every 10 days I would get this same letter from the city, and anonymous text messages from someone who is harassing me.. This person should have not complied, prior to asking the city for a variance.
You’ll notice the complaint came from an anonymous source. Too much of a coward to let everyone know who he/she is. Perhaps the complainer needed more information regarding the good will of Mr. Hatchel. All of your comments above are spot on!!!
Life is definitly too short!
shame on them!! what a disgrace when neighbors have to act this way!! Stick your nose in a book!! leave people alone, stop worrying about what others are doing in their personal living space.
One vile AH person complains about a beautiful planting of various flowers that are more than helpful and necessary for our environment and that’s all it takes to destroy beneficial plantings? One person? Does the city not have more important issues to contend with? Whoever made the complaint should be ashamed of themselves.
if he had a non Trump sign in his yard, that says it all. Trump supporters are weak minded thin skin and will nit pick you to retaliate for not liking that POS.
Im going call BS on the absolute piece of crap complaint and AND the city. It was the city that WROTE the ordnance- giving the self-righteous Karen the means to take such a ridiculous action. Without the city creating such crap, the Karen would have no recourse and the ability to destroy the habitat. Perhaps a group of individuals with similiar ideals, cause, appreciation, and principles to protect the beauty and necessity of what mother nature provides; should gather together and visit the next city council meeting? If I wasnt 90 mins away, Id be the one to organize a FB group dedicated specifically for this and similiar causes re: beneficial plants/practices!
No Sunflowers or Milkweeds? Those are native to Iowa and great for the dwindling bees and butterflies. But Kentucky Bluegrass, an imported plant from another country, is approved for planting? Neighbor, what is wrong with you, that you’re selfishly complaining about someone trying to preserve our bees and butterflies?
I don’t live in or near Cedar Rapids but I can’t imagine anyone being forced to destroy vegetation that is beneficial. so sorry to hear.
i bet Phyllis Green*** called him in.
It’s too bad he had to do this, we need more pollinators not less!
as much as I want to hate the city, it doesn’t belong on that side of the sidewalk. People need to see and the city code is there for a reason. I would love to see all the tall plants/vegetation on his side of the sidewalk. yes, it sucks. yes, I would be mad. yes, the person who complained May have done so due to his political views. I only have one comment – where can I get that sign? I love it!!!
I’ll bet he was a triple vaxed nut job who demanded everyone wear masks.
The Liberal got what he deserved.
what about the trees and bushes that have been planted that block views from traffic at intersections.
My heart breaks for the lost garden. I used to live close by and always thought his plantings were beautiful.
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