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Given our stint in the suburbs where having the most beautiful, manicured lawn becomes the object of desire for homeowners, and now living in a place where dog pooped and gummy sidewalks is what greets us when we leave our front door, we were fascinated by the NY Times story about outer-borough homeowners paving their front yards. Mind you, these are not brownstone owners with a sliver of grass, these are people who fairly substantial (for NYC standards) front property, perfect for lawnmowing, fertilization, watering, you name it. The trouble with lawn maintenance is why many homeowners decide to pave, as well as that other precious city commodity: Parking space. Our first thought about paved yards was that they were ugly, but when we saw this photograph that accompanied the article, our thoughts changed to, "That's Queens?" (The other photograph, of a house in College Point, confirmed our initial thought.)
City Councilman Tony Avella is rallying against paved yards, trying to get other city agencies to perhaps see if there are various legal loopholes that can bring some grass back to the land. Avella points out that paved yards can cause flooding into neighbors' yards, but as one pro-pavementer says his yard no longer floods, wonder what would happen if all the yards are paved - will the city's sewers be able to handle the rain? And the best quote is from mother of a paved yard owner: "Lawns have ticks and disease and worms and stuff. This way, it's safe and sterile. It's a cleaner area for the children to play. I love nature and I love grass, but I don't want my family exposed to disease." That's right - we live in New York City, damn it - pavement is our true terra firma!
What do you think of paved yards? Should the city try to regulate, encouraging a certain "look" for a neighborhood? Or should people just park their cars on the grass? The University of Illinois has a lot about lawn care and remember NYC's communal yards, the NYC parks.
Photograph from the NY Times
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The houses are not big where I live in Rego Park, but there has been a trend here (since the summer) of paving with brick or cement the front yards. I personally think it looks ugly but if the city starts regulating how much grass people should have then we have to start worrying about the city telling people how to live.I don't like all the brick and cement but it's better than weeds and garbage. I guess that's the price I pay for not being able to afford a house in he suburbs.
I'm all for the paved yards. The entire manicured lawn fixation is a vestige of the aspiring class' preoccupation with emulating old English manors. These days, it's a waste of money and time that could be better spent. (Even those with a green thumb could apply it to something truly productive.)
The drainage concern is a valid one, but can be addressed with the use of porous material and/or pavers.
When I eventually find myself with a place that actually has a lawn, I'll be going the natural route -- natural grasses and wildflowers which regulate their own height, with some crops interspersed.
I went to UVM where there is a big project going on right now to bring back greenspaces. More paved areas = more rain water runoff = more clogged sewars/polluted waterways. Another great idea that has been floating around...rooftop greenspaces.
(note: using a lawn for a parking lot is just as bad as paving)
Wouldn't all that extra pavement make the summer heat feel even worse, in addition to drainage issues already brought up?
Asphalt raises the ambient temperature; in comparison, natural grass is a heat sink, which actually cools the ambient temperature as well as providing oxygen and cleaning the air during its photosynthetic process
The trends in Kew Garden Hills are McMansions, paved yards, and overbuilt brick front porches with those see through white blocks. The trend is very popular among all the new eastern european jewish residents that have settled in the neighborhood the past 7 years. Good neighbors, but horrible taste.