Albert Lea might as well stop giving out citations to homeowners for uncut grass.

Just look at the present condition of the Eagle’s Rest property — the former Albert Lea Golf Club. The city considers it a construction site, but it wasn’t mowed all last summer and hasn’t been mowed all this summer. If that land of long stems qualifies for an exemption, even though nothing has been constructed on the site for more than 1 1/2 years, then just about anyone’s property does, too. A precedent has been set.

So if the city fines you for failing to cut your grass, just tell them you are a construction site, too.

Have you replaced a shingle? Edged a sidewalk? Trimmed a hedge? Built a driveway? You must be a construction site.

Chances are you have done at least more to your property in the last year than the owner of the Eagle’s Rest site has.

If the city is going to have this ordinance, it needs to attempt to treat landowners fairly. It either cites the big landowner or forgives the small ones. A place cannot remain a construction site indefinitely.