Reducing lawn landscaping costs

[Paolo Ertreo]

Hi all, I'm a new owner of a multi family in Cleveland and am wondering how you all go about lawn maintenance. I've heard that the city if Cleveland has hefty fines for lawns that are overgrown. I'm thinking of reducing overhead and costs by removing my grassy lawn entirely in favor of low maintenance ground coverings. Has anyone done this? 

Furthermore, would the city give me grief for replacing grass with pebbles in the smaller plot of dirt adjacent to the street? I see it done often here in NorCal. Thanks!