Jail Time Possible Over Vegetable Garden

Started by GlenL • 6 replies • 1849 views

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GlenL
Posts: 5,429

Posted:

If you think its only HOA's that want a well maintained front yard, think again one city is threatening jail time over a front yard vegetable garden.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/08/julie-bass-jail-vegetable-garden_n_893436.html?1310504685&ncid=webmail4

TimB4
Posts: 20,986

Posted:

After reading the material it appears that the issue is similar to HOAs. There is an ordinance that need to be interpreted.

It appears that a city code enforcer is trying to enforce the city code. The owner of the property refused to comply, therefore, she has gotten a summons to appear in court. Because the issue is violating a city ordinance, there is a possibility of jail time if found guilty.

I agree it sounds silly. However, isn't this how some people see members of the Board when they are trying to do their job. Jail time might not be the end result but losing the home through foreclosure could be.

Personally, based on the photos, I don't see how the yard is maintained. It has planter boxes (which are nice) but only what appears to be just dirt surrounding the boxes. I think that had the owner planted grass around the planting boxes, the issue might be less.

Here is a link to the beginning of her blog that shows pictures

Tim

DonnaS
Posts: 5,596

Posted:

Tim,

It looks like Julie has planted a raised bed garden with cypress mulch around the beds. Down here in our more than 30 community gardens, that garden would fit right in. Building raised beds are easier to maintain and a whole lot less weeding is required.

Normally they would go into a back yard but if she is to be successful in growing her own food (WHICH IS WHY WE PLANT VEGETABLES IN BEDS) the garden needs at least 6 hours of sunshine. This may be why she built it there in front.

At the turn of the 20th century, everyone had one of these in their front yards. What is so horrible about feeding your family with clean, fresh homegrown food. I would bet that a few packages of seeds would cost a lot less that $2.99 a pound for tomatoes.

My vote? We need to remove the green lawn image from our brains and to go back to smarter gardening practices. I have already contacted her City about how I think that they should change a few of these yard laws.

SusanW1
Posts: 5,197

Posted:

Sorry, I disagree.

I saw an article about this in a major magazine just recently. While the yard looked wonderful at full bloom/harvest time, the pictures of the yard in the spring and late fall showed the yard and it looked awful. It belongs in the back yard.

I would suspect your CCRS or ARCs speak to how lawns should look.

SrvN1
Posts: 21

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SusanW1 on 07/13/2011 6:48 AM
Sorry, I disagree.

I saw an article about this in a major magazine just recently. While the yard looked wonderful at full bloom/harvest time, the pictures of the yard in the spring and late fall showed the yard and it looked awful. It belongs in the back yard.

I would suspect your CCRS or ARCs speak to how lawns should look.

I agree

PeterT3
Posts: 28

Posted:

Donna:

I totally agree. Had this family planted sod or seeded their lawn, and was wasting hundreds of gallons of water, and applying fertilizer causing cancer, people would be happy since they see grass. Which is the single-largest irrigated crop in the United States now. A NASA scientist estimates that 3 times as much water is used for grass than for corn! And for what? For the perceived benefit of "higher property value", although no scientific study ever established that link or confirmed that perception.

We definitely need to get away from the perceived "well maintained" image of a lawn, and return to smarter gardening. Since using native plants, I have parts of my landscaping that I never irrigate. Whatever rain we get is enough, but that doesn't mean it is less maintained or worse looking than my neighbors' who try to keep their exotic invasives alive during those hot summer months...

DonnaS
Posts: 5,596

Posted:

Wow Peter, Thanks.

I know that this approach to landscape is not going to sit well with most of the population but time will force us to make adjustments to how we use our clean water. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I more than anyone appreciate lush beautiful lawns and gardens. But reality will force HOA's to change policy on landscape rules down the road. I do congratulate Florida for putting Florida Friendly Landscape laws into place for HOAs. Currently, most of Florida is under water restrictions so when will Texas, N. Mexico, Arizona, California and some of the other States catch on?

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