Michigan Woman Faces 93 Days in Jail for Planting a Vegetable Garden

[petros]

Double bin? Half trash half recycling?

If a govt ever says they are "here to help with...." it's usually a run like hell from it situation. There is always a scam espeially when gov of any types says it's for the "betterment of our community".

It's like the $10.41 (plus GST) they want for 'storm drainage" from me per month. For the $130 a year I can buy a yard of asphalt, fix the street and a couple potholes here and there to boot and actually drain the puddle out front to the catch basin.

But that would make far too much sense.

 

[Ariadne]

Two bins ... first blue for recycling and then black for trash ... 30 inches apart on the curb. Near Ottawa, where my daughter lives, they get a limited number of stickers per year and they have to tag every bag they put out for pickup. If they have extra garbage bags and need more stickers, they pay extra. She was very frugal with her garbage - everything collapsed and made as small as possible.

Storm drainage ... is that for having a storm drain on the street in front of the house?

 

[petros]

Two bins ... first blue for recycling and then black for trash ... 30 inches apart on the curb. Near Ottawa, where my daughter lives, they get a limited number of stickers per year and they have to tag every bag they put out for pickup. If they have extra garbage bags and need more stickers, they pay extra. She was very frugal with her garbage - everything collapsed and made as small as possible.

Storm drainage ... is that for having a storm drain on the street in front of the house?

I'm glad I have dumpsters. No cans to haul and everything goes in. No sorting or bagging. Nope. It's based on how many m sq my lot is and how much rain and snow will run off to the puddle based on averages.

If they try to switch us to curbside I'll fill the damn bin with water everyweek. Lets see their squishy grabby picker upper machine lift 300kg of water

 

[Ariadne]

I wonder if I have that too ... I've never been able to figure out what exactly I'm paying for.

 

[petros]

It's on my water/sewer bill.

 

[Cliffy]

I never understood the fertilize/water/mow thing. Just doesn't make sense. I just let my backyard grow until the rains stop, whack it down. Don't water, don't fertilize. In the dry season, it doesn't grow much so maybe I'll cut it again in the fall with a weed whacker or not. Why do people become willing slaves to their lawns?

 

[petros]

I never understood the fertilize/water/mow thing. Just doesn't make sense. I just let my backyard grow until the rains stop, whack it down. Don't water, don't fertilize. In the dry season, it doesn't grow much so maybe I'll cut it again in the fall with a weed whacker or not. Why do people become willing slaves to their lawns?

10 degrees cooler inside the house if the lawn is well managed and it also reduces flooding not to mention skeeters love tall grass and weeds.

 

[Cliffy]

10 degrees cooler inside the house if the lawn is well managed and it also reduces flooding not to mention skeeters love tall grass and weeds.

Ah, city folk! I forget what it is like. I prefer nature. After a while skeeters don't bother me. Not too much chance of flooding behind my house as the ground drops off about 8 feet.

 

[petros]

Ah, city folk! I forget what it is like. I prefer nature. After a while skeeters don't bother me. Not too much chance of flooding behind my house as the ground drops off about 8 feet.

But do you have your own paid for puddle?

I'm not too keen on West Nile virus either.

 

[Cliffy]

But do you have your own paid for puddle?

I'm not too keen on West Nile virus either.

No puddle, all roads go downhill to the Columbia.

You live in Egypt? You could just as easily get run over mowing your lawn or of a piece of space junk falling on your head.

 

[Ariadne]

I never understood the fertilize/water/mow thing. Just doesn't make sense. I just let my backyard grow until the rains stop, whack it down. Don't water, don't fertilize. In the dry season, it doesn't grow much so maybe I'll cut it again in the fall with a weed whacker or not. Why do people become willing slaves to their lawns?

The woman did seem a bit insane. Her husband was an engineer and they had three children whom they raised in the house next door. They had the backyard redone after the children moved away, with cobblestones and gardens, but the children and their children very occasionally came to visit. They invited guests to dine on their new patio but no matter how many martinis they had, if only made them more dull. They became very grumpy or angry looking shortly before they moved ... and I would be surprised if they still had a marriage in the traditional sense - they could well be a couple that miserably stays together because they have nothing else to do The wife neurotically fertilized the lawn throughout the summer while the husband crankily looked after it. I was convinced they shook their eyeballs when they talked.

No puddle, all roads go downhill to the Columbia.

You live in Egypt? You could just as easily get run over mowing your lawn or of a piece of space junk falling on your head.

The Columbia River is thrashing through the canyon at some points.

 

[Praxius]

I'm going to jump in and play devil's advocate once again:

I think everybody should be free to have their own garden on their property, however, I do believe it should be in either the back yard, or in a fenced off area.

Not because I think it looks bad or anything superficial like that, but if it's anything like the rules for having a pool, there are certain safety concerns to keep in mind.

My father has a pool in the back yard, and by regulation, it must be closed off in order to prevent idiot kids or neighbors from strolling in and drowning.... which I think is stupid, but at the same time, holds some logic to it as it helps prevent you from being found liable for their deaths.

Now in relation to a garden in your front yard, similar issues can apply. For one thing, having a garden near a roadway will pose health risks to the veggies & fruits you grow, due to litter, regular salting & plowing in the winter time, and a bunch of other contaminants that could seep into the soil, into the plants and then into you. And if you get sick from eating that stuff, there's a chance the city/town could be sued or held liable for that illness.

The second aspect is people walking by and either swiping all of the veggies and fruits from your garden, which opens up court cases of theft, or merely having to constantly get the police involved every time someone is missing a tomato...... or in relation to the above, someone taking something from that garden, gets sick from either the chemicals that were absorbed due to being near the road, or due to the pesticides or other things you put on those plants..... and then suing you..... even though they ate it without your permission, I wouldn't be surprised if someone sued anyways and probably win.

In a perfect world, I wouldn't have a problem with people growing a garden in their front yard, but there comes risks of liability if something goes wrong, someone gets sick, or their garden is constantly robbed by passer's by.

Just keep it in the back yard, I don't see what the big deal is.

Added:

Oh and then there's the issue of rodents and vermin near sewer drains picking away at your garden.

 

[weaselwords]

I never understood the fertilize/water/mow thing. Just doesn't make sense. I just let my backyard grow until the rains stop, whack it down. Don't water, don't fertilize. In the dry season, it doesn't grow much so maybe I'll cut it again in the fall with a weed whacker or not. Why do people become willing slaves to their lawns?

Do what I did to my back yard, throw down 3 yards of limestone screenings and it becomes the largest residential Zen garden in the neighbourhood.. Gives you a chance to go out with the rake make designs & soothe your shattered nerves.

 

[Praxius]

There is a pic. It's nicely done with well built raised beds. I'll dig it up.

Looks nice to me.

Looks a little cluttered and tacky to me, but then again, I really don't care what others do on their own property, so long as it doesn't affect mine.

 

[catusmanus]

There are laws in some regions that say it's illegal to collect rainwater for your garden because industrial interests down stream may or may not need that water more than you do.

Now that is going too far!! WOW

 

[JLM]

It just doesn't get more ridiculous than this.

Julie Bass of Oak Park, Michigan -- a mother of 6, law-abiding citizen, and gardener -- is facing 93 days in jail after being charged with a misdemeanor.

Her crime? Planting a vegetable garden in the front yard.

Bass says that she planted the garden after her front yard was torn up for some sewer repairs. Rather than wasting the opportunity to start with a clean slate by planting a lawn, she decided to really put the area to use, and plant a vegetable garden.

Her garden consists of 5 raised beds, where she grows a mix of squashes, corn, tomatoes, flowers, and other veggies. Bass received a warning from the city telling her to remove the vegetable garden, because it doesn't adhere to city ordinances (more on that later.) When she refused, she was ticketed and charged with a misdemeanor.

Her trial, before a jury, is set to begin on July 26th. If she is found guilty, she can be sentenced to up to 93 days in jail.

About the City Ordinance
Supposedly, Bass is in noncompliance with a city ordinance that states that only "suitable" plant material is allowed on the lawn area of residences. When local media asked city planner Kevin Rulkowski what that meant, he said suitable means "common:" lawn, nice shrubs, and flowers. However, the city ordinance does not specifically state that those are the only allowed plant materials.

About Oak Park
This is not some gated community with HOA regulations. This is an ordinary, working class neighborhood in Oakland County, Michigan. Like nearly every other city in my home state right now, Oak Park is facing financial issues. Here at home, people are amazed that a cash-strapped city has the resources to investigate, charge, and prosecute a resident for something as innocuous as planting a vegetable garden.

That kind of sh*t just makes my blood boil- but maybe it's one of these la-de-da neighbourhoods and the neighbours are putting the pressure on. Reminds me of a case in Saanich (near Victoria) years ago where a guy wanted to subdivide his property and was told by the municipality he couldn't as it was zoned agricultural. Okay, says he, if it's zoned agricultural it will bloody well be agricultural and he brought in some hogs and right away started to build a manure pile you could smell a mile away.

Looks a little cluttered and tacky to me, but then again, I really don't care what others do on their own property, so long as it doesn't affect mine.

I think it looks kind of neat and tidy.

 

[Praxius]

..... I think it looks kind of neat and tidy.

Just my subjective preference.... It'd look neat and tidy if they were all grouped in one area of the front lawn and contained within one large boxed in area... but the way it looks in that photo, it's spread out and cluttered lookin.

 

[JLM]

Just my subjective preference.... It'd look neat and tidy if they were all grouped in one area of the front lawn and contained within one large boxed in area... but the way it looks in that photo, it's spread out and cluttered lookin.

Sounds good.

There are laws in some regions that say it's illegal to collect rainwater for your garden because industrial interests down stream may or may not need that water more than you do.

Totally ridiculous- water belongs on the land upon which it falls until nature disperses it.

 

[Machjo]

It just doesn't get more ridiculous than this.

Julie Bass of Oak Park, Michigan -- a mother of 6, law-abiding citizen, and gardener -- is facing 93 days in jail after being charged with a misdemeanor.

Her crime? Planting a vegetable garden in the front yard.

Bass says that she planted the garden after her front yard was torn up for some sewer repairs. Rather than wasting the opportunity to start with a clean slate by planting a lawn, she decided to really put the area to use, and plant a vegetable garden.

Her garden consists of 5 raised beds, where she grows a mix of squashes, corn, tomatoes, flowers, and other veggies. Bass received a warning from the city telling her to remove the vegetable garden, because it doesn't adhere to city ordinances (more on that later.) When she refused, she was ticketed and charged with a misdemeanor.

Her trial, before a jury, is set to begin on July 26th. If she is found guilty, she can be sentenced to up to 93 days in jail.

About the City Ordinance
Supposedly, Bass is in noncompliance with a city ordinance that states that only "suitable" plant material is allowed on the lawn area of residences. When local media asked city planner Kevin Rulkowski what that meant, he said suitable means "common:" lawn, nice shrubs, and flowers. However, the city ordinance does not specifically state that those are the only allowed plant materials.

About Oak Park
This is not some gated community with HOA regulations. This is an ordinary, working class neighborhood in Oakland County, Michigan. Like nearly every other city in my home state right now, Oak Park is facing financial issues. Here at home, people are amazed that a cash-strapped city has the resources to investigate, charge, and prosecute a resident for something as innocuous as planting a vegetable garden.

For cryin' out loud. I wish everyone planted vegetable gardens in their front lawns rather than useless grass and shrubs. At least she's putting her garden to a real practical use. Add to that that if she can produce her own food, she's reducing the upward pressue on food prices as we've been seeing lately.

The city should be thanking her for her contribution. Obviously the mayor ain't starving or worrying about food prices himself, eh?

Damn it, this stuff drives me crazy... (a very short trip)

if I buy a piece of land and pay taxes, it is absolutely none of the city's business what I plant on it, as long as it is not criminal nor a threat to the health or well-being of my neighbours........

The State really is getting over the edge with interference.......

I agree but only in part. Should I be allowed to start up a chicken farm on my front lawn? And do I have a right to dictate that my neighbour may not tear his house down and build a poor hostel? Where do we draw the line, according to whose interests, etc.

 

[JLM]

Should I be allowed to start up a chicken farm on my front lawn?[/B] And do I have a right to dictate that my neighbour may not tear his house down and build a poor hostel? Where do we draw the line, according to whose interests, etc.

I'd say there is a simple compromise there, start the chicken farm, but erect a 6' high fence in front to both eliminate the view and for noise attenuation. "Where there's a will there's a way".