Author Topic: MI Woman Faces 93-Days in Jail For Planting Vegetable Garden (in Front Yard) (Read 6243 times)

TechMan · « **on:** July 08, 2011, 05:02:52 PM »

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/julie-bass-of-oak-park-faces-misdemeanor-charge-for-vegetable-garden-20110630-wpms

Homeowner puts planter beds in her front yard to grow vegetables. Code enforcement gave her a warning. They ticket her. Ticket turns into a misdemeanor charge (Story doesn't say if she ignored warning and the ticket, but it would be safe to assume that she did.) City code states that the front yard has to have suitable, live, plant material. Both sides won't back down so now it is time for a jury trial.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2011, 05:31:14 PM »

Quote from: adively on July 08, 2011, 05:02:52 PM

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/julie-bass-of-oak-park-faces-misdemeanor-charge-for-vegetable-garden-20110630-wpms

Homeowner puts planter beds in her front yard to grow vegetables. Code enforcement gave her a warning. They ticket her. Ticket turns into a misdemeanor charge (Story doesn't say if she ignored warning and the ticket, but it would be safe to assume that she did.) City code states that the front yard has to have suitable, live, plant material. Both sides won't back down so now it is time for a jury trial.

The city better hope it doesn't go to trial. This kind of petty bureaucratic insanity taken to a jury trial usually ends up with the city having their collective butts handed to them by residents equally enraged by the city's outlandish interpretation, and potentially losing a civil case for legal expenses and "pain and suffering" to the homeowner (i.e. taxpayers getting to pay, again, for political stupidity).

Brad

cambeul41 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2011, 06:21:35 PM »

Quote

"That's not what we want to see in a front yard," said Oak Park City Planner Kevin Rulkowski.

I wonder who he means by "we"?

I found this in the comments

Kevin Rulkowski-
Director/City Planner

248.691.745
krulkowski@ci.oak-park.mi.us

BridgeRunner · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2011, 07:05:20 PM »

This house is two blocks from me. Happens they're an Orthodox Jewish family. Incidentally, most OJ families' idea of "landscaping" is running a mower over the ~~lawn~~ assorted vegetation a couple times a month, and that's it. The Bass's yard is one of the more attractive ones on the block.

With my parents' permission, I'll be building some raised beds in the front yard next week.

Oh, and the family I'm having dinner with tonight? Yeah...she's got tomato plants out front. I'll suggest she make 'em a little more conspicuous. This could be fun.

coppertales · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2011, 07:44:39 PM »

Gee, I have pepper plants and tomato plants in my front yard along with a couple of pecan trees. But then again, Texas is a whole 'nother country.......chris3

dogmush · « **Reply #5 on:** July 08, 2011, 08:09:02 PM »

Quote

If you look at the definition of what suitable is in Webster's dictionary, it will say common. So, if you look around and you look in any other community, what's common to a front yard is a nice, grass yard with beautiful trees and bushes and flowers," he said.

Just because my personality runs this way.

Quote from: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suitable

Definition of SUITABLE

1 obsolete : similar, matching
2 a : adapted to a use or purpose <suitable for kitchen use>
b : satisfying propriety : proper <suitable dress>
c : able, qualified <a suitable candidate for the job>

You keep using that word. I do not think that it means what you think that it means.

Tallpine · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2011, 08:34:31 PM »

If tomatoes are outlawed, only outlaws will grow tomatoes.

Scout26 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 08, 2011, 10:19:29 PM »

One more reason why the folks from various planning and zoning departments will some of the first people up against the wall when the revolution comes.

GigaBuist · « **Reply #8 on:** July 08, 2011, 10:42:46 PM »

I saw this earlier today, found her blog, and dropped her a line that I might be able to give advise around the Michigan Right to Farm Act. I'm not a lawyer, but maybe with a little guidance she could get her lawyer running down that track if need be.

Quote from: BridgeRunner on July 08, 2011, 07:05:20 PM

This house is two blocks from me. Happens they're an Orthodox Jewish family.

Hearing THAT makes the situation just that much funnier. I guess Michigan ain't that big after all. Well, now that everybody left that is.

Quote from: BridgeRunner on July 08, 2011, 07:05:20 PM

With my parents' permission, I'll be building some raised beds in the front yard next week.

Have you seen my little raised bed/cold frame greenhouse before? Personally, I think it's great if you're going to try and do veggies in Michigan. You can get all your stuff going mid April and never worry about frost.

And if you wanna irk the local planning commission, oh, that'd do it. Looks like you buried a covered wagon in the yard.

RoadKingLarry · « **Reply #9 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:12:56 PM »

Another skirmish in the war against self sufficiency.

BReilley · « **Reply #10 on:** July 10, 2011, 03:29:43 PM »

Quote from: GigaBuist on July 08, 2011, 10:42:46 PM

Have you seen my little raised bed/cold frame greenhouse before? Personally, I think it's great if you're going to try and do veggies in Michigan. You can get all your stuff going mid April and never worry about frost.

And if you wanna irk the local planning commission, oh, that'd do it. Looks like you buried a covered wagon in the yard.

If you like that, you'll love this: http://gardenpool.org/

We are looking at foreclosures and cheapo houses in the Mesa area to be closer to work, family, etc. and have run across a couple with pools. Naturally, they are NASTY after having set for some months, and we don't really want the expense and general PITA of having a pool(my parents have a pool for our use anyway

), so we talked about buying the place and just filling the pool in or making a root cellar-type thing out of it. Then I thought of the greenhouse angle, and lo and behold, someone else got there first! Neat project(but probably way beyond my means right now).

RaspberrySurprise · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2011, 11:33:39 PM »

Quote

Hearing THAT makes the situation just that much funnier. I guess Michigan ain't that big after all. Well, now that everybody left that is.

If I yell really loudly you might be able to hear me from the UP.

230RN · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2011, 04:47:59 AM »

"Upper Peninsula?"

GigaBuist · « **Reply #13 on:** July 11, 2011, 10:19:41 AM »

Yeah, UP = Upper Peninsula

If you live up there you're a yooper.

If you live down here you're a troll. (We live under the bridge, see.)

roo_ster · « **Reply #14 on:** July 11, 2011, 11:32:54 AM »

Quote from: scout26 on July 08, 2011, 10:19:29 PM

One more reason why the folks from various planning and zoning departments will some of the first people up against the wall when the revolution comes.

A bullet's too good for them.

dogmush · « **Reply #15 on:** July 11, 2011, 01:16:21 PM »

Quote from: scout26 on July 08, 2011, 10:19:29 PM

One more reason why the folks from various planning and zoning departments will some of the first people up against the wall when the revolution comes.

Sadly, The wall's zoned residental, not execution.

TechMan · « **Reply #16 on:** July 11, 2011, 03:42:13 PM »

Quote from: dogmush on July 11, 2011, 01:16:21 PM

Sadly, The wall's zoned residental, not execution.

{giggle snort}

How long do you think it would take to get it rezoned to execution?

red headed stranger · « **Reply #17 on:** July 11, 2011, 04:03:25 PM »

Quote from: adively on July 11, 2011, 03:42:13 PM

{giggle snort}

How long do you think it would take to get it rezoned to execution?

Just get it zoned "mixed use."

vaskidmark · « **Reply #18 on:** July 17, 2011, 06:26:06 PM »

UPDATE - they decided to drop the charge after realizing the international attention they were getting was not positive.

http://www.infowars.com/front-yard-gardener-faces-new-charges/

But they went back in the computer to look for her dog's license, and have now charged her with not having one for Phideaux. 'Ceptin' she says he has one. Even makes him wear it. Can't get it to stay on a band around his arm, tho.

Lots of

stay safe.

Bigjake · « **Reply #19 on:** July 17, 2011, 08:07:01 PM »

Could she file her own suite against the local .gov for just ****ing with her? Call it harassment or something?

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #20 on:** July 17, 2011, 08:49:56 PM »

Jeez, talk about adding fuel to the fire. They just stepped it up from from a public relations faux pas to a full blown fiasco. I see a whole bunch of out-of-work elected officials in their future.

Brad

vaskidmark · « **Reply #21 on:** July 17, 2011, 10:05:07 PM »

Quote from: Bigjake on July 17, 2011, 08:07:01 PM

Could she file her own suite against the local .gov for just ****ing with her? Call it harassment or something?

Don't know precisely how Michigan tort law works, but there are a few federal possibilities - most well-known being the 42 USC 1983 civil rights violation under color of law suit. There may be big money waiting out there for her, if the taxpayers can come up with the scratch. Maybe even some $$ from the individuals behind this if she can get past limited qualified immunity.

stay safe.

News:

Author Topic: MI Woman Faces 93-Days in Jail For Planting Vegetable Garden (in Front Yard) (Read 6243 times)