Julie Bass, of Oak Park, Michigan was first given a warning followed by a ticket and now she is being charged with a misdemeanor for her simple front-yard garden. "I think it's sad that the City of Oak Park that's already strapped for cash is paying a lot of money to have a prosecutor bothering us," Bass said.
The city is claiming that the garden violates a city code which states that front yards must consist of suitable, live plant material to which Bass responds, "We think it's suitable. They say, 'Why should you grow things in the front?' Well, why shouldn't I? They're fine. They're pretty. They're well maintained," Bass said.
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"I could sell out and save my own self and just not have them bother me anymore, but then there's no telling what they're going to harass the next person about," continued Bass. A pretrial is scheduled for July 26 and a jury trial could be next.
8 comments:
Why can't they leave people along to grow whatever they want in their front garden. Its not as if its untidy. I sometimes think these people go out of their way to find something to harass citizens about.
This is a prime candidate for jury nullification. There are some violations that aren't worth going after. Are you listening, Oak Park?
Of course not.
Lurker111
America... is a joke.
So... here's a country with an economic crisis, an obesity crisis, and an environmental crisis. Growing one's own vegetables can save money, improve your health, and reduce your environmental footprint. Heck, even the President and his wife have a vegetable garden in the front lawn now. And some stupid local authority is trying to kibosh it, because they think everyone should have the same green turf? Ridiculous.
I can only think of one thing for these so called officials:
'bitch-slapped' HARD!!
Whata JOKE!
jury nullification
actually, this is how webster's defines suitable: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suitable
I think the Gov should be giving tax breaks for anyone smart enough to utilize their piece of earth in such a wonderful productive way. It's time to begin using the Politicians (especially those National level Rep.)for fertilizer. Tilled into the compost bin and allowed to become even more rotten as greedy humans.
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