Their front yard was torn up after replacing a sewer line, so instead of replacing the dirt with grass, one Oak Park woman put in a vegetable garden and now the city is seeing green.
The list goes on: fresh basil, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cumbers and more all filling five large planter boxes that fill the Bass family's front yard.
Julie Bass says, "We thought we're minding our own business, doing something not ostentatious and certainly not obnoxious or nothing that is a blight on the neighborhood, so we didn't think people would care very much."
But some cared very much and called the city. The city then sent out code enforcement.
"They warned us at first that we had to move the vegetables from the front, that no vegetables were allowed in the front yard. We didn't move them because we didn't think we were doing anything wrong, even according to city code we didn't think we were doing anything wrong. So they ticketed us and charged me with a misdemeanor," Bass said . . .
City code says that all unpaved portions of the site shall be planted with grass or ground cover or shrubbery or other suitable live plant material. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are what Basses see as suitable.
However, Oak Park's Planning and Technology Director Kevin Rulkowski says the city disagrees. He says, "If you look at the dictionary, suitable means common. You can look all throughout the city and you'll never find another vegetable garden that consumes the entire front yard." pictures at link below
http://www.theagitator.com/2011/07/07/does-michelle-obama-know-about-this/
suitable = common
you just can't make this up
I don't think he is suitable as an employee, which is quite common for bueracrats.
Conform or be cast out. The world is ruled by idiots.
:)
Windpower, finally something we can agree completely on!
RW
Do notice this was in response to a neighbor's complaint. He is required to act and render an interpretation of the local jurisdiction's laws. I'm not sure he isn't an excellent employee. It's certainly shining a light on what interpretations of the law are possible for all to see and talk about.
Quote from: Don_P on July 09, 2011, 08:52:41 PM
It's certainly shining a light on what interpretations of the law are possible for all to see and talk about.
Jusdt like with building code inspectors.