woman faces jail time for planting a vegetable garden

[telecom_goddess]

Why did that have to happen? Simple--money. The county and borough were missing out on a crapload of property tax dollars. That house, had managed to devalue the entire neighborhood. Would *you* want to live next door to that?

That's one thing.....something like that needs to be handled for sure. But picking on a vegetable garden that doesn't devalue anything is silly and a waste of time and money.

[daleduke17]

That's one thing.....something like that needs to be handled for sure. But picking on a vegetable garden that doesn't devalue anything is silly and a waste of time and money.

Zero tolerance. That's why the garden is being picked on.

ZT doesn't work in schools...doesn't work in real life.

[EricKei]

so zoning would make people start and move any vehicle that was parked within view of the street.

^-.-^

...But, as you stated, the car had been moved to the garage. Whether the door was closed or not, I would argue that that constitutes an active effort to make it NOT "within view of the street". The nosy neighbors either had even more time to waste than the people writing up the citations, or else they had some grudge (real or imagined) against the car/house's owner.

[Andara Bledin]

No, the car was in the driveway just outside of the garage. The battery was kept just inside of the garage.

^-.-^

[Canarr]

Quite a few areas will cite people for things "not up to code."

Hang the code, and hang the rules!

*duck and run*

[Evandril]

As for the garden... let it go to a jury. I'd love to hear what they think. Meanwhile, it sounds like at least part of the POINT of having it in the front yard was so others could enjoy it and perhaps get the idea to grow their own; why would anybody take issue with that?

The problem with a jury will rest with who has the better lawyers, since it sounds like she could be seen as being in violation of the (stupid) law. If the jury has had a bad day, they might just convict her.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well, I'm glad to know our tax paid resources are going to such as good cause as keeping this menace to society off the streets.

[Rageaholic]

Um, excuse me if I'm off base, but I think that Detroit (and the surrounding area) probably has a couple of other problems to worry about besides this lady's vegetable garden.

You're not off base. Detroit is possibly the worst major city in the US right now. (though at least kwame's gone).

I can't believe there would be a law or rule about a garden in the front yard. Seriously, WHY would anyone care? Let alone why the hell would she go to jail over this?

Yet another instance of wasting prison space on victimless "crimes".

[Andara Bledin]

The vast majority of zoning laws are all about keeping suburbia as unexciting as possible.

No pink houses... no rude statuary... and no gardens where people could *gasp* see them.

I actually have a suspicion that were the rest of the front area something other that what appears in the pictures to be wood chips, whichever neighbor whined to the zoning authority might not have done so. Hell, for all we know, it's more about the wood chips than the actual gardens themselves.

^-.-^

[NateSean]

Well, I'm glad to know our tax paid resources are going to such as good cause as keeping this menace to society off the streets.

Law and Order: City Code Enforcement.

And lets not overlook this interesting tidbit. The woman is growing food with which to sustain her lifespan. So, rather than constantly taxing the poor farmer, she is trying to live off of her own hard work and sweat.

It's interesting how the city would rather people live off of an all ready taxed welfare system and punish someone who is actually throwing their own weight around.

Note: I am not saying this woman was on welfare. I'm just saying it's an interesting contrast to the amount of people who are "legally" on welfare and abusing it.

[telecom_goddess]

Well, I'm glad to know our tax paid resources are going to such as good cause as keeping this menace to society off the streets.

*snicker*

I knew you would feel this way

[Racket_Man]

update:

mostly because of the national and international (I heard this story on the Canada's CBC) coverage of this story

Charges dropped

different article same thing

BUT the city seems to just want to keep screwing with her. at the end of the article it says that she, at a time before this, did not have tags for her dogs, got a ticket, paid the fine, got the tags and now the city says THAT case is still open and pending

According to Bass, Oak Park is pursuing charges that the Bass family dogs are not licensed with the city. Bass claims that the dogs were registered with the city less than a week after she received the ticket and that she has since presented the necessary documentation to prosecutors.

[EricKei]

Just so I'm clear on this...Having a garden in your front yard that is well-maintained & regularly weeded, carefully arranged, symmetrical-ish, and reasonably pleasant to look at is 100% fine if it's nothing but flowers that will die in a few months, but it's a crime against Nature Humanity if it includes anything that serves a purpose other than looking pretty...? O_O

edit: re: the second article....The Prosecutor (for the City) honestly believes that Bass would seriously consider dropping a compost heap in there or planting a cornfield? What, exactly, is he growing in his garden? It must be some pretty good shit, and he has apparently been overindulging in it. Either that, or he's kissing up to curry favor with the complainers...but still...

[Rageaholic]

Okay now this is just harassment. This guy is just being petty and trying to bring any bullshit charges he can think of on her.

Though I am glad to see that popular opinion was able to get the charges dropped. It shows that we really don't have to put up with what ever bullshit laws someone comes up with.

[telecom_goddess]

Okay now this is just harassment. This guy is just being petty and trying to bring any bullshit charges he can think of on her.

Though I am glad to see that popular opinion was able to get the charges dropped. It shows that we really don't have to put up with what ever bullshit laws someone comes up with.

I agree it's harassment pure and simple. And from what I understand the charges are not dropped per se but dismissed without prejudice, which means they can be brought back at any time if they so desire. They aren't completely off the hook yet.

I hope everyone else in the town plants a vegetable garden in their front yard...that would be awesome.