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Old 17-12-2013, 12:06 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...able-gardening

"In tropical South Florida, it's growing season. Temperatures are in the
80s, there's lots of sun and good rain, and normally, Hermine Ricketts'
plants would already be in the ground.

"By now, this should be probably Red Sails lettuce, which is a beautiful
color lettuce, or purple mizuna, which is a beautiful filigreed purple
leaf," she says.

But this year, Ricketts' vegetable planting has been derailed by a legal
fight over what she can plant and where she can plant it.

Her garden is in the front yard of her home in Miami Shores, because
that's where the sun is - her house faces south and her backyard is
mostly in the shade. A retired architect, originally from Jamaica,
Ricketts says she gardens for the food and for the peace it brings her.

"This is a peach tree that I put in, and around it, I had kale, and in
between the kales, I had some Chinese cabbage," she says. "And I also
had Swiss chard, yellow Swiss chard."

There are lots of things planted in Ricketts' front yard: a pomegranate
tree, a blueberry bush, papaya, strawberries, pineapples, flowers and
green plants.

But noticeably absent is anything considered by Miami Shores to be a
vegetable. That's because earlier this year, after tending her garden
for 17 years with nothing from the neighbors but compliments, Ricketts
was ordered to dig up her veggies.
She says she was surprised several months ago when a zoning inspector
stopped by.

"He told me I was not allowed to have vegetables in the front yard," she
says.

Under a zoning ordinance tightened last spring, residents in Miami
Shores are not allowed to have vegetable gardens in their front yards.
In August, Ricketts went before the town's code enforcement board to
protest, but board chairman Robert Vickers was less than sympathetic.

The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told
Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't done
with her fight.

She contacted the Institute for Justice, a national advocacy group that
has fought numerous legal battles over the years on property rights
issues. Last month, the group against Miami Shores. A lawyer with the
group, Ari Bargill, says the ban on front-yard gardens violates a
state-guaranteed right to use and enjoy property.

It's a right that he says can only be restricted for very good reasons.

"And that is not the case with a ban on vegetables. You can plant fruit,
you can have flowers, you can adorn your property with pink flamingos -
but you cannot have vegetables," Bargill says. "That is almost the
definition of irrationality."

Town officials say they responded to a complaint they received about
Ricketts' garden and that the law is clear. The town's lawyer says he's
confident the ordinance will stand up in court.

But that may be almost beside the point. Since filing her lawsuit,
Ricketts has drawn lots of media attention, both in South Florida and
across the country. Town officials say they've received death threats -
including an email in which someone penciled Hitler mustaches and
swastikas on photos of village council members.

Last year, the city of Orlando was involved in a similar dispute with a
home gardener there. After months of coverage that generated protests
from gardeners around the country, Orlando relented. It's now to allow
vegetable gardens even in the front yard.

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Old 17-12-2013, 07:30 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening


But noticeably absent is anything considered by Miami Shores to be a
vegetable. That's because earlier this year, after tending her garden
for 17 years with nothing from the neighbors but compliments, Ricketts
was ordered to dig up her veggies.
She says she was surprised several months ago when a zoning inspector
stopped by.

"He told me I was not allowed to have vegetables in the front yard,"
she says.

Under a zoning ordinance tightened last spring, residents in Miami
Shores are not allowed to have vegetable gardens in their front yards.
In August, Ricketts went before the town's code enforcement board to
protest, but board chairman Robert Vickers was less than sympathetic.

The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told
Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't
done with her fight.


Home of the brave, land of the free.......


D
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Old 17-12-2013, 02:56 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

But noticeably absent is anything considered by Miami Shores to be a
vegetable. That's because earlier this year, after tending her garden
for 17 years with nothing from the neighbors but compliments, Ricketts
was ordered to dig up her veggies.
She says she was surprised several months ago when a zoning inspector
stopped by.

"He told me I was not allowed to have vegetables in the front yard,"
she says.

Under a zoning ordinance tightened last spring, residents in Miami
Shores are not allowed to have vegetable gardens in their front yards.
In August, Ricketts went before the town's code enforcement board to
protest, but board chairman Robert Vickers was less than sympathetic.

The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told
Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't
done with her fight.


Home of the brave, land of the free...


Where rules are established to serve the majority.
Miami Shores is an association with many rulz... if you don't like
rulz don't live there, couldn't be simpler. There are plenty of
places to live where one may plant crops in their front yard. And in
fact Miami Shores permits vegetable gardens in rear yards... search
gardening:
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=11252
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Old 17-12-2013, 03:32 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

David Hare-Scott wrote:
Gus wrote:

....
The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told
Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't
done with her fight.


Home of the brave, land of the free.......


when you live in a city or any other type of more
formal community you end up having to live within
some limits.

the problem i have with many lawn regulations is
that they are selectively enforced and as the
article states are usually done in response to
complaints being filed and not in a uniform manner
across the community. that makes them too easy to
be abused.

there was a similar article in the paper a while
ago about a lady who went through her entire yard
and made sure it was documented that each plant
was edible or medicinal/herbal and the city still
sent people to rip up her gardens even in spite of
the fact that she was following the regulations
to the letter.

bullying doesn't just happen in schools...

now imagine in the other direction, in a community
where water is scarce and everyone but one person's
yard has been converted to xerascaping, do you think
that one remaining person isn't going to get some
grief?


songbird
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Old 17-12-2013, 06:09 PM posted to rec.gardens
mj mj is offline
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

On Tuesday, December 17, 2013 1:30:30 AM UTC-5, David Hare-Scott wrote:


But noticeably absent is anything considered by Miami Shores to be a


vegetable. That's because earlier this year, after tending her garden


for 17 years with nothing from the neighbors but compliments, Ricketts


was ordered to dig up her veggies.


She says she was surprised several months ago when a zoning inspector


stopped by.




"He told me I was not allowed to have vegetables in the front yard,"


she says.




Under a zoning ordinance tightened last spring, residents in Miami


Shores are not allowed to have vegetable gardens in their front yards.


In August, Ricketts went before the town's code enforcement board to


protest, but board chairman Robert Vickers was less than sympathetic.




The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told


Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't


done with her fight.




Home of the brave, land of the free.......





D


My gardens are in the front yard. Never even thought it would be a problem. I live in a community with covenants and all that too. Maybe I should check although I won't change anything.
MJ


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Old 17-12-2013, 07:11 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

"mj" wrote in message
...

My gardens are in the front yard. Never even thought it would be a
problem. I live in a community with covenants and all that too. Maybe
I should check although I won't change anything.
MJ



I see an occasional front yard garden here, not very often. When I see
one, I think: good for that person! They are making good use of the
space instead of having some unnaturally deep green chemically treated
lawn.

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Old 17-12-2013, 09:57 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

On Tue, 17 Dec 2013 13:11:04 -0500, "Gus"
wrote:

"mj" wrote in message
...

My gardens are in the front yard. Never even thought it would be a
problem. I live in a community with covenants and all that too. Maybe
I should check although I won't change anything.
MJ



I see an occasional front yard garden here, not very often. When I see
one, I think: good for that person! They are making good use of the
space instead of having some unnaturally deep green chemically treated
lawn.


Most HOAs employ a landscaping service that mows, fertilizes, treats
for weeds, maintains the automatic sprinkler system, and the
shrubs/trees... everyone pays for this in their association dues and
everyone is made aware of the rulz before they buy. Some associations
are more strict than others and some residents are more slovenly than
others. Most don't want to see someones junkyard vegetable garden
right out front, and I've seen plenty in front yards of private homes
that were actually a hidious weed patch, and that is why HOAs have
rulz. Most HOAs don't mind if a residant plants a few vegetables
amongst the foundation shrubury but they won't permit digging up the
front yard. Many HOAs maintain very nice community gardens for the
residents. The thing is before buying an HOA carefully read and
understand the bylaws, it may not be for you, I know it's not for
me... and that's why I live on many acres in a very rural area... I
can grow as many veggies as I like anywhere on my property (my 2,500
sqft veggie garden is actually too big for me), I can keep livestock
too; poultry, cattle, horses, sheep, goats, even llamas and many of my
neighbors do. And still there are zoning ordinances as to how many of
each kind of animal per acre and how they are to be housed. No matter
where one lives there are rulz. Bottom line is without seeing the
vegetable garden in question it's impossible to make other than wild
speculations... but the rulz clearly state "No vegetable gardens in
the front yard". I'd speculate it's an eyesore or no one would have
complained.
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Old 17-12-2013, 10:03 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

On 12/17/2013 1:11 PM, Gus wrote:
"mj" wrote in message
...

My gardens are in the front yard. Never even thought it would be a
problem. I live in a community with covenants and all that too. Maybe
I should check although I won't change anything.
MJ



I see an occasional front yard garden here, not very often. When I see
one, I think: good for that person! They are making good use of the
space instead of having some unnaturally deep green chemically treated
lawn.


Making use of partially buried old tires is gauche.
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Old 17-12-2013, 10:47 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

"Brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

...I'd speculate it's an eyesore or no one would have complained.


In the story, she said she has had one for 17 years, and got compliments
on it. Until this year. There was a pic in the original story online
that showed it looked well kept.

The best tomato plant I had this year was on the front side of my house
amongst some small holly bushes, basically the front yard. The ones in
the back were pitiful this year.. The one near the front of the house
grew like a beanstalk and produced some great heirloom tomatoes, which
the squirrel enjoyed. But I did get a dozen or so for myself too...
There was a perfect tomato that I was all excited about and watched a
few days. It was big and round and looked juicy and bright red. I
picked it, and as I did I felt a gaping hole in the back, and when I
turned it around and looked at it there was a squirrel sized mouthful
missing.

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Old 17-12-2013, 11:07 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

Brooklyn1 wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

But noticeably absent is anything considered by Miami Shores to be a
vegetable. That's because earlier this year, after tending her
garden for 17 years with nothing from the neighbors but
compliments, Ricketts was ordered to dig up her veggies.
She says she was surprised several months ago when a zoning
inspector stopped by.

"He told me I was not allowed to have vegetables in the front yard,"
she says.

Under a zoning ordinance tightened last spring, residents in Miami
Shores are not allowed to have vegetable gardens in their front
yards. In August, Ricketts went before the town's code enforcement
board to protest, but board chairman Robert Vickers was less than
sympathetic.

The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told
Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't
done with her fight.


Home of the brave, land of the free...


Where rules are established to serve the majority.
Miami Shores is an association with many rulz... if you don't like
rulz don't live there, couldn't be simpler. There are plenty of
places to live where one may plant crops in their front yard. And in
fact Miami Shores permits vegetable gardens in rear yards... search
gardening:
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=11252


The principle that society is entitled to make rules for its collective
betterment that may disadvantage some individuals is not in dispute.

The point that you have missed is the ridiculous scope and impossibility of
clear definition of the rules that some people believe they are entitled to
foist on to others. There are some rules that should not be made because
the test that the betterment of society exceeds the loss of individual
freedom is not met. There are some that should not be made because defining
them unambiguously and enforcing them equitably is not possible. This one
is both.

For a country whose public mythos features freedom of the individual very
strongly there seem a great many who are ready to declare that you may be as
free as you like as long as you agree with *their* way of life and *their*
view of right conduct. This is a good recipe for a conformist authoritarian
society which those same people spend their energy railing against. How do
they justify such illogical behaviour? Simple. They are right and the rest
are wrong so everybody shut up and do as you told. Or as you put it, if you
don't like it move away.


D




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Old 17-12-2013, 11:49 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...

The principle that society is entitled to make rules for its
collective betterment that may disadvantage some individuals is not in
dispute.

The point that you have missed is the ridiculous scope and
impossibility of clear definition of the rules that some people
believe they are entitled to foist on to others. There are some rules
that should not be made because the test that the betterment of
society exceeds the loss of individual freedom is not met. There are
some that should not be made because defining them unambiguously and
enforcing them equitably is not possible. This one is both.

For a country whose public mythos features freedom of the individual
very strongly there seem a great many who are ready to declare that
you may be as free as you like as long as you agree with *their* way
of life and *their* view of right conduct. This is a good recipe for
a conformist authoritarian society which those same people spend their
energy railing against. How do they justify such illogical behaviour?
Simple. They are right and the rest are wrong so everybody shut up
and do as you told. Or as you put it, if you don't like it move away.

D


I wish you were one of my senators. Lucky me is "represented" by Mitch
McConnell and Rand Paul.


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Old 18-12-2013, 01:23 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

On Wed, 18 Dec 2013 09:07:38 +1100, "David Hare-Scott"
wrote:

Brooklyn1 wrote:
"David Hare-Scott" wrote:

But noticeably absent is anything considered by Miami Shores to be a
vegetable. That's because earlier this year, after tending her
garden for 17 years with nothing from the neighbors but
compliments, Ricketts was ordered to dig up her veggies.
She says she was surprised several months ago when a zoning
inspector stopped by.

"He told me I was not allowed to have vegetables in the front yard,"
she says.

Under a zoning ordinance tightened last spring, residents in Miami
Shores are not allowed to have vegetable gardens in their front
yards. In August, Ricketts went before the town's code enforcement
board to protest, but board chairman Robert Vickers was less than
sympathetic.

The board ruled the vegetables must go. The zoning inspector told
Ricketts which plants she had to pull up. She complied, but wasn't
done with her fight.

Home of the brave, land of the free...


Where rules are established to serve the majority.
Miami Shores is an association with many rulz... if you don't like
rulz don't live there, couldn't be simpler. There are plenty of
places to live where one may plant crops in their front yard. And in
fact Miami Shores permits vegetable gardens in rear yards... search
gardening:
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=11252


The principle that society is entitled to make rules for its collective
betterment that may disadvantage some individuals is not in dispute.

The point that you have missed is the ridiculous scope and impossibility of
clear definition of the rules that some people believe they are entitled to
foist on to others. There are some rules that should not be made because
the test that the betterment of society exceeds the loss of individual
freedom is not met. There are some that should not be made because defining
them unambiguously and enforcing them equitably is not possible. This one
is both.

For a country whose public mythos features freedom of the individual very
strongly there seem a great many who are ready to declare that you may be as
free as you like as long as you agree with *their* way of life and *their*
view of right conduct. This is a good recipe for a conformist authoritarian
society which those same people spend their energy railing against. How do
they justify such illogical behaviour? Simple. They are right and the rest
are wrong so everybody shut up and do as you told. Or as you put it, if you
don't like it move away.


You sound like a moron, which is what you are.
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Old 18-12-2013, 03:45 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

Brooklyn1 wrote:

The principle that society is entitled to make rules for its
collective betterment that may disadvantage some individuals is not
in dispute.

The point that you have missed is the ridiculous scope and
impossibility of clear definition of the rules that some people
believe they are entitled to foist on to others. There are some
rules that should not be made because the test that the betterment
of society exceeds the loss of individual freedom is not met. There
are some that should not be made because defining them unambiguously
and enforcing them equitably is not possible. This one is both.

For a country whose public mythos features freedom of the individual
very strongly there seem a great many who are ready to declare that
you may be as free as you like as long as you agree with *their* way
of life and *their* view of right conduct. This is a good recipe
for a conformist authoritarian society which those same people spend
their energy railing against. How do they justify such illogical
behaviour? Simple. They are right and the rest are wrong so
everybody shut up and do as you told. Or as you put it, if you
don't like it move away.


You sound like a moron, which is what you are.


Why is it that whenever somebody disagrees with you the first thing you do
is offer insult and the last thing is rebuttal? It seems that you are not
capable of producing a reasoned argument or stating any facts in support.
But it's your right to make yourself a horse's arse internationally.

D

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Old 18-12-2013, 01:53 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Brooklyn1 wrote:


Why is it that whenever somebody disagrees with you the first thing
you do is offer insult and the last thing is rebuttal? It seems that
you are not capable of producing a reasoned argument or stating any
facts in support. But it's your right to make yourself a horse's arse
internationally.

D


I think he comes from the same school of "comedy/entertainer" as Rush
Limbaugh.


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Old 22-12-2013, 08:50 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Turf War Blooms Over Front-Yard Vegetable Gardening

Brooklyn1 wrote:
Home of the brave, land of the free...


Where rules are established to serve the majority.
Miami Shores is an association with many rulz... if you don't like
rulz don't live there, couldn't be simpler. There are plenty of
places to live where one may plant crops in their front yard. And in
fact Miami Shores permits vegetable gardens in rear yards... search
gardening:
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=11252


Or, use every right you have to fight stupid HOA rules. Sueing them seems like
the right thing to do in this case.

Well maintained front yard vegetable gardens are a delight to see in my
neighborhood. What could be more American - People feeding themselves?



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