Oak Park Woman Faces 93-Days in Jail For Planting Vegetable Garden

WJBK Fox 2 Detroit ^ | July 10 2011 | ALEXIS WILEY

[American in Israel]

"The price of organic food is kind of through the roof," said Julie Bass. So, why not grow your own? However, Bass' garden is a little unique because it's in her front yard.

"We thought it'd be really cool to do it so the neighbors could see. The kids love it. The kids from the neighborhood all come and help," she said...

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

Why? The city is pointing to a code that says a front yard has to have suitable, live, plant material. The big question is what's "suitable?"

[American in Israel]

This is some of Obama's Change in action. Government will now define your life for you. You don't own your home, you just pay for it.

[madison10]

What the heck is "suitable live plant material?" Vegetables are suitable? Would they prefer pot? Maybe it the vegetables were in beds without the boxes, it would have been okay. (glad they aren't looking at my front yard, I have vegetables there--lucky for me it's a small town--MANY of us have veggie gardens in our yards)

Her yard looked great, no weeds, no long grass, no rodents...

How ironic---there's Ms. Michelle telling everyone to grow and eat vegetables, and then there's Oak Park telling people it's a crime. Someone needs to get with the program.

[Paladin2]

It's a Winning The Future Garden.

The city of Oak PArk should be supplying all of its citizens with free fresh garden vege's if they don't like them growing their own.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

This is insane.

[JudgemAll]

Typical socialist man made famine. Oh, yeah, they’ll give some a free mortgage for a bit, but for the others, you be damned if you try make ends meet on your own, and the city cops will always look for an excuse to get free property for itself in order to feed their gay prostitutes and other favorite sexual choice squatter pets.

[stboz]

Ahhhhh, the rewards of liberalism. Unbridled power coupled with complete stupidity.

[Jonty30]

I saw the yard. It was a nice yard.

I don’t see the problem. I think city hall should have tried to meet her halfway and suggest how she could do what she wants to do, but still meet city guidelines.

[presently no screen name]

Michelle is using gov’t property for a garden, this citizen is using their own.

[Keith in Iowa]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2745798/posts — previous discussion of same topic.

[coloradan]

To Obama’s credit, he’s probably not responsible for this law.

[Fresh Wind]

Once upon a time, there were “victory gardens”...

[WKUHilltopper]

It’s Michigan. She should put a sign in her front yard “Growing Tomatoes for Allah”. They’d probably give her the key to the city.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Good thing she did not kill anyone and bury them in the garden...she might have got four years in jail...

[cripplecreek]

Once upon a time, there were “victory gardens”...

Yep, my great grandmother said that urban people who didn't have some kind of garden in their front yards during the war were seen as somewhat un American. She said that people took a great deal of pride in showing their support for our soldiers with their victory gardens.

They helped free up industrial scale food production to feed our troops.

[tioga]

Only if she lied.

[cripplecreek]

It’s Michigan.

Its Detroit. I live in a little town 70 miles west of there and I have a neighbor with several horses. We do as we please in our yards.

[madison10]

Ditto.

[cripplecreek]

My metropolis

[Navy Patriot]

I wonder if Julie Bass voted the Oak Park Marxists into power?

[sodpoodle]

***You don’t own your home, you just pay for it.***

Right you are AII;)

The creeping Marxism of ‘planned communities’. Buyers beware of all ‘HOME OWNERS’ ASSOCIATIONS’.

Local municipal tyrants have also taken control beyond the sidewalk rights-of-way, are blatantly trespassing on private property by trampling on citizens’ rights. What happened to personal freedom to pursue happiness and fiber?