City Hall Takes Note of Front-Yard Garden Protest...And?

Heather Callaghan
Activist Post

The Helvenstons have not backed down from their front-yard garden battle initiated by Orlando, Florida. It started when the city demanded they uproot their edible 25 x 25 micro-garden neatly located in front of their home on a dead-end neighborhood road away from city view. But deadlines passed and they kept right on growing.

Click HERE to see video report

The city took note of the protest at City Hall with supporters of Jason and Jennifer. However, they want a compromise – and that’s where we really need to pay attention. Of course, in true bureaucratic fashion, they came up with a complicated list that actually contains many more restrictions, including heights, lengths, reduced portions of front-yard gardens, and, additionally – new restrictions on side and backyard growth.

“Our goal is to help them create a sustainable city, the greenest city in America,” said Jason Helvenston. “We’re here to support that. We don’t want to go to court over it.”Remember I said to watch out for the words (Green Works) Task Force? They wanted to create a task force to “work with them.” In the same vein, watch out for when they finally decide to draft a new ordinance. They won’t stop. When they won’t even back down from worldwide backlash, think Agenda 21! What say you?

And what of bureaucrats’ reasons for going after gardens in the first place? Nameless complaints from neighbors supposedly for their garden being an “eye sore.” How many unprofessional things could we say in response to that? An eye sore complaint – that warrants total uprooting of a garden on privately owned property? What about all the other problems the city ignores – like, I don’t know, hundreds of front-yard-garden protesters?

There is a nearby neighbor who has a shrill, yipping dog that I’d love to muzzle. But many of us would not resort to complaining to officials about it, and that’s more of an annoyance than a neighbor who invites everyone (city officials included) to eat free veggies from their immaculate garden. Inedible gardens, vines, pink flamingos, and garden gnomes are more obnoxious than that. The neighbor takes care of the dog for two reasons: love of family pet, and home protection.

The Helvenstons are working hard to insulate themselves from a broken economy and do what they love with no impositions. They invite everyone to join them – who would want to muzzle that?

You can also voice your opinion to the city with the following contacts:

City Planning Division
City Hall, 6th Floor | 400 S. Orange Ave.
P.O. Box 4990 | Orlando, FL 32802-4990
(407) 246-2269 Main | (407) 246-2895 Fax
cityplanning@cityoforlando.net
City Planning Division Manager
Dean J. Grandin, Jr., AICP

Mayor Buddy Dyer
Phone: 407.246.2221
Fax: 407.246.2842
E-mail: buddy.dyer@cityoforlando.net

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Helvenstons’ Petition:

http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-orlando-florida-stop-digging-up-our-vegetable-gardensKitchen Garden International’s Cause for Them:

http://www.causes.com/causes/11991-kitchen-gardeners-international/actions/1702360RELATED ACTIVIST POST ARTICLE:
FL Man Refuses City Order To Destroy His Own Garden
FL Man’s ‘Patriot Garden’ Targeted Again – City Threatens Uprooting and Daily $500 Fines

Source:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Front-yard-vegetable-garden-supporters-protest-at-Orlando-City-Hall/-/1637132/19078292/-/9d6xkz/-/index.html

Read other articles by Heather Callaghan Here