Brickbat: Unhealthy Diet

Boarding1now / Dreamstime

Florida's 3rd District Court of Appeal has upheld Miami Shores' ban on growing vegetables in front yards. The city has threatened Hermine Ricketts and Tom Carroll with fines of $50 a day for violating the law. The two have grown vegetables in their front yard for 17 years, but the city banned the practice in 2013.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Hermine Ricketts and her husband Tom Carroll may grow fruit trees and flowers in the front yard of their Miami Shores house. They may park a boat or jet ski in their driveway. They may place statues, fountains, gnomes, pink flamingoes or Santa in a Speedo on their property.

Vegetables, however, are not allowed.

Someone in the neighborhood complained. I would replace my garden with Santa in a Speedo all year round. And any other tacky crap not on the unapproved list.

[Rufus The Monocled]

"They may place statues, fountains, gnomes, pink flamingoes or Santa in a Speedo on their property."

I'm thinking a little black Mexican pissing in a fountain with a donkey.

[Longtobefree]

As long as it is a transgender veteran in a wheelchair, and the donkey is free range.

[SQRLSY One]

***AND*** the free-range donkey MUST have free-ranged over ORGANICALLY GROWN grasses and herbs!

[Conchfritters]

Juan Valdez?

[Tom Bombadil]

Just for spite, they should create an huge portrayal of Mexicans picking vegetables.

[Longtobefree]

One 'decoration' that shows up at year end 'generic festifity yard decorating season' is a santa in shorts and a hawaiian shirt in a golf cart drawn by twelve flamingos.

[gaoxiaen]

I only wish.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Ricketts and Carroll did not face jail time for brandishing green thumbs, but they did face $50 daily fines after the village amended its ordinance in 2013.

They would, however, face it for refusing to pay the fines.

[Rat on a train]

Ultimately government is backed by the threat of death.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"That's what government does ? interferes in people's lives," Ricketts said.

This guy gets it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Village Attorney Richard Sarafan argued that while it's popular to blame big, bad government for being intrusive, municipalities must safeguard their zoning authority lest they open a Pandora's box of unsightly exceptions.

Like interracial couples perhaps, Miami Shores?

[Sylvie1]

The couple should change tactics - they should agree with the HOA that front yards are not to be used to grow edibles, present a list of fruit trees and plants with edible flowers, and demand that, in fairness, all of these be eradicated within the village's front yards.

[sarcasmic]

Grass is edible. Ban laws!

[Crackers Boy]

Grow tomatoes. They're a fruit. Screw you, Miami Shores.

CB

[SRVolunteer]

Many, many vegetables are 'fruits'.

'Vegetable' is a culinary/agricultural classification.

'Fruit' is a botanical classification.

[SQRLSY One]

So then... Are you a fruit or a nut?

[Griffin3]

Sometimes you feel like a nut ...

[gaoxiaen]

I usually do.

[Brandybuck]

It's not a tomato bush, it's a tomato TREE!

[Rich]

The court ruled that Miami Shores has the right under its code to ... preserve "... the enjoyment of property rights by minimizing and reducing conflicts among various land uses."

Miami Shores, you're doing a heckuva job!

[John C. Randolph]

The court fucked up. This is a taking, and the city owes them compensation for reducing the value of their property.

-jcr

[meal5]

Why ban on growing vegetables in front yards?

[sarcasmic]

Because that's what poor people do. America is rich because it is against the law to be poor.

[Rhywun]

Because it's unsightly! And unseemly.

[Trollificus]

I would wager there are RESIDENTS of Miami Shores that are more "unsightly" AND "unseemly" than any vegetable plant. Especially in the summer. Though I doubt the boards' solution to this inconsistency would be to allow vegetable-growing.

[gaoxiaen]

Police that mustache!