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Banned in Miami!!…Vegetable Gardens?

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Perhaps Hermine Ricketts should be glad that a SWAT team didn’t descend upon on her front-yard garden. After all, in blatant if ignorant violation of a new zoning law, the former architect had been growing vegetables there.

Yes. Vegetables!

Several months ago, a Miami Shores zoning inspector happened by (doubtless alerted by a troublemaking neighbor) and told Ricketts that she must uproot the vegetables, now illegal because the village council is okay with seeing fruits and flowers in a front-yard garden but has a thing about veggies.

Hermine Ricketts complained to the code enforcement board but was rebuffed. She therefore obeyed the order to uproot vegetables from the garden that she had been tending without controversy for 17 years. But she and her husband Tom Carroll are also taking their case to court with the help of the Institute for Justice, the ubiquitous champion of property rights.

“You can plant fruit, you can have flowers, you can adorn your property with pink flamingos— but you cannot have vegetables!” exclaims Ari Bargill, a lawyer with the Institute. “That is almost the definition of irrationality.”

The couple’s back yard is mostly in the shade because of the way the house is positioned, so relegating the vegetables to the rear isn’t really an alternative. However, that’s irrelevant. Front yard or back, it’s their own property from which their own kale and cabbage are being banned. The city doesn’t own the plot; Tom and Hermine do.

This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.

5 replies on “Banned in Miami!!…Vegetable Gardens?”

All a part of the Police State. Thanks again to Institute for Justice in venturing where few dare to go. And thanks to you for bringing it all to our attention.

Yes, this is another rotten example of the ever-growing police state which is enslaving us. We need a rebirth of freedom in this repressive nation.

This is Miami-Dade County. If they were growing pot plants or poppies (to make cocaine), nobody would say a word.

As to how corrupt Miam-Dade is, some years ago, ON THE TELEVISION PROGRAM ” AMERICA’S MOST WANTED”, police form there were wanted (mnor infractions–murder; drug dealing; I believe arson , etc).

And (I think this column) had about the Mayor of one of the municipalities who was recalled-with as I recall–some 90+% to recall him. The corruption there is like a third world country.

Insanity!!! Hard to believe the Fed, State & municipal governments have so much control over our lives. It all comes down to dollars. Can they stick it to you for infraction fines?! Happy New Year, Paul. Got to be grateful the air we breathe is not yet taxed & that you are still allowed the freedom to write your columns.

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