Mayor Naftaly,I am writing in regards to the issue in the article link below concerning a certain Julie Bass and her breaking of city code by having a front yard garden. http://moneyland.time.com/2011/07/08/woman-faces-jail-time-for-planting-organic-vegetable-garden/
I will try to keep this short as I am sure this is not the first of message regarding this issue you have received. I am from Minnesota, not Michigan, but as a fellow gardener and American, I felt I should say something. I seems outrageous to threaten a tax payer with imprisonment over such a city code when 10 miles away another city might encourage such gardens. Whether in the front or back yard, a garden is healthy for the environment, and the individual. It bring families and communities together, and reduces the need for constant mowing (noise, gas/maintenance cost, pollution).
I do not know what the code exactly says, and I do not doubt the reasonableness for having such codes. Also, I do not desire to say anything bad about Mr. Rulkowski. If nothing else, judging from the large amount of Internet coverage I have seen, the current state of this issue is bad publicity for the city of Oak Park. Her treatment seems unjust, and that is really what I would like to say. I truly hope something peaceful is worked out. Sincerely,
Michael
