Gardens, Boulder and Public Right Of Way
This story made the national news only because its part of this week’s theme of people doing stuff in public or town owned space. Greenwich has wiffle ball, and Boulder, CO has a vegetable garden, the DailyCamera reports:
The squash, basil, garlic and onions that are growing between the sidewalk and street in the 700 block of University Avenue aren’t a problem.
Nor are the tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and beans. And the Swiss chard isn’t hurting anyone’s feelings.
But, Boulder officials say, the trellises and fencing material that help the plants grow and protect them from animals pose something of a predicament, since they’re encroaching in the public right-of-way.
That has Scott Hoffenberg, the man who planted the garden, mad. He said the city has threatened to fine him $2,000 a day if he doesn’t remove the offending fences.
Meanwhile, Boulder’s engineering review manager, who oversees the right-of-way, said he’s hoping he can help Hoffenberg find a way to grow his lettuce legally.
In Norwalk, we seem to have plenty of weeds and shrubs that encroach sidewalks all over town. Too bad we didn’t have a $2000/fine to impose. But we do have a $25/fine. With all the interest in saving the City money with garbage, you’d think the council members might take an interest in keeping our sidewalks clean and unobstructed and ahem, garbage free.
source:Dailycamera, Boulder, curbside gardeners spar over right-of-way: Neighbors defend vegetable-growing on public land, By Ryan Morgan, July 7, 2008
