Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Oklahoma City continues to persecute my poor urban garden area

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Steve Hart <stevenlawrencehart@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Oklahoma City continues to persecute my poor urban garden area
  • Date: Sat, 23 May 2015 16:13:28 +1200

Bob..you may want to have a look through law dictionaries like "Blacks Law
Dictionary" for the lawful definition of the word "weeds". Ask the court
for their definition and where their definition comes from then ask if the
court upholds what law dictionary ? Quote Blacks definition.

Steve

On 23 May 2015 at 14:40, Bob Waldrop <bob@bobwaldrop.net> wrote:

> I don't know how much fun this will be but at least a lawyer friend of
> mine is offering to represent me pro bono. He will be out of town for the
> hearing but he says "get everything in writing, if it goes against you,
> appeal to the City Council and we'll go for a lawsuit".
>
> Thanks for your support. Email the mayor, please, mayor@okc.gov.
>
> Here is the text of my appeal:
>
> APPEAL OF CODE VIOLATION
>
> To: Director, Development Services Department, Oklahoma City
> From: Robert Waldrop, 1524 NW 21, OKC OK 73106, 405-200-8155,
> bob@bobwaldrop.net
> Re: Case #s C-15-28719 and C15-29522
> Date: May 22, 2015
>
> Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 35, of the Oklahoma City Municipal
> Code, as cited I hereby contest the determination that a nuisance exists at
> my property.
>
> On May 19th, I was served with a notice of two violations. One of them I
> understand (the trees obstructing the sidewalk) and will abate.
>
> But the second, tall grass and weeds, I contest. The morning before the
> notice was served, we had trimmed all of the grass on the property. So I
> am assuming that the notice is attempting to state that my garden on the
> west side of my house contains “tall grass and weeds” when in fact, it is
> entirely composed of beneficial, useful, and edible plants and is
> cultivated by me for the use of my own personal household and to provide
> ecological services to the area, particularly, in support of the bee and
> butterfly population. Plants growing in this area include:
>
>
> Jerusalem artichokes
> Comfrey
> Blueberries
> Blackberries
> Oregano
> Walking Onions
> Nanking cherries
> Prairie roses
> Maximilien sunflowers
> Liatris
> Butterfly weed
> Butterfly bush
> Yarrow
> Native sunflowers
> Scarlett runner bean
> Loofa vine
> Morning glories
> Cannas
> Delphinium
> Eupatoria
> Lambs ears
> Hollyhocks
> Prickly pear
> Hairy vetch
> White Dutch clover
> Ornamental grasses
> Pole beans
> Alfalfa
> Daylilies
> Buffalo currants
> spearmint
> Crimson clover
>
> My position is that I am perfectly within my constitutional rights to grow
> these plants at that location and that there is no “tall grass or weeds” on
> my property, based on my understanding of the relevant city ordinances,
> with which I have some experience. This garden is an expression of my
> personal political and religious and ethical beliefs and I will vigorously
> defend my rights to publicly advocate for organic, natural, ecological
> systems within urban neighborhoods by “practicing what I preach.”
>
> Furthermore, no one has ever stopped and said, “Bob, your yard is ugly.”
> But it is a rare time that I am working in the yard, that someone does not
> stop and say, “You have the most beautiful and interesting yard in this
> area.” The bees and butterflies also appear to appreciate the flowers.
>
> Regarding the trees obstructing the sidewalk and street, my assumption is
> that I need to trim the trees overhanging the curb back to the curb, and
> the trees overhanging the side so that they do not obstruct people walking
> down the sidewalk. My understanding is that it is fine for trees to shade
> the sidewalk, as long as they do not obstruct people walking under them.
> That seems to be the case based on the practice elsewhere in the Gatewood
> neighborhood, and if my neighbors have the right to have their trees shade
> the sidewalk, which I for one greatly appreciate when I go for walks in the
> summer, then I also have that right. But I agree my trees or bushes should
> not hit people's heads, and have already begun to deal with that. If your
> interpretation is something other than this, we will have to also talk
> about this.
>
> I regret having to file an appeal, but the same day I received the
> complaint I called and left a message for the enforcement officer.
> Unfortunately four days have passed and she has not seen fit to return my
> call, so given my previous experience with poor communications with code
> enforcement officers, I am proceeding directly to the appeal to protect all
> of my rights in this matter.
>
>
> Bob Waldrop, Okie City
>
>
> On 5/22/2015 5:19 PM, Steve Hart wrote:
>
>> Goood shit Bob..have fun. You could ask them if they own the verge or are
>> just the caretakers ? And, caretakers for who ? If they say they own it,
>> ask them for the certificate of title. then ask them to show you the
>> receipt for buying it. If they offer one ask them to prove the lawful
>> validty of the receipt as well as the lawful validity of the title.
>> Perhaps
>> go further and ask which Indian Tribe they purchased it off ?
>>
>> Have fun
>>
>> Steve Hart
>>
>> On 23 May 2015 at 08:59, Bob Waldrop <bob@bobwaldrop.net> wrote:
>>
>> Oklahoma City Code Enforcement is claiming that I can't have anything
>>> taller than 18 inches between the sidewalk and the street. The guy cited
>>> "Section 59" of the Municipal Code, but refused to give a paragraph or
>>> subsection number. This is brand new. I have 16 years of experience
>>> with
>>> code enforcement and this is the first time anyone has made this claim.
>>>
>>> So I am appealing the order and will have a hearing on June 2nd at 2 PM.
>>>
>>> You would think people have better things to do than persecute me for
>>> growing ... welll. . . here's the list of plants growing in that section
>>> of
>>> my lawn. Also some pictures. Obviously I am a demented and evil person
>>> for
>>> doing this, lol.
>>>
>>> The mayor's email is mayor@okc.gov if you want to let him know what you
>>> think about this kind of persecution.
>>>
>>> Bob Waldrop, Oklahoma City
>>>
>>> Jerusalem artichokes
>>> Comfrey
>>> Blueberries
>>> Blackberries
>>> Oregano
>>> Walking Onions
>>> Nanking cherries
>>> Prairie roses
>>> Maximilien sunflowers
>>> Liatris
>>> Butterfly weed
>>> Butterfly bush
>>> Yarrow
>>> Native sunflowers
>>> Scarlett runner bean
>>> Loofa vine
>>> Morning glories
>>> Cannas
>>> Delphinium
>>> Eupatoria
>>> Lambs ears
>>> Hollyhocks
>>> Prickly pear
>>> Hairy vetch
>>> White Dutch clover
>>> Ornamental grasses
>>> Pole beans
>>> Alfalfa
>>> Daylilies
>>> Buffalo currants
>>> Crimson clover
>>>
>>> Here are some pictures of the abundance Oklahoma City wants to destroy!
>>>
>>> bobs urban garden 1okc urban 2okc urban 3okc urban 4
>>>
>>> --
>>> http://www.ipermie.net How to permaculture your urban lifestyle and
>>> adapt
>>> to the realities of peak oil, economic irrationality, political
>>> criminality, and climate instability..
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> permaculture mailing list
>>> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.orgubscribe/unsubscribe|user config|list
>>> info:
>>> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
>>> message archives: https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/permaculture
>>> message archive mirrors:
>>> https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/permaculturelist
>>> http://permacultureforum.blogspot.com
>>> http://permaculturelist.wordpress.com
>>> Google message archive search:
>>> site: lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/permaculture [searchstring]
>>> Permaculture Institute USA http://permaculture.org
>>> How to permaculture your urban lifestyle
>>> http://www.ipermie.net
>>> Avant Geared https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared/
>>> https://plus.google.com/+Avantgeared
>>> Permaculture: -- portal to an expanding global network of landtech
>>> pioneers practicing and teaching permaculture
>>> while designing ecological, biointensive land use systems with integrated
>>> elements for synergy, sustainability, regeneration and enhanced
>>> nature-compatible
>>> human habitat --
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> --
> http://www.ipermie.net How to permaculture your urban lifestyle and adapt
> to the realities of peak oil, economic irrationality, political
> criminality, and climate instability..
>
> _______________________________________________
> permaculture mailing list
> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.orgubscribe/unsubscribe|user config|list info:
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
> message archives: https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/permaculture
> message archive mirrors:
> https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/permaculturelist
> http://permacultureforum.blogspot.com
> http://permaculturelist.wordpress.com
> Google message archive search:
> site: lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/permaculture [searchstring]
> Permaculture Institute USA http://permaculture.org
> How to permaculture your urban lifestyle
> http://www.ipermie.net
> Avant Geared https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared/
> https://plus.google.com/+Avantgeared
> Permaculture: -- portal to an expanding global network of landtech
> pioneers practicing and teaching permaculture
> while designing ecological, biointensive land use systems with integrated
> elements for synergy, sustainability, regeneration and enhanced
> nature-compatible
> human habitat --
>



--
Kia ora

[image: Picture]
*Steve Hart*
*Ecology Architect*
*Designer, Teacher, Builder of Ecologically Sustainable Resilient
Environments, through Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture
and Systems Ecology.​*
Skype: tipenemanawa
Phone: +64 220 75 62 11

Permaculture Global Design:
www.permacultureglobaldesign.org

The Permaculture College of Europe.
www.permaculturecollege.eu
https://permaculturecollege.academia.edu/SteveHart

GAPPS The Global Alliance for Permaculture Partnerships and Solutions.
www.permaculturepartnerships.com




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page