DeKalb County is suing a local farmer for growing too many vegetables, but he said he will fight the charges in the ongoing battle neighbors call "Cabbagegate."Fig trees, broccoli and cabbages are among the many greens that line the soil on Steve Miller's more than two acres in Clarkston, who said he has spent fifteen years growing crops to give away and sell at local farmers markets.
In January, Dekalb County code enforcement officers began ticketing him for growing too many crops for the zoning and having unpermitted employees on site.Miller stopped growing vegetables this summer and the charges were put on hold as he got the property rezoned.
Two weeks after approval, however, his attorney said the county began prosecuting the old charges, saying he was technically in violation before the rezoning.
City guy comes along and tries to fine you for something you've been doing for 15 years on your own land. Some regulation no one has ever heard of before. To keep him happy you go through all the re-zoning so you can legally keep doing what you were already doing. Because you're a law abiding citizen, and you want to follow the rules because that's the right thing to do.
Then after you follow all the rules they sue you ANYWAY.
That is the true measure of a socialist, my friends. Using government as a bat to beat up anybody they can reach, just to see the look on your face.
How long before DeKalb County code enforcement officers start getting run off people's places when they show up? I'm thinking it won't be long. Probably time for a career change.
I had a similar situation in City of Hamilton, the neighbors didn't like me fixing MY car in MY driveway, and the city inspector guy came around and informed me that having a non-operational vehicle in your driveway was against code. So I moved. Problem solved, baby! Now I have a bunch of shit in my driveway, and I get complements on the high quality nature of it.
City of Hamilton isn't missing my tax contribution much right now. But eventually, after they piss off enough people...
The Phantom
My friend, you are a mix between Stone Cold Steve Austin (when he was cool), the Jet Blue Guy, and Joe the Plumber.
ReplyDeleteThanks man. You probably have cool shit in your driveway too, right? :)
ReplyDeleteNo cool shit in my driveway, but we live just outside Calgary city limits, so fireworks on July 1st (or whenever the hell we want) are a given. The drive to pick them up at Dead Man's Flats is about an hour, but that's ok.
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