Why hasn't the city acted with the same speed and zeal to cite the property owners for failing to mow the lot? Why hasn't the city gotten after the illegal dumpers, many of whom are repeat offenders? Where are the bright pink notices of violation for them?
Instead of going after the owners of the property, who are known to the city, Mt. Rainier is instead pursuing its own citizens for trying to do something good. I guess the city prefers the current arrangement of using your tax dollars and our public works employees to maintain the lot.
City Manager Jeannelle Wallace just emailed Food Not Blight to say that owner has complained and expects the garden to removed today, and that he is coming by tonight to inspect the lot. Implicit in this statement is the fact that the city will remove the garden on the landowner's behalf! This property owner is just beyond the pale. First he neglects the lot, leaving its care to the city; a neglect so complete that citizens feel the need to take action. Now he wants the garden removed and expects it to be done immediately and by the city!We have pleaded to have the owner contact us to see if we can have the garden stay until this proposed development is ready to begin. He claims the property will be "developed soon with possible condominiums" - how soon could that be since he has no planning permissions, and if the proposed development is still "possible" it must not be imminent. If the garden is removed, we fully expect the owner to return to neglecting the property and the city to return to its enabling role.
At the very least the city should take this opportunity to strongly encourage the landowner to maintain his own property!
Please tell Ms. Wallace and the Mayor what you think about what is happening:
City Manager Jeannelle Wallace - jwallace@mountrainiermd.org
Mayor Miles - mayormiles@malindamiles.com
UPDATE: 6:10PM
Ms. Wallace contacted Food Not Blight and stated that the city has no intention of removing the community garden. Ms. Wallace also provided us with the contact info for owner and we are going to get in touch ASAP to ensure the future of our garden.
Thank you to all of you that emailed the city already!! Keep the support coming.
3 comments:
So whats the deal? What did the owner say?
I rode by the site earlier, and it made my day. What's the update on whether it can stay or go?
People don't seem to like beautification in blighted areas. It makes them testy or something.
Despite my friend having talked with (afterward) and gotten the best wishes from some guy on the area's planning committee, which maintains the flowerbeds/etc in Mount Pleasant, people are ripping up most of the guerrilla-gardened sunflowers I planted with a friend a few weeks ago.
But that won't deter me. If there's baren dirt, or some ugly place, at some point, I will put a seed or plant there. There's no excuse to prefer dirt or trash in that space.
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