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Simply Sustain Owners Jason and Jennifer Helvenston on Orlando threatening to fine the couple for the vegetable garden in their front yard.
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And on that last point tonight we have a doozy Oreo.
Imagine this would -- be sort of come home one day to a letter in your mailbox saying apparent violation of -- out you have to get rid.
-- -- vegetable garden in your very own front yard.
Or else face massive fines sounds crazy right well my first two guests tonight say Orlando city officials told them just that.
They faced a fine of 500 dollars a day here -- their story Jennifer and Jason Helmand -- of Orlando Florida welcome to you both great to have you here.
I Jason I'll start with you Tony.
What happens.
In a nutshell how did this whole thing gets started.
Well first of all Gerri thank you for having us but in a nutshell how I got started is just.
You know.
That us starting if front yard garden for obvious reasons that everybody else might start a garden.
But we only had the front yard to do it in because of sun so we didn't have you know we didn't set out to put it in the front yard it was just we're nature dictated.
But.
The bottom line is it it started with a landlord that lived a thousand miles away that came to visit his property.
And basically.
He complained in the know -- back home.
And we've been here recent fighting for -- right to -- our our.
I don't and let's be clear here you own that property right Jennifer.
Yes we -- that property are right so we're not talking about Condo rules we're not talking about town house rules here.
Here's the letter that you got Jennifer from the city of Orlando and I'm quoting here.
Violation of the city of Orlando's land development code have been identified on your property that code has been established.
To help maintain and improve the character and quality of our city are you bringing down Orlando.
In my opinion I don't understand how taking -- that.
Isn't able to grow anything and making it fertile does bringing down property values the food and I'm living history you know we try to figure out what was going on here and we even talk directly to the city of Orlando the office of the mayor.
And here's the email statement they sent us.
This says the -- but the held -- since code violation case on hold permanently.
And they will not be finer -- to any compliance schedule.
That originally issued.
Code violation.
So now after all of this saying that you violated the law that -- in big trouble that we're gonna finding big dollars they're saying.
Now why do you think that -- why the turnaround.
-- one don't.
Think that's the truth in terms of why did they say you -- name -- -- being included on a hold of her.
-- revenues of us.
We get yeah this is this surprise -- us because originally they said our existing landscape code never contemplated sprite yard food production.
As if you can't use different -- anyway you want.
But now tonight for the first time they're saying this to us and -- presumably that the city has put.
That helping since code violation case on hold permanently.
And they will not be fine or held to any compliance schedule.
Under that originally issued code violation.
Now do you think that public attention maybe had something to do with this because clearly your story is getting a ton of attention.
This is what I would say -- this is they have extended our inspection date every month a month for the past three months.
And on hold permanently means that -- -- just as -- and hold itself permanently.
So I find it why don't they just closes and he holds.
So our our idea is I don't think it's quite over we have also been.
Given there -- new proposed code yesterday they just announced because of the pressures about.
And in that new proposed code we will be in violation.
And are -- -- garden will once again probably I guess getting new violation against.
I don't know apparently don't seem to be a little bit I didn't tell if somebody told me I -- grow tomatoes in my yard.
I would put up the -- there's no doubt about it Jennifer are people coming to you in the neighborhood and saying we -- -- this this is bad this is awful.
Everybody in the neighborhood loves our vegetable garden we've invited them to plan our garden our neighbors have broccoli and lemon grass growing in.
It they love the -- and their upset that we have to remove the -- for our community together.
The neighbors little girls come over lately plant the seeds they picked us that the fruit that they plan -- they play with the chickens.
We've made it is much of that educational outreach that we possibly can.
And and increased our our interaction with our community probably a hundred fold in in and that's what's -- you know we.
That this is our second season what the biggest thing that this -- has done for us is brought us closer to our community.
-- Jennifer do you I mean.
But at what point I mean if he can't -- a vegetable garden in your yard.
And do you have any rights at all.
I mean about had you can -- your own property the property that your pain for a.
That's just sit we're paying taxes we've on this land for Tony years this is our property when they decided -- Common take our garden.
Let's critics.
-- It starts with food in in in you know they've slowly been taking away our rights than our our everything but this is food this is not weren't you know some hobby.
This is you know food and what I like about how want to have my friends I mean exactly what.
Right exactly that wasn't surprising -- viewed business to show was the first national -- -- -- -- to pick it up because this is about money.
We save thousands of dollars a year.
Because of our.
Very healthy nutritious organic.
No GM low guard wow you went to really expensive you know organic grocery store it would cost a lot of money.
And we get that for free and in people just don't understand that's the bottom line.
But for free somebody at the ten that garden that's for sure listen guys.
Thank you so much for coming in tonight he got to let us know what happens is -- city really go away like they're saying tonight.
Or do you face more clients -- are -- getting support from the neighborhood tell us keep isn't it in the loop on what's happening with your case because we are interested in -- And I can't tell you I for one believe in property rights and and I'm desperate to know what happens Jennifer and Jason thanks for coming on tonight really appreciate it.
Thank you hating -- thank PO yeah now we want to know.
