When city workers tore up Julie Bass' front yard to replace a sewer line, she decided to replace the grass that was removed with five large plant boxes. In those boxes, Bass has been growing fresh basil, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and other veggies.
It wasn't long after that someone in the neighborhood complained about her garden.
"They warned us at first that we had to move the vegetables from the front, that no vegetables were allowed in the front yard," Bass said. "Then we didn't move them because we didn't think we were doing anything wrong, even according to city code we didn't think we were doing anything wrong. So they ticketed us and charged me with a misdemeanor."
Oak Park's city code says all unpaved areas must be planted with either grass, ground cover shrubbery or "other suitable plant life." The last category has Bass and the city fighting over her garden.
Bass will now go to court to fight the charges later this month.
