“Friends and Supporters –

We have attached the new Vegetable Garden Proposal that the city announced 01/08/2013.  Most of our Patriot Garden must go and now they are regulating the back and side yards too.

We have until Tuesday 01/15/2013 at 8:30a to prepare a presentation for the Municipal Planning Board that is selected by Mayor Buddy
Dyer.  They have given us little chance for success but we are going to
still try.

Here are our major points:

1.  The government shouldn’t be telling us what we can or can’t do with
the land we own as long as there are no quantifiable impacts.

2.  The Proposal is a conviction
against edible annuals while all other annuals are unrestricted.3.  The Proposal is a clear strategy against edible gardens by pushing
them under the roof line of the building or in its shadow while at the same
time requiring year round success.

4.  The Proposal is an assault against the financially less fortunate that
cannot afford expensive fences and raised bed structures by pushing their
edible gardens even further into the shadows of the building.

5.  The Proposal is discriminating against ALL edible plants by requiring
higher standards and special definitions than any other plant in the City’s
Landscape Code.  By discriminating against the plants that we eat, you are
discriminating against us.

6.  The Proposal is a discredit against sustainability.  The City’s
code will allow max. 60% environment crushing grass but only max. 25% edible
annuals with no impacts.

The best and fair solution for the City is the simplest.  Edible plants meet the same standards and requirements as all other plants.  An edible ground cover gets treated the same as any other ground cover, an edible annual gets treated the same as any other annual.

Each yard in the City of Orlando must be “kept and maintained” to the
same levels as any other yard.  NO HIGHER STANDARDS FOR FOOD.Therefore, we are creating a formal Landscape Proposal for the MPB from us which states just that.

We are asking all local supporters to attend the Municipal Planning Board meeting on Tuesday the 15th at 8:30a in the City Council Chambers, Orlando City Hall.  Please gather in front of City Hall at 7:30am and wear a GREEN shirt.

Thank you so much for your continued support.  God Bless.

Jason and Jennifer Helvenston”