A Kanata couple is trying to fight a city of Ottawa bylaw that could force them to move their vegetable garden.
A bylaw officer visited their home after the city says it received a complaint about the location of the garden.
Shannon Lough and her boyfriend don't have a backyard at their new south-Kanata home, so in May, they built and planted a fruit and vegetable garden on the front lawn.
Apparently not everyone found it fruitful, the city received a complaint.
“A bylaw officer came by yesterday and said we have to remove it at least 6-8 feet back, by July 30th,” says Lough.
Ottawa Bylaw enforcement says the problem is not with the plants, but with the wooden boxes that are built on the city's road allowance.
“We are concerned about kids and others going down the sidewalk, they could be tripped,” says the Chief of Bylaw Enforcement, Roger Chapman.
Lough and her boyfriend say they didn't know about the bylaw, and they plan to continue to fight to keep their garden.
“Oh man, you messed with the wrong garden,” says Lough.
Working on our veggie garden for weeks. Someone complained. Bylaw officer came by & wants it gone #saveourgarden pic.twitter.com/UMjkGgYoFu
— Shannon (@salough) July 6, 2015
#KanataSouth resident who complained about our garden. What did it do to you? Is it noisy? Is it too fresh for you? pic.twitter.com/M3Hk5mSDx3
— Shannon (@salough) July 6, 2015
Are you telling me that the #kale I grew has to go? Isn't anything free in this country? #saveourgarden #ottcity pic.twitter.com/2S8d58hbLc
— Shannon (@salough) July 7, 2015
Save this little pepper from draconian bylaws in #Ottawa. Support for front lawn gardens in the city! #saveourgarden pic.twitter.com/bcvHG8WVnH
— Shannon (@salough) July 7, 2015