[Communications] [Education] Action Alert: Join us for a Town Hall to support Native Gardening in Chicago!

Sat Feb 27 15:35:58 CST 2021

Mamie has not mentioned that a good number of us do not support this
proposed ordinance.

We fear alder peeps have had this drawn up by staff not by garden growers
or native plant enthusiasts. We don't believe that the many supporters of
this ordinance have read it, understood it or considered what a trap it
really is.

Four of us are working on talking points for the town hall and a letter
explaining the shortfalls of this proposed ordinance. Here are just two
talking points. More to come Monday.

1) The ordinance requires owner occupied land/property only to be covered
and "free" from fines. So any garden planted for pollinators,  even "empty"
lots used for native planting  or Monarch sanctuaries are excluded. There
is no value to the native garden registry.  It's basically an out for the
City to continue to erroneously ticket gardners.  The current "weed"
ordinance already states that if a plant (or garden) is managed and
maintained then it's NOT a weed...which is the same language as the
registry.  Gardeners are mindful people who do this because they are
gardeners!

2) Some language seems to be borrowed from weed ordinance. Bad news. This
is a proposed band-aid to the weed audience, not a true native plant
registry. This proposed ordinance will allow only plants no higher than 10
inches. Spending time on wildflower seed websites, the best I can find is
mature height is 12".  The other option is search by 6". Most native plants
with a mature height of 10" would not be true natives, but variants called
nativars. These are native plants selected and hybridized genetically. Have
you seen the orange echinacea? It does not grow naturally. Horticultural
language makes this confusing. Natives are found growing naturally,  prior
to European settlement. Non natives are typically introduced intentionally
or by accident.

*The power of diversity is lost!*

3)   It seems that this proposal is more problematic than a solution. Only
a few instances of these tickets can be found, and they have been in a
truly nuisance backyard and unmaintained parkways (and also this proposal
does not touch parkways).

OK more Tuesday.  Before Tuesday, if you know a community gardener who also
grows at home who would be opposed to this garden, friends, landscapers,
block clubs, garden clubs who would oppose this ordinance as it stands,
want more citizen/public input, especially garden consultation when any
ordinance touching green space is being drafted, NOT after, would want
different language. Please let Amy & Lorraine know.  We are seeking more
people to sign on to a letter. A draft of the letter is in the works.

Lorraine

On Sat, Feb 27, 2021, 2:48 PM Mamie Gray via Education <
education at chicagocommunitygardens.org> wrote:

> *Subject:* *Action Alert: Join us for a Town Hall to support Native
> Gardening in Chicago!*
>
> 
>
> Get your questions answered and help pass the proposed Managed Native
> Garden Registry Ordinance
>
> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001c7DOcEarbq6ie-822bWVk8kxpdX1ZkYnC7Qtn5hHpmW-883nfDeWzH9cg4t5evdm7r8lFOgX1atoXYZr8e7cmlaq1OksoQiaO9AmryvcJoXSbQCZm8RL-_th8R-PAI9-0Sef0Tdl0uM=&c=n7yzxc6fTaf5sBFSKiWj0eBbVpF7NjiZlNZxH71CtwyCP2smtt9GIw==&ch=MAyd8nC8WdDvEWzSTXurnGAOIlwwxQCvtq4L4DlbzcOBHIt5CkfeEA==>
>
> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001c7DOcEarbq6ie-822bWVk8kxpdX1ZkYnC7Qtn5hHpmW-883nfDeWzJqNWoKTagfP1GmShR3SptBS2NtfGzJ1FacvGImvI890jVI-vJH2asmbGDwF5L4v4N3Gf3Pq45HXNew_Kun5US8b2mKRN-jAB2xxdbnNb2_ErnXPl8llmmQ9ZMgApzAlZ5bAKeJDt0aq8-sfNjdPKzyinsw04A_6gRh65BiM-Ye1YAYylqf5PAQR_mG6nsCKzUJ7D5HBzjM1Myd9K_dOu-voT-adak1soErtmcImW3reUkBt-EZeUO3EOREVADd14txP_At7JftSBvHf0wOolldpxSiz6Bibaok2OaJzTCbKtzH2lKxoLcw=&c=n7yzxc6fTaf5sBFSKiWj0eBbVpF7NjiZlNZxH71CtwyCP2smtt9GIw==&ch=MAyd8nC8WdDvEWzSTXurnGAOIlwwxQCvtq4L4DlbzcOBHIt5CkfeEA==>
> Join Us for the Managed Native Garden Registry Town Hall
> Please join us for a Town Hall on March 2 from 7-8 pm on the proposed Managed
> Native Garden Registry (10-32-055) for the City of Chicago. The Town Hall
> is co-hosted by Illinois Environmental Council, Field Museum, Blacks in
> Green, and Advocates for Urban Agriculture.
>
> The ordinance, introduced by Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd) with 15
> co-sponsors, protects residents with native gardens and landscaping from
> unwarranted citations, ticketing, and fines under the existing weeds and
> nuisance ordinance.
>
> Since the Department of the Environment was dissolved in 2011, weed
> citations have increased, resulting in a number of cases where native
> gardeners were fined $600. Residents and local sustainability organizations
> have been cited, which has the perverse consequence of discouraging native
> plantings that can reduce basement flooding, help purify the air, and
> provide habitat for wildlife, like the monarch butterfly. The Managed
> Native Garden Registry would allow Chicagoans to register planted native
> gardens on their properties at no cost, shielding them from these citations
> and fines.
>
> At the Town Hall, you can learn more about the proposed native gardens
> registry and ask any questions, helping us to move this ordinance forward.
> Representatives from the offices of co-sponsoring aldermen and the
> Department of Planning and Development will be present.
> Register Now
> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001c7DOcEarbq6ie-822bWVk8kxpdX1ZkYnC7Qtn5hHpmW-883nfDeWzJqNWoKTagfP1GmShR3SptBS2NtfGzJ1FacvGImvI890jVI-vJH2asmbGDwF5L4v4N3Gf3Pq45HXNew_Kun5US8b2mKRN-jAB2xxdbnNb2_ErnXPl8llmmQ9ZMgApzAlZ5bAKeJDt0aq8-sfNjdPKzyinsw04A_6gRh65BiM-Ye1YAYylqf5PAQR_mG6nsCKzUJ7D5HBzjM1Myd9K_dOu-voT-adak1soErtmcImW3reUkBt-EZeUO3EOREVADd14txP_At7JftSBvHf0wOolldpxSiz6Bibaok2OaJzTCbKtzH2lKxoLcw=&c=n7yzxc6fTaf5sBFSKiWj0eBbVpF7NjiZlNZxH71CtwyCP2smtt9GIw==&ch=MAyd8nC8WdDvEWzSTXurnGAOIlwwxQCvtq4L4DlbzcOBHIt5CkfeEA==>
> Show your support for the Managed Native
> Garden Registry by contacting your alderman
> Take Action
> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001c7DOcEarbq6ie-822bWVk8kxpdX1ZkYnC7Qtn5hHpmW-883nfDeWzJqNWoKTagfPpu3AxADZg1_RKObMp5vRr-3FeAN22nXJtogGE_b_Z2nkXlQvk-1FNKqNGRZ2aXcNCOrXznHcJcQt9eC-w0cdUGNnGWIJ3dNPOJ8eKY3rrTa2oo5heO9e7vxq13aoFAsin3K6m2Ai9aldMqAkJUQPEQ==&c=n7yzxc6fTaf5sBFSKiWj0eBbVpF7NjiZlNZxH71CtwyCP2smtt9GIw==&ch=MAyd8nC8WdDvEWzSTXurnGAOIlwwxQCvtq4L4DlbzcOBHIt5CkfeEA==>
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