Fresno's Tower Community Garden under attack

From: Scott Alexander
Subject: [TowerExchange] Notice of Violation
To: TowerExchange [at] yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, May 28, 2009, 2:56 PM



Property owner get a cease of use for the Tower community garden.

The city has given the property owner of the new tower community garden
a notice of violation for putting in a garden in the back of the brass
unicorn. the lot is listed as vacant by the city so all violations are
to be removed by June 3rd, 2009. or fines will start to incur.

Did you know that the labor for what has occurred in the garden so far
has come from local residents, City college students and homeless people
do you have any idea of the importance of this community project.

Through the inception of this project i have made many new friends and
contacts in the neighborhood, yes even the tower rats that hang out. in
fact their labor has been tremendous.

The idea is to have a sustainable green area that grows herbs, fruits
and vegetables and promotes community involvement, communication and
education; all from our local neighborhood.

it has been said think globally and act locally if you want change.

What kind of neighborhood do want to live in? one that promotes these
kind of basic kindnesses and community or one that promotes fear and
paranoia. i know which one i will choose every time.

when someone complains about the tower district it is usually the ones
that either do not live here or are so afraid that they have to say bad
things about the life happening around them so they can feel safe in
their shell.

i ask you to come out to your neighborhood and live life and help life
live... long enough have we not taken control of our neighborhood on
this type of level.

Sure we watch out for the person that is new or who is passing through
to see who they are and what they are doing.that is a good thing to be
aware. but this is a good thing also.

the other day a fresno pd helicopter hovered over the garden and told
the people in the garden to disperse because there was to many of them.
HELLO time to wake up.

yesterday the fresno pd handcuffed a person in the garden emptied his
pockets and told him that they were going to continue in this way until
people stopped being in the area.

As always there are two sides to every story.

but this is a community garden not nuclear warfare. As i said above i
know what kind of community i want how bout you.

If you agree in some way that the garden should stay and we should have
a community that promotes this lifestyle. and if you have any ideas and
skills or experience that can save this project and help it move forward
please drop by the brass unicorn and give you input.

anyone familiar with writing a petition or doing permit things the
letter says something about obtaining permits. Heck can anyone just
interpret the letters? there will be a copy a the brass unicorn just ask
to see them.

Thank you all for listening.

to take a line from the movie the Fifth Element. Please Help.