Capitol Tilth

I found out recently that in order to build any kind of structure in your 'planting' strip you in Seattle, you presently need a permit. A $225 permit. In theory you need them for just about anything of a substantial size - trees included. And not for ornamental gardens. But definitely for vegetable gardens - especially if you make raised beds to try and stay out of potentially polluted soil.

Thankfully, Richard Conlin's office is trying hard to reform the process somehow. They weren't exactly forthcoming on what they'd be doing, only that they thought they could negotiate a positive outcome. Maybe that means $200 permits. Or something.

I definitely understand that emergency services need to be able to access houses, and that people need enough clearance to be able to get out of their Landrovers. This much is obvious. What I don't understand is the kind of backwards thinking that makes grass okay but vegetables not okay.

Here we are, in the middle of a dense urban environment, sucking resources from the surrounding areas with a force and vigor that one can only imagine makes the loudest sucking sound nature has ever heard, and our city is requiring rather onerous fees for people to make use of the small amounts of possibly arable land in the city. If you walk around enough, you realize that in fact, it's not really a small amount of arable land - it's vast. The (grass)'planting' strips around the city could probably provide a lot of food for its residents.

I think the permitting process should be replaced with a pledge to donate a portion of your fresh, organic produce to a local food bank - that should fulfill the legitimate desire of the city to ensure that its shared lands are of benefit to everyone.