Teh One Who Knocks
09-18-2011, 02:16 PM
By Bob Sandrick, Sun News
PARMA -- A Walter Avenue man said the city will no longer allow him to sell homegrown vegetables from his front yard.
Wesley Wood told City Council on Monday that a Building Department official delivered the news to him earlier that day.
Wood said the official — Don Graves, assistant building commissioner — informed him that it is against the law to run a food business out of a yard.
“It’s not a business,” Wood told the Sun Post. “I’m selling vegetables.”
Wood said the building department’s ruling will hurt him. He said his vegetable sales have supplemented his Social Security income.
Wood said he has asked the city to allow him and other Parma residents to sell homegrown produce at city-owned Stearns Homestead on Ridge Roat at no cost to the resident-sellers. As of Friday morning, he had not received a response.
Normally, those who sell produce at Stearns -- during farmers markets there -- pay the farm a $30 fee, Wood was told. However, Wood said sellers that have been participating in those farmers markets are companies that can afford the fee.
“I couldn't sell $30 worth of vegetables," Wood said.
Wood said he has been selling vegetables from his front yard for four years. He said he grows the vegetables behind his garage.
Wood said he grows and sells cherry tomatoes, zucchinis, five different types of peppers, broccoli, green beans, green onions, herbs and spices.
Agriculture seems to run in Wood’s blood. He said his grandfather grew tomatoes, strawberries and peppers in Westlake and sold the produce outside his home on Pershing Avenue in Parma.
In fact, Wood said he is a descendent of Asa Emerson, who helped settle Parma when it was an agricultural community.
Wood said he has been disabled since 2001. He said he has suffered from Crohn’s disease, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
Wood said it took him seven years to get Social Security benefits.
“I’ve had no increase in two years,” Wood said. “It’s a fixed rate and (the cost of) everything seems to go up.”
So Wood made a push cart, covering it with an umbrella, to sell his vegetables. He posted handmade signs so passersby know he was there.
Wood said that last year, city officials told him to remove signs promoting his vegetables from the public right-of-way. Wood said he complied and only placed signs in his or his neighbor’s yard.
Code says that those with home occupations cannot advertise their businesses with signboards or window displays.
But complying with that city order was not good enough this year. Once again, municipal code is not on Wood's side.
Under the code, the city allows the raising of fruits and vegetables for private use only.
Also, while certain types of home businesses are allowed, code says the business "must be conducted wholly within the dwelling."
Since his vegetable stand was shut down, Wood said he started giving his vegetables away.
"I just don't want to see the stuff go to waste," Wood said. "And I have a lot of it."
Wood is accepting donations, however. He said most of his "customers" are donating.
Graves; Paul Deichmann, the city’s building commissioner and engineer; and Law Director Tim Dobeck did not return calls and e-mails.
PARMA -- A Walter Avenue man said the city will no longer allow him to sell homegrown vegetables from his front yard.
Wesley Wood told City Council on Monday that a Building Department official delivered the news to him earlier that day.
Wood said the official — Don Graves, assistant building commissioner — informed him that it is against the law to run a food business out of a yard.
“It’s not a business,” Wood told the Sun Post. “I’m selling vegetables.”
Wood said the building department’s ruling will hurt him. He said his vegetable sales have supplemented his Social Security income.
Wood said he has asked the city to allow him and other Parma residents to sell homegrown produce at city-owned Stearns Homestead on Ridge Roat at no cost to the resident-sellers. As of Friday morning, he had not received a response.
Normally, those who sell produce at Stearns -- during farmers markets there -- pay the farm a $30 fee, Wood was told. However, Wood said sellers that have been participating in those farmers markets are companies that can afford the fee.
“I couldn't sell $30 worth of vegetables," Wood said.
Wood said he has been selling vegetables from his front yard for four years. He said he grows the vegetables behind his garage.
Wood said he grows and sells cherry tomatoes, zucchinis, five different types of peppers, broccoli, green beans, green onions, herbs and spices.
Agriculture seems to run in Wood’s blood. He said his grandfather grew tomatoes, strawberries and peppers in Westlake and sold the produce outside his home on Pershing Avenue in Parma.
In fact, Wood said he is a descendent of Asa Emerson, who helped settle Parma when it was an agricultural community.
Wood said he has been disabled since 2001. He said he has suffered from Crohn’s disease, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.
Wood said it took him seven years to get Social Security benefits.
“I’ve had no increase in two years,” Wood said. “It’s a fixed rate and (the cost of) everything seems to go up.”
So Wood made a push cart, covering it with an umbrella, to sell his vegetables. He posted handmade signs so passersby know he was there.
Wood said that last year, city officials told him to remove signs promoting his vegetables from the public right-of-way. Wood said he complied and only placed signs in his or his neighbor’s yard.
Code says that those with home occupations cannot advertise their businesses with signboards or window displays.
But complying with that city order was not good enough this year. Once again, municipal code is not on Wood's side.
Under the code, the city allows the raising of fruits and vegetables for private use only.
Also, while certain types of home businesses are allowed, code says the business "must be conducted wholly within the dwelling."
Since his vegetable stand was shut down, Wood said he started giving his vegetables away.
"I just don't want to see the stuff go to waste," Wood said. "And I have a lot of it."
Wood is accepting donations, however. He said most of his "customers" are donating.
Graves; Paul Deichmann, the city’s building commissioner and engineer; and Law Director Tim Dobeck did not return calls and e-mails.