Aleida and her granddaughter, Casey, are fighting back against council demands. Picture: Nine/A Current Affair
An elderly woman has been ordered by an Australian council to uproot her beloved garden or face severe fines in the latest case of NIMBY neighbours complaining about how others attempt to beautify their street.
Aleida has been working on her garden in Ballarat North for 40 years but now faces growing fines and the prospect of destroying her hard work after her local council said it was a trip hazard that needed to be scaled back.
The 86-year-old tends to her garden every day
“I love my flowers … It’s just nice to do it. I like being out there,” she told Nine’s A Current Affair.
“Kids call it their fairy garden. Even the bus once stopped and the driver got out and said ‘I got to compliment you on your garden’.”
In the past four decades, Aleida’s garden has grown to encompass the council trees on the nature strip outside her home but The City of Ballarat has told the Victorian great-great grandmother she needs to provide an unobstructed 1.5m pathway for pedestrians. The council’s requirements would mean Aleida needs to strip back almost half a metre of her garden.
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Aleida and her granddaughter, Casey, believe the council is being heavy-handed about the garden. Picture: Nine/A Current Affair
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Earlier this year, the council also ordered Aleida to remove several items from her gardens like bird baths and statues. When she didn’t comply within six weeks Aleida was fined $500 by the council.
Despite the pressure from council Aleida has so far refused to budge and she has the backing of her family as well.
“I have told her not to pay it (the fine) and I even asked (the council): “What are you going to do? Make her spend the rest of her days in prison?’” Aleida’s granddaughter Casey said.
Aleida has vowed never to pay the council fine and called out any neighbours who had made complaints about her garden.
“Mind your own business, and hope your lawn is as good as mine,” she said.
The council said there had been numerous formal complaints from the community about “unsafe pedestrian access on the nature strip”.
“We are empathetic towards Aleida’s situation as we can see the love and care she has put into her landscaping,” a statement issued to Nine read.
“However, it is vital that nature strips and pathways remain accessible to everyone.
“Due to repeated complaints, as far back as 2002, we have been in ongoing conversations with the homeowner for many years, encouraging her to clear the garden to allow a clear path of 1.5m from the edge of the road.
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Aleida has been tending the garden for 40 years. Picture: Nine/A Current Affair
“If the access improvements to the nature strip are carried out, we will withdraw the fine.”
Councils ordering residents to rip up their nature strips or cop heavy fines were highlighted recently after it was reported thousands of dollars worth of artificial turf could be destroyed and never replaced.
Among councils taking a hard line stance are the City of Gold Coast whose spokesman said they would release updated guidelines for all homeowners soon. The council has already heavily fined homeowners who do not comply, warning residents they will have to cough up $834 if prosecuted.
Elsewhere councils like the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council in NSW are now following suit, with major discussions underway on a total ban on new installation of artificial turf.
A council statement confirmed they were proposing “removing artificial grass as an option for street verges” amid concerns that “artificial grass may contain microplastics and PFAS”.
Councils taking aim at artificial turf are justifying their response amid concerns about plastic pollution, microplastics in waterways, and the environmental impact of artificial turf which has been shown to heat up to extreme temperatures as high as 56C on hot summer days when normal grass heats to around 30C.
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