Man who turned lawn into food garden fined thousands for ‘overgrown vegetation’

A green-thumbed homeowner has been hit with more than $2400 in fines after council officers deemed his productive frontyard food garden “overgrown vegetation”. Michael Sherman, from Chino in Southern California, says he was stunned when a $1038 fine arrived in April, followed by another $692 penalty in August. He now claims he’s facing a further $692 fine unless he complies with the city’s order to trim back or remove parts of the garden. The 49-year-old landscape contractor has transformed his front yard into an abundant edible garden, growing everything from sweet potatoes, squash and turmeric to bananas, blueberries, passionfruit and sugar cane. MORE NEWS Housemate kept stealing food – then cat blew her cover ‘Unacceptable’: Seniors fear losing homes over shock $7m bill Chinese student given $18m to buy Aussie homes, blows it “People should be able to grow what they want on their lawn as long as it doesn’t affect directly any other neighbour or create a real health and safety problem,” Sherman told the California Post. Michael Sherman is furious at local government for interfering with his homegrown garden. He said he began planting produce out the front in 2019 after becoming c...