Florida passes law preventing local governments from passing rules against homeowners’ vegetable gardens

A bill that will prevent local governments from passing rules against homeowners’ vegetable gardens was among 10 bills signed Monday by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The signings came less than a week before the bills go into effect on July 1.

The bill about homeowners’ vegetable gardens, HB 82, stemmed from a dispute between homeowners Hermine Ricketts and Laurence Carroll and the village of Miami Shores over an ordinance that banned front-yard vegetable gardens.
The couple had maintained a front-yard garden for nearly two decades but uprooted their vegetables when faced with the possibility of fines.

They challenged the constitutionality of the ordinance but lost in court, with the Florida Supreme Court declining to take up the issue.

House bill sponsor Elizabeth Fetterhoff, R-DeLand, said during the session the legislation involves fundamental rights and that government has “no business” telling Floridians they can’t grow their own food, no matter where they live.

Stay on top of Orlando news and views. Sign up for our weekly Headlines newsletter.

This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2019.