AUDIO: MISSOURI COUPLE ORDERED TO PLANT GRASS
For years, a St. Peters, Missouri couple have been fighting a city ordinance which says half of their yard must be grass turf. Janice and Carl Duffner bought their home in 2002 and because Mrs. Duffner is allergic to grass, they soon changed the landscaping to ponds, pathways and seating areas. But then, in 2008, the St. Peters Board of Aldermen adopted the turf ordinance. At some point, an unidentified person complained to the city that the Duffners had no grass. The Duffners asked for an exemption but were denied. After fighting the ordinance in court, a Federal Court judge last week ruled they must plant at least 5% of their property with grass. The Duffners are subject to penalties of $180,000 and 20 years in jail for non-compliance. The Duffners says they will continue to fight for what they see as their civil and property rights.
* It’s a turf war!
* You guys picked the wrong neighborhood, so that’s just your turf luck.
* They should plant marijuana. “See? Grass! You weren’t specific enough.”
* Not only do they have to plant grass, they have to stop that dirty dancing they do in their barn.
* Clearly, the St. Peters Board of Aldermen is in the pocket of the rabbits and field mice.
CLIP: Maybe the Duffners will need this: our brand-new parody spot, “Lawn Loogie”.
