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Local Politics Containment Thread
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subego
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Nov 2, 2023, 01:49 PM
 
Around here an idea called “little free libraries” has taken root. They’re outdoor bookshelves you’re free to take a book from, or perhaps donate a book you’ve finished.

What should the city do (if anything) about this practice when they’ve been erected on city property?

No cheating and looking up how Chicago is dealing with it until you’ve answered.
     
andi*pandi
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Location: inside 128, north of 90
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Nov 2, 2023, 02:32 PM
 
You are supposed to get city support before putting them on public property. In our town several girl scout and boy scout groups have made these and put them up in city parks, no problems. (except the inevitable vandalism, and sometimes wasp nests)

I'm assuming chicago rips them out if no permit/permission?

More ridiculous is the raiding of the free libraries on peoples front yards. We have a Little Queer Library that someone has vandalized, stolen all the books, etc. Caught on film. Slap on wrist.
     
subego  (op)
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Nov 2, 2023, 03:00 PM
 
Agree 100% the city gets to stick its nose into it if it’s on city property.

How difficult should it be to get approval?
     
subego  (op)
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Nov 2, 2023, 03:25 PM
 
I’ve seen gardens put up on city property by private citizens. Should this be regulated?
     
Laminar
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Location: Iowa, how long can this be? Does it really ruin the left column spacing?
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Nov 2, 2023, 04:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
I’ve seen gardens put up on city property by private citizens. Should this be regulated?
This feels like the kind of thing where the city lets it happen because it's great but then some asshole comes in and ruins it by being an asshole and then the city has to make actual rules and shit gets banned.
     
andi*pandi
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Nov 2, 2023, 05:08 PM
 
Someone here put up a raised bed garden in an unused median strip and the city stripped it out because they didn't have a permit / certain neighbors complained. They were using that nothing piece of land, or worried about growing food atrracting varmints, or just didn't like the politics of the group that did it.

Again, with the scouts we created a pollinator garden. It involved emailing the park ranger, the mayor, and various councillors, to see if they cared where, working w park ranger to narrow down site placement, and ensure the city was willing to continue maintenance. The mayor gave their ok, a few councillors were like, sure (but not the ward we wanted to put it in, because he's a jack*** who doesn't respond to anything). The park ranger was most helpful.

With the libraries I think it was similar process. No forms or fees. No huge delays waiting for approval.

our city is smaller than chicago though.
     
Thorzdad
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Nov 2, 2023, 11:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by Laminar View Post
This feels like the kind of thing where the city lets it happen because it's great but then some asshole comes in and ruins it by being an asshole and then the city has to make actual rules and shit gets banned.
We have LFLs all over the place here, almost exclusively on private property, as well as on the properties of civic orgs (like arts councils and the like.)

I’ve seen LFLs on school properties, and everyone seems cool about it. But, yeah, I can easily see some book-banning nutjob screaming about the city supporting “obscenity” and whatnot by having an LFL on city property.
     
subego  (op)
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Nov 3, 2023, 03:45 PM
 
The proposed LFL ordinance here would require a not-for-profit to do the submission, thus making it illegal for a private citizen to make one on private property.

It didn’t pass, and everyone is making fun of the proposal, but it’s what got me thinking about what a good set of regulations might entail.

As an aside, coming up with such regulations sounds like a nightmare job.
     
andi*pandi
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Nov 3, 2023, 10:26 PM
 
I can get why it should be a nonprofit making them on city property, but why should they care about people putting them on their own private property?

Why I'm not a lawyer.
     
subego  (op)
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Nov 3, 2023, 11:07 PM
 
Woops! That was supposed to say public property.
     
   
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