Posted on 02/25/2014 7:08:57 PM PST by PaulCruz2016
Near the end of 2013, a Florida official decided Robin Speronis was doing something too strange to tolerate: She was trying to live off the grid.
Off the Grid News reports:
Speronis has been fighting the city of Cape Coral since November when a code enforcement officer tried to evict her from her home for living without utilities. The city contends that Speronis violated the International Property Maintenance Code by relying on rain water instead of the city water system and solar panels instead of the electric grid.
And now, a judge has ruled that living independently of the citys water supply is illegal. She must hook up to the water system, although officials acknowledge she does not have to use it, says Off the Grid News.
Its not really clear why its illegal to live off rainwater it just is. The law doesnt understand, essentially, how it would even be possible to live without city-provided water. The fact that water regularly comes out of the sky is apparently not compelling.
I was ill for about 6 weeks after we came home. I avoid foods from Mexico.
No different than your electric or your phone or your cable...
Not necessarily electricity and running water...”Utilities” is the better word.
In our area, we have now covered our open tanks since the birds were constantly sh******. We still have huge open resevoirs and lake sources.
ALL our municipal water is treated so that they are delivering potable water as required.
I was just quoting the article.
Any time you eat in a restaurant, you are taking a risk. Watch Kitchen Nightmares, and it will become clear that even stateside, food preparation practices in mid to upscale restaurants can skirt dangerously close to the edge of what is recommended for food safety reasons. I can't even imagine what standards in Mexico are like or if any exist (that are enforced). I would avoid eating anything south of the border that isn't piping hot when served.
Yes, and do people living in Third World countries get fined or penalized when they don’t hook up as well? Hmmm.
There is a balance. As seen in Haiti, things like building codes make sense, but as re running H2o and electricity, if a family like some stricter Amish communities can show they can live at least as safely as Americans once did, then they should be allowed to do so.
The healthy solution would be to outlaw city living.
A minimum lot size of 1 acre would be sensible and workable in most places.
.
No, it is not the same. The city/county puts a lein on the property till the water bill is paid, phone, elect, can’t do this.
There is a difference in services supplied by the government, as they own all property and we are allowed use as long as we pay property tax, water service gets lumped in as county services and is a tax.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.