Don't look now, but the boulevard garden issue may be coming back!

Some city council members complained about this boulevard structure

Kirsten e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "I am wondering why the city of Decorah continues to allow gardens in boulevards?  The city council spent several meetings discussing the subject and then voted against it.  However I have seen several gardens in people's boulevards and as yet no enforcement of the recently adopted rule.  Just curious."

Mr. Answer Person says: "Kirsten, your question is timely because the Decorah City Council briefly discussed just this issue on Monday night,  But before Mr. A.P. describes their discussion, let me straighten out one of your statements.  You say the city council spent several meetings discussing boulevard gardens, which is correct.  But they voted against changing the current city ordinances about boulevards, so there's no "recently adopted rule"--the previous ordinance is still in effect.  To read that ordinance, click on the link below.

But back to the City Council's discussion.  City Council member Karen Tjossem, who raised the issue, stated at the meeting, "The way it (the city ordinance) is written right now, people need to have a permit."  That hasn't been happening,. of course, so city council members have begun discussing whether they want to enforce this system.

In the meantime, some city council members have asked the City Clerk's Office to contact the property owner at 508 Iowa Avenue, who has constructed a 5 foot or 6 foot high bean fence in the boulevard, which is against the current city ordinance.

So the short answer to your question about boulevard gardens is that the issue is still on the radar for Decorah City council members.