Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan
400 S. Orange Avenue
P.O. Box 4990
Orlando, FL 32802-4990
Dear Ms. Sheehan:
Although I live on the other side of the country, I feel compelled to write to you about an ordinance that your city has recently approved. I am appalled that the Orlando community has decided to disallow charitable organizations from providing food for homeless people in parks.
In the account I read, the measure prevents people from serving food to large groups in parks or other public places within two miles of City Hall without a permit. Does this ban people from having picnics and barbecues as well? I am unfamiliar with the geography of Orlando, but I find it confusing that this rule applies only to a bubble around City Hall.
I am having trouble finding any logic to this ordinance at all. It seems to cater exclusively to businesses and ultimately places value on consumer culture over community. I would love to hear that Orlando has stopped saying “no” to perceived nuisances, and started saying “yes” to real solutions.
Truly,
Liz Mann
