A Missouri judge has sided with the city of St. Peters in a dispute over a homeowner’s sunflower garden, following years of complaints from neighbors.
Christopher Bank planted the garden four years ago to honor his late cousin, but what began as a tribute has turned into a prolonged legal battle.
On Tuesday, the judge ruled that Bank’s sunflowers qualify as a crop and exceed the 10 percent yard coverage limit set by city ordinance.
City records obtained by KMOV reveal years of neighbor complaints, with some calling the flowers ‘getting ridiculous to look at’ and others attacking Bank personally.
Bank, however, said he grew the flowers in memory of his family member Jennifer, because: ‘She truly loved sunflowers, and I thought it would be fitting for her to be part of it.’
The devastated homeowner has dismissed the irate neighbors’ claims, saying, ‘If that were really the issue, there would be court cases about it.’
Bank believes the fight goes beyond landscaping rules, tying it to a long-standing conflict with his homeowners’ association.
‘You’re basically battling the city, a city judge, and a city prosecuting attorney. It doesn’t make a difference what you can prove,’ he told the local news outlet.
Christopher Bank is battling the city of St. Peters, Missouri to keep the garden he planted four years ago to honor his late cousin
The judge ruled that Bank’s sunflowers qualify as a crop and exceed the 10 percent yard coverage limit set by city ordinance
With just 20 sunflowers left in his garden and an unfavorable ruling, Bank intends to appeal in St. Charles County in hopes that pleading his case before a jury of his peers would work in his favor.
‘I really want to go in front of St. Charles, not a St. Peters-biased court, but literally go in front of my peers,’ he said. ‘And if they side with the city, I’ll never grow a sunflower again.’
The dispute began in 2022 when the city cited Bank for violating an ordinance requiring at least 50 percent turf grass.
Officials also flagged a fence on his front lawn.
Bank contested the violation, arguing his yard had plenty of grass, but the law was later amended to clarify landscaping requirements.
Last year, the city classified his sunflowers as a crop, triggering another ordinance that limits crops to 10 percent of a yard.
Bank disputes that definition, noting he doesn’t harvest or sell seeds.
‘The amount of people who enjoy it, the good it does for the environment – it’s a win all around,’ he said.
City records obtained by KMOV reveal years of neighbor complaints, with some calling the flowers ‘getting ridiculous to look at’
Bank plans to appeal in St. Charles County
He has launched a GoFundMe to cover legal costs, describing his yard as an oasis for bees and hummingbirds.
City spokesperson Lisa Bedian said officials are obligated to enforce ordinances when residents file complaints.
‘Our goal isn’t to fine someone. We work with people to try to correct the situation,’ she said.
On social media, he wrote: ‘It seems like no matter the victories against the city, they just keep changing the law until I lose. Hopefully this year will be the final year of this battle.’
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Devastation for homeowner growing enormous SUNFLOWER garden in memory of loved one after neighbors complained
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