Remember Jerry, the ordinance didn't appear over night and it is passed by your locally elected officials. That is your proper outlet, kick the bastards out. I take offense to you calling a person who is simply doing his job a nazi. He/she didn't write the rules but rather is simply tasked with enforcing them just as a cop is tasked with enforcing the laws to the best of their ability. In fact a zoning officer or code official has to take the same oaths, receives the same badge and has very similar powers as a blue man does. Having seen your yard, you're lucky you live where you do, your list would be a whole lot longer if you lived where I live.
What I would do though, and they can't touch it is create some art and refer to it as art or another purposeful thing i.e. washing machine planter, bathtub tulip holder, truck bed koi pond, etc.
As was already stated, 99% of the responses as most don't have the time to do actual investigative work comes from complaints. Likely you are working on a Hatfield vs McCoys with one of your neighbors. It is all in the definition of what it is. An ordinance defines each terms and is usually quite vague for example a plantholder is a device used to hold a plant. Better yet if there isn't a definition, it simply falls to a dictionary. As for putting signs on your yard, again most areas have sign ordinances which require permits, dictate size, setback etc which is allowed. Request a copy of it before you violate more. Keep in mind that the penalties can be quite stiff. Usually up to $500 a day per offense.