REPORT TO PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION
SUBJECT
Title
Community Garden Program Guiding Principles & Rules Update 2022
Report
BACKGROUND
The purview of the Parks & Recreation Commission includes the review of parks and recreation programs and services.
In 2017, the Parks & Recreation Commission recommended approval of the program participant priorities for eligibility, access and use of the Eddie Souza Community Garden, the City’s first community garden. On June 19, 2018, the Commission recommended approval of the Community Garden Program Guiding Principles.
On November 17, 2020, the Commission recommended approval of the program participant priorities for eligibility, access and use (Attachment 1) for the proposed community garden to be located at 3450 Copper Place in the new Lawrence Station Area to be constructed by the residential developer SummerHill (Nuevo Garden), as well as recommended approval of the Guiding Principles and Garden Rules. The City’s second community garden has 26 raised garden beds, container garden display beds, picnic benches, a shared storage shed, compost area, five specimen fruit trees, and community blueberry bushes.
DISCUSSION
Since 2019, the Department has maintained an interest list for the new community garden site that was featured in the Activity Guide and on the Department’s program registration system. The community garden is projected to open later this year. Staff will conduct a membership outreach meeting on January 20, 2022 to introduce the overall Community Garden Program and staff as well as the Guiding Principles and Garden Rules.
Based upon the November 17, 2020 eligibility criteria, staff will advertise and hold a lottery among eligible residents to be assigned a garden bed. The lottery will be based on geographic proximity, income, age, and residency in the following order:
1. Santa Clara residents living within the Community Facilities District No. 2019-1 (Lawrence Station) boundaries
2. Santa Clara residents who are Low Income
3. Santa Clara residents 55 years and older, and/or families with children
4. Other City of Santa Clara residents
Those selected will complete a garden bed rental agreement for up to three years. The Community Garden Program will charge a nominal annual program participant fee. The City’s designated Recreation Coordinator for the Community Garden Program will supervise the program and waitlist, conduct gardener orientations, meetings, trainings and support community wide garden workshop opportunities that may be held at either the Nuevo Garden in the Lawrence Station Area or offered in conjunction with the Eddie Souza Community Garden on Monroe and San Tomas.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Parks & Recreation Commission agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov>.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Recommend that the Commission approve the use of the Parks & Recreation Community Garden Program Guiding Principles & Rules as Updated January 2022.
Staff
Prepared by: Kimberly Castro, Recreation Manager
Approved by: James Teixeira, Director of Parks & Recreation
ATTACHMENTS
1. Report to Commission #20-1079 November 17, 2020
2. Community Garden Program Guiding Principles & Rules Updated January 18, 2022