The Community Garden Bylaws February 2012

Transcription

1 The Community Garden Bylaws February 2012 The Community Garden is an outreach ministry of The Rock Church and World Outreach Center. These bylaws are designed to facilitate the safe and enjoyable use of the garden for everyone, including those who are not associated with The Rock Church. Article 1 Administration 1. The Community Garden is a project of Operation Hand Up a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. 2. Administration of the Garden will be by The Garden Council. 3. The Garden Council will consist of a Rock Church Pastor, a Rock Church Administrator, the Garden Steward and a professional landscaper or gardener. The Church Administrator will function as the Council Chair; the Garden Steward will function as the Council Recording Secretary. 4. Day-to-day operation of the garden will be overseen by the Church Administrator with the on-site assistance of the Garden Steward. 5. The Garden Council will meet twice yearly in late winter and early fall. Other meetings will be scheduled if needed. Article 2 Rights of Gardeners 1. Gardeners have the right to be a tenant of any available plot within the garden for one year beginning January 1 and ending December Tenancy of garden plots will be renewable each year upon the Garden Committee s authorization. 3. Gardeners may sow any plant in their garden plot with the exception of those listed in Appendix Garden produce is the private property of the plot holder. 5. Gardeners have access to unlimited use of the garden water supply. This water is well-water that is non potable. Gardeners are encouraged to refrain from drinking this water. 6. Gardeners may use compost that is produced by the composting bin in the garden. 7. Gardeners may make appropriate modifications to their plot to install automated irrigation systems. These systems must be secure and not leak water into other plots or public areas. (See Article 3 Item 4.) 8. Gardeners may make appropriate modifications to their plot to alleviate garden pests. 1

2 9. Gardeners have the right to use any tools and supplies that are owned and maintained by the Garden Council. 10. Gardeners may be tenants of up to two garden plots for their family from those currently available. If a waiting list develops, families with more than one plot will be required to vacate one of their plots for individuals desiring to join the garden community. 11. Individuals with a physical handicap or disability which prevents him or her from working a garden at ground level may acquire tenancy of a raised bed garden. Raised bed gardens are considered as permanent structures. A permanent structure is any structure which is not easy to remove. Therefore, they should not be greater than 20 in height. The placement and the location must be approved by the Garden Council before construction begins. 12. Gardeners may request to switch to another plot that becomes vacant before it is reassigned to a person on the waiting list. Gardeners who would like to switch plots must contact the Garden Steward. 13. When it is known that a plot has become vacant, it will be reassigned according to the waiting list. 14. All gardeners must go through waiting list procedures. Gardeners may not give or sell their garden to someone else. 15. Gardeners have free use of the patio area while they are working in the garden. 16. Any member may make suggestions for expenditures by contacting the Garden Steward. The Garden Council will approve all purchases to maintain the garden. Article 3 Responsibilities of Gardeners 1. Waiver and Release of Liability a) All persons participating in the community garden must sign a Waiver and Release of Liability form. b) Gardeners may allow extended family members and/or friends to work in the garden providing they have signed a Waiver and Release of Liability form. In such cases, the garden member is fully responsible for the actions of others working in their plot and is fully responsible for adherence to all rules, regulations, and bylaws. 2. General Conduct a) All children under the age of 15 years must be under the close supervision of their parent(s) or a responsible guardian 18 years or older at all times. Children are not allowed in any other plot without the explicit permission of the gardener to whom it belongs. No unattended children are allowed in the garden. Parents or legal 2

3 guardians will be held financially responsible for all damages caused by their children or children in their care. b) Gardeners must observe the garden open and closed times (7:00 a.m. to dusk) seven days a week excluding scheduled all church events, and holidays when the church offices are closed. c) Gardeners shall have no loud music in the garden or parking lot at anytime. Personal listening devices with headphones are permissible. d) Gardeners are to be courteous and respectful and NOT to use any loud, noisy, or gas powered equipment in the garden during church service times or scheduled all church events at The Rock Church. e) Gardeners and their visitors must park their vehicles in the church parking lot or on Caroline Street, but not in front of any garden entrance. Garden member vehicles may be used to deliver gardening materials and supplies to the gardening plots by way of the garden road, but must be removed immediately after such materials or supplies are unloaded. The garden road must be kept clear of stopped or parked cars at all times. 3. Plot Designation and Maintenance a) Gardeners are tenants, not owners of their garden plots. b) All garden plots are designated by wood pickets. The numbered pickets must not be removed. Other pickets can be removed at garden member s discretion, as long as division between plots is still clearly established. c) Gardeners are encouraged to use 12 x 12 gray paving stones or 2 x 6 raised divider boards as a boundary to define their plot. d) No boundary materials are required, but only pavers and boards are allowed. No string, other type stone or other material may be used to designate a garden plot boundary. e) Stepping stones and 2 x 6 raised board dividers may not be expanded into the path. Plot divides that are deemed unsafe by the Garden Council Chair must be removed by the gardener. f) Each gardener is responsible for keeping any of their own plantings clear from protruding into or overhanging into any adjacent plot or path. g) Each gardener is responsible for keeping the paths and road as well as the patio area clear of weeds, trash, and tools. h) Each gardener is responsible for keeping their garden free from overgrown or spreading weeds. Untended plant materials that are over one foot high, flowering, or invasive are considered overgrown weeds. i) Only organic fertilizers weed killers and pesticides are allowed in the community garden. Gardeners should refer to the approved list of 3

4 over-the-counter fertilizers and insecticides in Appendix 2 before using any in the garden. j) Each gardener is responsible for pest control in their own plot (gophers, ground rabbits, birds, etc.). If a garden-wide pest becomes evident (raccoons, possums, etc.) it should be immediately reported to the Garden Steward. k) Gardeners should utilize the composting bins to dispose of all weeds, overgrown plants and when clearing plots at the end of a planting season. Please see Appendix 3 for allowable compost materials. l) In the event that a gardener leaves for an extended vacation, the gardener must designate someone to maintain the garden in his/her absence. The Garden Steward must be notified to ensure that the garden will not be reassigned in the event that the substitute does not maintain the garden sufficiently. m) If a gardener wants to resign his/her garden, the gardener must contact the Garden Steward. 4. Irrigation a) Gardeners are encouraged to use automated irrigation systems if they are unable to water by hand each day. b) All pipes must be above ground. c) All automated systems must be secure and leak no water into adjacent plots or into public areas, particularly the paths and road. d) Gardeners are encouraged to use a washer at every joint of their pipes, hoses and sprinklers. e) All leaks will be cited and gardeners will have two weeks to remedy the situation. After two weeks the timer will be turned to the off position by the Garden Steward until the situation is remedied. f) Gardeners who water by hand are encouraged to use a washer for their hose and any sprayer to ensure that no water leaks into an adjacent plot or into the paths or road. g) Gardeners who water by hand must removed all hoses after each session or place the hose entirely in the gardener s plot. No hoses can be left in the paths or road. 5. Tools a) All tools that belong to the Garden Council are available to every gardener and must be shared in an equitable manner. b) Gardeners must return all the community tools to the garden shed when finished using them. Any community garden tools found in a plot will be cited. A second citation will constitute a probationary status. A third citation will be grounds for dismissal from garden membership. 4

5 c) Damage to any community tools must be reported to the Garden Steward. Garden members will not be held responsible for damage. d) Gardener s who bring their own tools are encouraged to remove their tools each day. 6. Work Days a) Gardeners are required to attend four community garden clean-up work days scheduled quarterly each year. The clean-up work day is a 4 hour work day; however, gardeners are only required to be present for 2 hours to receive credit. b) In the event that a gardener is unable to attend a scheduled work day he or she may make alternate plans with the Garden Steward by requesting and completing a make-up task. c) All gardeners must satisfy their yearly clean-up duties in order to keep their garden. Article 4 Grounds for Expulsion Reporting of bylaw violations is the responsibility of all gardeners. Enforcement of the bylaws is the responsibility of the Garden Council and church Board of Trustees. Garden plots will be inspected for bylaw violations every quarter. Gardeners found in abuse of any of the issues noted below will receive a warning. The warning will contain instructions from the Garden Council Chair explaining what the gardener needs to do to maintain his or her garden. Gardeners will have 14 days to comply with the terms of the warning. If the gardener does not repair the issues raised by the Garden Council within the 14 days, the gardener will receive a final warning. If the gardener does not comply within 7 days of the final warning, the noncompliant gardener will immediately lose their tenancy. 1. Stealing from another garden is grounds for immediate expulsion from The Community Garden and forfeiture of all plot tenancies. 2. Burning items is illegal. Setting a fire in any garden is grounds for immediate expulsion and forfeiture of all plot tenancies. 3. A garden that has not been worked for one month is considered abandoned. The judgment of nonuse will be made by the Garden Council Chair. Some criteria for nonuse include, but are not limited to: overgrown weeds, wilted or dead plants, unstable structures, old building materials. 4. Gardens will be periodically reviewed for nonuse, overgrown or flowering weeds. Untended plant materials that are over one foot high, flowering, or invasive are considered overgrown weeds. 5. If a path is not clear. 5

6 6. Continued misuse of community garden tools. 7. Prohibited items that the Garden Council deemed hazardous, rodentattracting, or aesthetically unpleasing include but are not limited to: glass, bottles, cans, furniture, carpeting, metal bed springs, sharp rusty materials, pampas grass, fountain grass, or hay bales. Other such items are subject to the approval of Garden Council for preservation of the garden and protection of all gardeners. 8. Any garden containing garbage or garden waste for a period of 7 days or more. 9. If a family member or other person working in your garden continually violates any part of these rules, regulations or bylaws. 10. If a gardener receives more than three separate warnings or two final warnings per gardening year for any reason listed in these bylaws, it will be deemed excessive violations. The gardener s tenancy will not be renewed at the beginning of the new year. Three non-final warnings or two final warnings within a year period will disqualify the gardener for renewal the following year even if the gardener complied with each warning. 11. If a gardener is experiencing extenuating circumstances that prevent them from fulfilling their responsibilities, they must notify the Garden Steward as soon as possible. The Garden Council will take all steps necessary to ensure the gardener is dealt with fairly. A gardener has the opportunity to write a written appeal within 7 days of receiving any written warning to dismissal from the garden. The Garden Council will convene to discuss the appeal. Their decision is final. 6

7 Appendix 1 Invasive Plant List Invasive plants are plants that will spread when neglected or are difficult to remove. These plants and species include, but are not limited to: Any type of Morning Glory (weed, domestic, flower) Mint Bamboo Bougainvillea Any illegal plants Any poisonous plants Wild Dandelion Sorghum Canna Lily Passion Fruit Datura 3 (flowering vine) White and Black Nightshade Sugar Cane Trees Plumeria Grapevines Brambles (thorny plants) Blackberries Raspberries Loganberries Gooseberries Any member of the Genus Rubus. This includes all berry plants that have runners or suckers or thorns, etc. All Berries are banned except strawberries and blueberries 7

8 Appendix 2 Approved Fertilizers and Insecticides Fertilizer is an effective way to improve plant performance. Proper fertilizing results in strong, greener, disease and insect resistant plants. Fertilizer helps your lawn and plants stay healthy by: Replacing nutrients Promoting new leaf and root growth Aiding in recovery from foot traffic and pests Reducing weeds offers a full range of products: Soil Food Select is a naturally slow-releasing fertilizer containing Cotton seed meals, Feather Meal, Blood and Bone Meal, Alfalfa Meal, and Potassium Sulphate. A liquid fertilizer blend of fish emulsion, seaweed, molasses, humate and other ingredients for use on grasses, shrubs and flowering plants. Bat Guano is high in nitrogen and trace nutrients, and is sage to use around children and pets. Liquid Seaweed Arcadian Seaweed Extract and water. Considered the best and most complete mixture of trace elements for plant and animal life. Natural fungicide for lawn and garden use. Use potassium bicarbonate for black spot, powdered mildew, brown patch and other fungus problems. Use at a rate of 4 teaspoons per gallon and spray affected foliage. There are a number of products on the market that safely and effectively control insects, weeds and diseases in plants without adverse effect on our families, pets or environment. Lawn King Turf Royale Turf Supreme Green Turf Scott Miracle-Gro Pesticides: The key to all pesticides is READ the label! A great resource to assist you with identifying which pesticides can help you with your problem is Crop Production Services located at 2622 Third St., Riverside, CA 92502; Phone:

9 Bayer Advanced Garden line carries: Imidacloprid 2-in-1 Plant Spikes contain fertilizer and 2.5% imidacloprid and is sold for use on potted plants. It is an alternative to the plant food/insecticide stakes of the past which had he insecticide DiSyston. It should be an excellent product for houseplant problems involving whiteflies and solft brown scale. 3-in-1 Rose and Flower Potting Mix is a potting mix with fertilizer and 0.015% imidacloprid. Tree and Shrub Insect Control, a 1.47% granular formulation for use as a soil applied systemic insecticide to control tree and shrub insects. Rose and Flower Insect Killer a sprayable formulation of imidacloprid, combined with pyrethroid cyfluthrin (a.k.a. Tempo). Safer Insecticidal Soap 9

10 Appendix 3 Composting Bin Rules Acceptable Composting Material: It is important that the materials placed in the community garden composting bins are organic. All weeds, overgrowth and plants removed at the end of a planting season will be acceptable to be placed in the composting bin, with the exception of corn stalks. Please do not place corn stalks in the compositing bin as they do not break down easily. An area in the back of the garden will be designated at the end of the summer planting season where corn stalks can be placed for disposal. We welcome yard waste from your home as long as it has not been treated with synthetic pesticides. Raw fruits and vegetables will be acceptable, but cooked vegetables are acceptable only if they have been steamed. No canned fruits or vegetables, please. Please check with the Garden Steward for the acceptability of other contributions to the compost bin. Compost Bin Management There are three sections to the compost bin and each will be in a different stage of development. There will be a sign indicating which section is receiving new materials. Please use only this section for contributions. Note: Please do not over fill the bin. This causes the lid hinges to break when closed. 10