COMMUNITY GARDENS POLICY

Transcription

1 COMMUNITY GARDENS POLICY STRATEGIC INITIATIVE: The City shuld identify itself as the hub fr agricultural based businesses and market its agricultural assets and pprtunities. The City shuld be gverned by the principles f sustainable develpment and planned grwth in retaining lng-term lifestyle and ecnmic pprtunities. The City shuld give a high pririty t the implementatin f plans and plicies aimed at enhancing and revitalizing the City s Dwntwn Cre and Waterfrnt. The City shuld ensure that its planning dcuments are updated t reflect gd planning plicies. The City shuld encurage public / private partnerships t achieve the City s planning and develpment bjectives. The City shuld prmte the bjectives f Healthy Cmmunities thrugh prgram and facility develpment. The City shuld play an advcacy rle in identifying and prmting health needs in the cmmunity. BACKGROUND Municipalities are increasingly investigating aspects f urban agriculture, such as cmmunity gardening, in rder t pursue healthy cmmunity gals and t establish lcal fd strategies. These lcal fd strategies examine a regin s utlk as it applies t the capability f the area t prcure and prduce enugh fd t fulfill the ppulatin s requirements. Cmmunity gardens transfrm passively-used green space int prductive garden plts. Cmmunity garden prjects rely n cmmunity vlunteers, wh plant, tend, and harvest different types f fruit, vegetable and flwer crps each seasn. These prjects are ften the result f partnerships between cmmunity members, municipal gvernments, and private stakehlders. The prduce garnered frm a cmmunity garden prject can be sld thrugh lcal fd markets (e.g., Farmers r 100-Mile Markets), dnated t lcal fd banks r charitable meal prgrams, and/r shared amng the participant gardeners. Cmmunity garden prjects prvide the pprtunity fr numerus cmmunity and individual gains, including (but nt limited t): Mental and physical health prmtin thrugh the activity f fd prductin; Apprved July 2011 Page 1 f 5

2 The pprtunity fr scial engagement with family, neighburs and fellw gardeners; Cntributin t the creatin f a sustainable lcal fd ecnmy; Develpment f imprtant fd prductin and gardening skills; The pprtunity t re-establish the cmmunity s understanding f the imprtance f agriculture and lcal fd systems; and Cntributin t civic enrichment and beautificatin. POLICY OBJECTIVE The purpse f this plicy is: i) T initiate steps tward a fd svereignty strategy fr the City f Owen Sund; ii) iii) iv) T prvide every citizen the pprtunity t access healthy fd and a healthy lifestyle; T prmte the tenets f a healthy cmmunity; T establish the City s willingness t supprt and enter int cmmunity partnerships fr fd prcurement; and v) T guide the placement and peratin f cmmunity gardens n Citywned lands. DEFINITIONS Cmmunity Garden Cllective means all gardeners wh cntribute t the prductive peratin f their respective cmmunity garden. Reference t the Cllective includes the Executive. Cmmunity Garden Executive means a grup f 2 r mre individuals wh agree t represent and administer the peratins f the cmmunity garden prject. Cmmunity Garden means any planter, bed (raised r therwise), r piece f land that is used t prduce flwers, fruits, and/r vegetables as a cmmunity, neighburhd r grup initiative. POLICIES 1. PROMOTING HEALTH & PARTNERSHIPS: 1.1 Cmmunity gardens are encuraged t establish distributin partnerships with lcal fd markets (e.g., Farmers r 100-Mile Markets) and lcal fd banks r charitable meal prgrams. 1.2 Use f herbicides and pesticides in cmmunity gardens shall be regulated in accrdance with prvincial legislatin. 1.3 Participatin in any cmmunity garden prject must be peaceful, cperative and inclusive. Apprved July 2011 Page 2 f 5

3 1.4 Cmmunity gardens shall be used as a tl t beautify and enrich the City s visual landscape. 1.5 Cmmunity rganizatins, such as Cmmunity Living, Safe n Sund, the Children s Aid Sciety, and the Canadian Mental Health Assciatin, are encuraged t participate in cmmunity garden initiatives. 1.6 Cmmunity Garden Cllectives shall fster inter-generatinal interactin. Children and yuth f all ages shall be permitted and encuraged t participate in cmmunity garden prjects. Cmmunity Garden Cllectives are encuraged t set aside plts fr exclusive use by children. 1.7 Cmmunity gardens are encuraged t enter int partnerships with lcal schls, businesses, and ther enterprises t help realize cmmunity garden prject gals. This includes assistance with garden infrastructure, administratin and maintenance. 2. LOCATING COMMUNITY GARDENS: 2.1 Cmmunity gardens may be lcated n City-wned lands indicated n Schedule A attached heret. 2.2 Ntwithstanding Clause 2.1, if a persn/grup wishes t lcate a cmmunity garden n City-wned lands nt specified in Schedule A, the prpnent may submit a written request t the Cmmunity Services Department fr cnsideratin by the Cmmunity Planning & Heritage Advisry Cmmittee. 2.3 Private landwners, including schls, churches, and ther cmmunity grups are encuraged t initiate cmmunity garden prjects. 2.4 Private lands may be used fr cmmunity gardens, subject t the land wner s explicit authrizatin and cperatin with the cmmunity garden executive. 2.5 N cmmunity garden shall be placed n lands zned Hazard (ZH) in the City s Zning By-law; therwise, zning shall nt limit the placement f a cmmunity garden. 2.6 N cmmunity garden shall be placed n any site that is knwn r suspected t have cntaminated sils In accrdance with O. Reg. 153/04 f the Envirnmental Prtectin Act, nly lands where the current r last knw use was residential, parkland, r agricultural will be cnsidered fr a cmmunity garden site n City-wned r managed lands. 2.7 Where pssible, cmmunity gardens shuld be lcated n lands in clse prximity t the City s trails r public transit systems fr increased pedestrian access. 2.8 All cmmunity gardens shall be cnsidered fr integratin int new and existing City Walking Turs. 2.9 All cmmunity gardens shall be lcated such that easy access by pedestrians, cyclists, and persns with disabilities is facilitated. Apprved July 2011 Page 3 f 5

4 2.10 Where pssible, cmmunity gardens shuld be lcated with pririty n lands within walking distance ( metres) t areas with higher prprtins f affrdable and scial husing units. 3. OPERATIONS & AMENITIES: 3.1 Each cmmunity garden shall perate under the supervisin f a planning cmmittee r Cmmunity Garden Executive, as defined in this plicy. 3.2 The Cmmunity Garden Executive shall perate transparently and cperatively with the cmmunity garden cllective, ther grups, and members f the cmmunity as a whle. A Cmmunity Garden Executive may include an existing rganizatin. 3.3 The Cmmunity Garden Cllective shall act respnsibly and demcratically, and are encuraged t establish and perate under rules, which gvern the fair and inclusive peratin and administratin f the Cllective. 3.4 Cmmunity garden prjects lcated n City wned lands must be nt-frprfit peratins. 3.5 Subject t apprval frm the City, the Cllective may place small cmpst receptacles and water barrels n the garden site. 3.6 Subject t apprval by the City, the Cllective may fence the garden area. 4. THE CITY S ROLE: 4.1 That City Cuncil will endeavur t allcate a prtin f its budget t the Cmmunity Services Department, Parks Divisin t supprt the establishment f cmmunity garden prjects. The funds allcated will be used by the Cmmunity Services Department t cver applicable direct and indirect csts in kind: DIRECT: Prepare the cmmunity garden in the first year by remving the grass and turning the sil in the allcated garden lcatin INDIRECT: administratin and management f the City s Cmmunity Garden Prgram, and crdinatin csts relating t the license agreement. 4.2 The City shall encurage and nurture its relatinship with cmmunity gardeners. 4.3 The City will dedicate a new webpage(s) f the City s Website t encurage, prmte, and administer the netwrk f cmmunity gardens within the City The cmmunity gardens webpage(s) will be a primary hub that cnnects stakehlders f all types The City shall create a public register f all cmmunity gardens the Cmmunity Garden Register in rder t prvide a central reference pint fr members f the cmmunity t encurage participatin in cmmunity garden prjects. Apprved July 2011 Page 4 f 5

5 4.3.3 The City will maintain a current list f City lands available fr cmmunity garden prjects. This list shall be updated and psted n the City s Website each spring. 4.4 Other than regular lawn care and waste management, the City shall nt be respnsible fr maintenance f cmmunity gardens beynd the initial tilling f the sil in year ne f the prject s peratin. 4.5 The City shall nt be held liable r respnsible fr any damage r lsses t prduce, materials, r the garden itself. 4.6 The City s in-kind cntributins (as nted in Sectin 4.1) and prmtin f any cmmunity garden prject is subject t funding availability frm yeart-year. 5. THE LICENSE AGREEMENT: 5.1 All cmmunity garden prjects lcated in City-wned r managed lands must enter int a license agreement with the City. 5.2 A standard term f a license agreement is t be three (3) years, with an ptin t renew. 5.3 The purpse f the license agreement is twfld: T utline the specific details f peratin, management, administratin, and maintenance f a cmmunity garden prject; and T utline the respnsibilities f each stakehlder t ne anther. 5.4 The members and cntact infrmatin f the Cmmunity Garden Executive will be specified in the license agreement. 5.5 The license agreement must cntain the details f the Public Liability Insurance btained by the Cmmunity Garden Executive indemnifying the prperty wner and/r the City against any lss r injury f persns r prperty. All details regarding insurance will be examined n a case-by-case basis by the City in cllabratin with the Executive. 5.6 Where cmmunity gardens are placed n private lands and the City s participatin is requested/required, license agreements are required in accrdance with the prvisins f this Sectin 5. The cst f the license agreement shall be brne by the land wner and/r the Cmmunity Garden Executive. 5.7 At the end f a grup s license agreement term, that same grup shall have the right f first refusal t enter int a subsequent agreement with the City fr use f the same cmmunity garden. Prir t the end f the agreement, the Executive shall submit written request t the Cmmunity Services Department if it wishes t enter int a new agreement. Apprved July 2011 Page 5 f 5

6 Mnp OF THE CIIY OF OWEN SOI-IND Cmmunitv Gardens *1".,,. i s Sr^,'t*,-'ù e AI{MN,t\.9 t End t Clty Hll I -jr---\ 1 /^r HWY. 6 & 10 (t Chqbwrth, Trnt r Guelph) INCI,JS FAJ-S CþNSERI'A'IION Tt Lt Maitland Park Stbbe Park Cmm-r-ette Park St. Gerge's Park Ed Taylr Park B ll lnglis Timber McArthur