Re: community_garden digest, Vol 1 #1092 - 1 msg

**C*@aol.com**

Hi, Shelley,from the LAS FLORES COMMUNITY GARDEN in Thousand Oaks, California.

At the risk of seeming presumptuous, since our community garden won't be up 
and running for about two more weeks, here are some ideas about stable 
"agency" support based on our five year struggle to get started.

We first looked for  a location on privately owned or church land.  When that 
failed for various reasons, we turned our search to public agencies-
county, state and city, but finally approached our local recreation and park 
district.  After finding ourselves inadvertantly involved in a master plan 
review that took nine months of focus group meetings, we were accepted as a 
compatible use.  One of the key conditions we had to meet was coming up with 
the insurance premium to absolve the park district of liability. In 2000 we 
signed a three year agreement with the park district and got a grant from the 
CITY to cover our insurance and some tools,etc.
Both the park district and the city separately approved the project.
The site was disced, water pip[es installed and fence will be finished by 
Friday. 

One of the most important lessons we've learned is to put all communication 
in writing so that there's no chance of misunderstanding.

We hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Don Jacobs

______________________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org

To post an e-mail to the list:  community_garden@mallorn.com

To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:  https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden