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How Local Governments Can Help

Through a variety of policies and partnerships, local and state government can promote healthier communities by improving resident’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables and designing environments that encourage active living.

The following items are resources local leaders can reference when working to establish community gardens in their neighborhoods:

Create a municipal community garden program
The P-Patch Community Garden Program, operating under the City of Seattle’s Department of Parks and Recreation, protects the longevity of community gardens by acquiring land with open space funds. This program currently has more than 54 operating gardens throughout Seattle. The not-for-profit P-Patch Trust woks in conjunction with Seattle P-Patch to acquire, build, preserve and protect the gardens. The P-Patch Trust provides advocacy, outreach and educational programs to P-Patch gardeners.

Create a municipally funded not-for-profit organization to support community gardens
NeighborSpace is a nonprofit organization funded through and operating in the city of Chicago, the Chicago Parks District, and the Cook County Forest Preserve District, which is empowered to acquire property to preserve land for community gardens. NeighborSpace acts as a land-trust for community gardens and accepts liability for the site. Since 1996, NeighborSpace has acquired more than 50 sites throughout Chicago for preservation as community garden space.

Include community gardens in your general/comprehensive plan
Berkeley, California’s general plan states that the city will “encourage and support community gardens as important open space resources that build communities and provide a local food source” in the open space element. Berkeley’s general plan lists action steps, which include pursuing community gardens in specific new developments and high-density areas.

Allow zoning for community gardens
Boston established a specific community garden category that can be zoned as a sub-district within an open space zoning district. Identifying prime locations for community gardens aides in their creation and emphasizes the importance of this use to the city.

Create a community garden committee
San Francisco has a community gardens policy committee that works to implement the community garden objectives established in the city’s general plan. The objectives currently include expanding community garden opportunities throughout the city by establishing policies and implementing garden standards. The committee’s policy recommendations are taken to the Recreation and Park Commission for consideration at a public meeting.

Provide an easily accessible inventory of all vacant public/private lots and open space
Open Accessible Space Information System Cooperative (OASIS NYC) is a collaborative of federal, state, city, nonprofit and private organizations that provide online maps of all open space in New York City to help enhance the stewardship of open space. The USDA Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service were founding partners and funders, and local and state departments provide data and information services.

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