Older
updates about our move:
January,
2005: It's official -- we've moved!
We still need to dig out various common-area plants
from the old garden, but most folks are already working on their
new plots, and things are looking really great.
Here
is a downloadable
PDF of the plot layouts at the
new garden.
November
2005 Update
Our
garden is moving later this year! We need to relocate, as our
temporary spot is slated for housing construction. The new garden
site is on San Francisco Street, just to the left (southwest)
of the Post Office. The move will definitely be a challenge
(the spot is on a hill, and has quite a few trees/shrubs), but
we are optimistic that we can make the most of it. We will have
updates listed here, as we get the information.
Here's
a picture of the new garden location. (Click to enlarge.)
August
28 Update
Wednesday's
(8/27) Open Space & Ecology Committee meeting included a
summary the garden's status, and some updates on what was discussed
at last week's City Council meeting. The general timeline agreed
on at this point is that the gardeners can have one more gardening
season (through 2004) and that by Spring 2005, everybody needs
to be out. During that time, the plan is that by Feb. 2004,
City Council needs to approve a "concept of a plan"
for the new space -- although actual details can still be tweaked
after that. Design and development will follow, and then the
actual construction process.
Tuesday,
September 2 is the next scheduled Council meeting, and on the
agenda is the presentation of a revised estimate for the garden's
construction. The Council basically accepts the PB&R-approved
design, but they had asked for a revised plan to be submitted
that eliminated some of the unnecessary elements (no concrete
footings for plots, less-expensive wood, etc.) so that the total
price could be less.
It
would be great for as many gardeners as possible to to attend
the next City Council meeting (9/2). We need to show support
for our cause, and to let the city know that we want to be involved
in the decision process. This Friday (8/29) preliminary notes
will be available at the library.
So
that's good news in general about our current gardening situation!
Now that we know we have another gardening season to work with,
we can plan our fall/winter gardens without worries of having
to pull things out mid-season. Things
are still up in the air about what sort of overlap there might
be during both gardens' timelines, so that gardeners will be
able to move things directly from the old garden to the new
garden... and we need to continue to let City Council know how
important this is.
July
9th PB&R Meeting Update
From Cynthia: Several gardeners attended
the PB&R Committee meeting to
discuss the revised plans for the
garden. A couple of neighbors from
San Francisco street and Inyo also
came and seemed very positive about
the proposed design. There were very
few handouts of the design given at
the meeting. If the editors of the
Web page have the capacity to scan
the documents and put them online,
then all can see via internet, if
not, I can have copy posted in the
shed. First of all, the design is
a big improvement over the original.
The only trees removed are the locusts
on the San Francisco street side.
A wide pathway almost bisects the
garden and runs from San Francisco
Street to the Quarry Road side. There
are many common areas drawn into the
plan that could be developed as features
of the garden. Sure, there are still
some issues, but on the whole this
is a very workable design. There will
be 37 plots 4 x16. The walkways and
plots adjacent are accessible and
meet ADA guidelines. The foreseeable
problems in seeing this become a reality
are the budget constraints. The projected
costs for this design, including all
the "extra" features (like
scotch broom removal) is $104,000.
This is about $34,000 above the guideline
of City Council. PB & R voted
to recommend that this design be implemented
as planned and if the money factor
is mentioned as the sole reason for
not passing the proposal to remind
them that there are park bond funds
available. So this is not a slam dunk
yet. There is a meeting of the Open
Space and Ecology Committee on Aug.
23 at which time they will look at
the design and make recommendations
for approval or changes. City Council
meetings are Aug. 4 & 18. and
at this time we do not know when we
will be on the agenda. At that point,
several things could happen: first
, it could be go ahead with the plan
as it is. Second, it could be: go
back and take out about $30-50,000
from the design. The proposed changes
could be major or minor, this could
go back to committee and the designer
and weeks could go by without any
resolution. As I know, I'll let you
know. –Cynthia
7/17/03:
Architect's Renderings
6/23/03:
We just found out that the next scheduled PB&R
Meeting will be July 9, not July 2 as previously reported. The
garden design should be on agenda.
6/16/03:
From Cynthia: The plans are back from Tanaka Designs!
I received news on Friday that the plans were back. The plans
are going to be reviewed by Fred Smith and Jim Skeels to make
sure they meet our design criteria. PB & R is meeting this
Wednesday, the 18th., but this is too soon for the City to review
the design. It looks like we will be on the PB & R agenda
for the July meeting, which may be on the 2nd.
6/9/03:
Per Cynthia, the next meeting with the landscape architect has
not been confirmed. Parks,Beaches, Recreation Commission next
meeting is June 18, and they will contact us if we are on the
agenda. The architect's next version of the plans should include
costs. We are hoping that there will be enough budget to include
gopher-screening under the plots and landscape cloth under the
pathways, but at this point we don't know. If there are no rehashes
of the plan it will be put on the City Council Agenda for approval
and then out to bid. So the process will not be underway for
construction until Fall/Winter. |
