HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-02-2015 C3 GeltnerCOUNCIL MEETING: JUZ f 15
ITEM NO.:�„"
Lomeli, Monique
Subject: FW: Support of Laguna Community Garden
From: Marx, Jan
Sent: Monday, June 01, 2015 1:04 PM
To: Elaina Geltner JUN 01 2015
Cc: Mejia, Anthony
Subject: RE: Support of Laguna Community Garden
Thanks for your message about this important issue. I am including our city clerk in this response so that it is
posted on our website as agenda correspondence.
Best
Jan
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
-- - - - - -- Original message -- - - - - --
From: Elaina Geltner
Date:06 /01/2015 11:21 AM (GMT- 08:00)
To: "Marx, Jan" , "Ashbaugh, John", "Christianson, Carlyn" , "Mudgett, Melissa", "Carpenter, Dan",
"Stanwyck, Shelly" , "Rivoire, Dan", "Setterlund, David"
Subject: Support of Laguna Community Garden
Dear City Leaders, This is a letter in support of the Laguna Community Garden. I live in the Laguna Mobile Estates park, and feel that a
community resource such as this one is a great asset to our neighborhood. Thank you for doing all the work you do, as leaders and city
representatives, to create community and cooperation.
I am excited that it will be using reclaimed water! As has been shown in the San Jose community gardens, there are NO negative health
effects, and there are so many advantages to getting our water back into the water table.
I know that many residents of Laguna Mobile Estates who do not have a space for a garden would love to participate. This is also a great
opportunity to have a multi - generational experience, as students and elders come together to create and manage their gardens.
I have included some points that must be considered below. Let me highlight that it is an opportunity for community members to come
together and create harmony and get to know each other. The community wellness programs of the City of San Luis Obispo has embarked
upon are visionary as well as necessary. If people are willing to work together, it's been shown to increase safety, security, and well- being;
even though at first it might seem unwise to "stir the pot ". As our world evolves, we become both more separate and more interconnected at
the same time. I welcome the opportunity to get to know my neighbors and to find ways that we can harmoniously thrive as a community
and individually.
I am copying in the information I think is important to consider:
Value of the community garden.
Neighborhood wellness. From our studies and observations with teaching garden education and building them, that gardens provide peaceful,
tranquil places for people and increase neighborhood watch and pride. One of the top issues that the City seeks to take on is increasing
neighborhood wellness.
Noise and foot traffic. The gardens will obviously create more sound than a vacant lot, overall. However, other noise issues from the City are
more threatening including the maintenance shop and wood chipper in close proximity to residents of the private condominiums. The City
community garden manager, Dave Setterlund, will work with the community members to find appropriate times the garden will be opened
and is open to a lock being on the garden site to close /open and increase security- if it is necessary. A buffer of vegetation was increased after
hearing from concerned citizens whose property was in question. This is reflected in the final draft- —25 foot + setback from the private
condominium fence line to the first garden plot
Water. The water issue is another point. Due to the accessibility of recycled water on Los Osos Valley Rd, the City would operate the garden
with recycled water. This has not posed any threat to other City's community gardens - in fact, we advised the City call San Jose to discuss
the matter, who are on recycled irrigation. They confirmed no issues have come of them irrigating their community gardens with the recycled
water. This is also great news as we are in a drought and need to use our resources wisely. It would be the first community garden in the
County to be run off of "purple pipe ", or recycled water - and be demonstrative to others on its usage.
Property value has been shown to increase with this kind of community asset as well.
Food for all. The garden will be accessible to garden plot renters as well as the public. Fruit trees and the edible plants on the edges will be
free for the public to pick and eat. The food leftover has been discussed and can potentially be gleaned by GleanSLO volunteers. The
Achievement House would like to pick and use the food as well; they have a small cafe operation inside the Laguna Lake Golf Club House
and could easily walk over and glean.
Education and vocational opportunities. The Laguna Middle School students and Adventure Club for disabled adults are two groups that
would like to rent plots and use this outdoor classroom for project -based learning.
Accessibility. This part of the City is under -served with gardens and there is no community garden within walking distance for the dense
population of low- income citizens. We have personally knocked on and left workshop flyers (for the 3 we have conducted) to over 300
households in the mobile home and private condominiums nearby. The majority of folks we talk to are supportive of the proposal and wish us
well. Residents will be given garden education literature /information too.
This has been a year -long endeavor for the Kiwanis Club and One Cool Earth with the City. We appreciate all the support and hard work
researching, meeting, designing and fundraising that has went in to this thus far. We are hopeful for consent on this project and will seek to
raise the extra —5k needed for the project ($ I Ok raised thus far). Once all funds are raised- construction can begin (pending approval).
Elaina Geltner
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405