Stricter rules for Costa Mesa’s community gardens

The Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission on Thursday approved new rules for the city’s community gardens aimed at ensuring members are actively maintaining their parcels.

Costa Mesa has two gardens — one on Hamilton Street and another on Del Mar Avenue — that have 102 parcels but, for budding members, it’s a two-year waiting list to get one.

The new regulations, which will be reviewed again in six months, are designed to address members who have the sought-after plots but are not complying with the rules.

The new laws include planting 80% of the parcel with seasonal, edible crops. The remaining 20% can be used for storing materials or for pathways.

Staff noted that those with ornamental plants, like flowers or succulents, will still be allowed to grow some of them, though the eventual goal is to have the gardens used for growing edible foods.

Garden volunteers will now be reviewing and inspecting use of the parcels every four weeks, at a minimum.

Users not in compliance will have a chance to correct their actions.

No corrections after 30 days will lead to the plot being considered abandoned and reassigned. Previously, the policy required up to six weeks for a parcel to be labeled abandoned.

Garden users are now required to attend at least two two-hour “work parties” each year, when members conduct garden maintenance outside their own parcels.

Staff noted that several other cities have such a requirement.

“Due to the physical nature of gardening itself,” city staff added, “[we do] not recommend that service hours be waived or [garden members] be provided an option for payment in lieu of hours. Staff are open to allowing those members with extenuating circumstances to provide service to the gardens in other ways, such as manning the welcome tables for the work parties or other less strenuous types of tasks during work party hours.”

New water conservation measures are also in place, such as ensuring that water spigots are turned off before users leave and requiring them to report water irrigation issues immediately.

The new regulations were formulated after interviews with garden volunteers and reviewing bylaws in other cities, including Huntington Beach, Anaheim, Oakland and San Juan Capistrano.

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Memorial tree for Forbath

The commission accepted a donated memorial for Frank Forbath, who co-founded the Share Our Selves nonprofit in Costa Mesa and was a social-rights activist, particularly for farmworkers.

The plaque, tree and bench — donated by family friend Rachel Ogulnick — will be placed in Estancia Park.

Forbath died Sept. 2 at his Mesa Verde home. He was 90.