Wellington City Council guidelines for community gardens These guidelines describe how Wellington City Council considers applications for setting up community gardens on Council land, and include useful contacts and websites for prospective community gardeners.

Contents What is a community garden? ..............................................................................................1 The Council’s role in community gardens ................................................................................1 Setting up a community garden on Council land .......................................................................2

Assessment criteria ........................................................................................................2 Lease and license process...............................................................................................2

Key contacts ....................................................................................................................4 Useful websites ................................................................................................................5 Appendix I: Applications for community gardens – the Council’s decision-making process .................6 Appendix II: Request for community garden on Council-owned land..............................................7

What is a community garden? A community garden is generally defined as a small-scale, low-investment neighbourhood communal gardening venture, where the primary purpose is growing vegetables or fruit. Community gardens may:

have an explicit gardening philosophy, ie organic growing be treated as one garden allow participants with individual plots to manage them as they see fit.

There are several examples of community gardens in Wellington City:

Community gardens on private land, eg church land, on large private gardens, in school grounds or individual private gardens where the produce is shared.

Community gardens on public land, eg the Tanera Community Gardens run by Mokai Kainga located on the Town Belt.

Gardens that are coordinated within some of our own City Housing sites. Areas where community orchards have been established. These are places

with open access where produce is freely harvested.

The Council’s role in community gardens The Council supports community gardens through:

strategic partnerships with organisations like the Sustainability Trust, Mokai Kainga and Enviroschools

supporting the development of a local community gardens network funding for urban agriculture-related projects through the Social and

Environmental pools of the Council’s General Grants providing public land for community gardens

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recruiting volunteers and linking them with community gardens providing subsidised compost and free mulch for community gardens.

Setting up a community garden on Council land If you want to set up a community garden on Council-owned open space land, you should draft a written proposal and send it to: Parks and Gardens, Wellington City Council, 101 Wakefield Street, PO Box 2199, Wellington 6140, or email info@wcc.govt.nz. Please use the request form in Appendix II as a guide for your written proposal. Parks and Gardens assess each proposal on a case-by-case basis according to the criteria and process described below. A flowchart showing the Council’s decision-making process is shown in Appendix I. (Requests relating to other Council-owned land follow the same process but are handled by other Council teams.)

Assessment criteria Proposals for setting up a community garden on Council-owned land are assessed against the following criteria:

1. Wellington City Council will seek to maintain the public use and open space values of the land in accordance with Capital Spaces: The Open Space Strategy for Wellington (1998), any Reserve Management Plans and other relevant policies.

2. Have other open spaces such as schools, vacant or temporary lots, and community housing been considered?

3. Community gardens are not appropriate in Coastal Management Areas, or in Wellington’s Outer Green Belt.

4. The location of community gardens within an open space should consider and complement the primary function of the open space, and its associated uses and users.

5. Community gardens should be located to minimise potential conflict with open space uses and users.

6. Community gardens should not dominate the primary useable area of local or community parks.

7. Community gardens must retain their public character and community gardens must be not-for-profit.

8. Community gardens on Council-owned land must follow the Wellington City Council Leases Policy for Community and Recreation Groups (2012).

Lease and license process Successful community garden applications will then be considered for a lease or license, according to the Wellington City Council Leases Policy for Community and Recreation Groups (2012). Community garden tenancies will generally be for a term of 3–5 years, although community orchard tenancies are likely to be longer (10 years).

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Leases and licenses must be with an incorporated society or a trust, and lessees must hold public liability insurance. All leases or licenses of public land require final approval by a subcommittee or committee of Council. Council officers prepare a paper for committee, who then decide whether to approve the lease/licence in principle. This approval is subject to public notification and no objections being received and/or sustained. One month is allowed for public comment/objection. If objections are received, consideration is given to whether a hearing is required. Hearings may take one month. If objections are sustained, the application either does not proceed and/or is modified to accommodate the concerns raised during the objection period. Consultation would occur with the applicant and the objectors. Applicants are liable for legal costs associated with document preparation, and public notification costs, but will not be charged for any Council administration costs.

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Key contacts

Sustainability Trust

The Sustainability Trust is a Wellington-based, non-profit charitable trust that supports local communities in addressing sustainability related issues. The Trust’s project portfolio focuses on energy and insulation, edibles, waste and water. The Trust provides advice to community and home gardening projects through their home advice line and deliver a seasonal networking hui called The Rhizome Effect.

Home Advice Line: 0508 78 78 24 x714 Website: http://sustaintrust.org.nz/

Operation Green Thumb

Operation Green Thumb supports a number of community gardens in Wellington, including those within City Housing complexes. Their aim is to set up and maintain community gardens for people on a low income or who are disadvantaged and do not have land on which they can grow their own food.

Sue Boyle 934 2629 greenthumb@paradise.net.nz

Enviroschools Enviroschools work with school communities to integrate sustainability into school curricula, practices and culture. Most Enviroschools have edible gardens.

Amanda Dobson Enviroschools Facilitator (Wellington) Website: http://www.enviroschools.org.nz/in_your_region/wellington

City Communities, Wellington City Council

Signposting, networking, volunteers, promotion, resourcing and information contact within the Council.

Charlie Devenish City Communities 803 8571 charles.devenish@wcc.govt.nz

Parks and Gardens, Wellington City Council

Queries regarding the use of open space and/or reserve land.

Steven Peters Community Engagement and Reserves Parks and Gardens 801 3155 steven.peters@wcc.govt.nz

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Useful websites Wellington City Council: http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/gardens/communitygardens/communitygardens.html EcoMatters Trust have a community gardens set-up guide available for download from their website: http://ecomatters.org.nz/community/community-garden-set-up-guide Local Food Network, Wellington: http://www.localfoodstories.org.nz/ Out of our own backyard (Ooooby): http://ooooby.ning.com/group/wellington Kai: Food for New Zealand, the Wikipedia of New Zealand edibles: http://www.kai.org.nz/ Transition Towns Wellington http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/wellington Project Gro, Organic NZ: http://www.organicnz.org/projectgro/ Garden to Table, Auckland-based project: http://www.gardentotable.org.nz/index Grow Together New Zealand: http://www.growtogether.org.nz/ My Garden: http://www.mygarden.co.nz/

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Appendix I: Applications for community gardens – the Council’s decision-making process

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Appendix II: Request for community garden on Council-owned land

Where is the proposed location for the community garden?

Yes No Have you considered other locations? If so, why were these rejected?

What is the purpose of the proposed garden?

What are the objectives of the community garden group?

Describe any innovative techniques you will use for demonstrating urban sustainability, eg water conservation, if applicable.

1. G

ener

al

Estimated start date

Yes No

Is there a water source already available on site? If not, what work will be required to get water to the site?

Yes No Will the vegetation be sheltered from northerly and southerly winds? If not, what work will be required to shelter the site?

Which direction does the garden face?

North South East West

Yes No Will the garden be shaded by existing buildings, trees etc? If so, please describe.

2. P

hysi

cal p

aram

eter

s

What kinds of plants would you like to grow?

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How much space will you need for the whole garden (including beds, paths, compost area etc.)?

Do you intend to use raised beds?

Yes No

Please describe the soil in terms of its colour (eg red clay, black compost etc) and texture (rocky, sandy etc)

Soil Texture

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the physical parameters of the site?

Yes No Will you require any storage facility for tools? If yes, please describe this.

Yes No Are there toilets on site? If not, where are the closest public toilets?

Yes No Do you have tools available for establishing and maintaining the garden? If not, how do you plan to get tools?

Who will receive the produce from the garden?

How will excess produce be managed?

Yes No

3. M

aint

enan

ce

Do you have enough ongoing volunteer labour to ensure the garden is maintained? If not, how do you plan to get

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more volunteers involved in the project? Is there anything else you would like to tell us about maintenance of the site?

Is the site open to the public?

Yes No

Is the site accessible by people with restricted mobility?

Yes

No

Yes No Does anyone else use the site at the moment? If so, please describe the type and frequency of use.

How will the garden benefit the local area and community?

What impact will the garden have on those nearby? (eg smell, aesthetics, use of space, impact views etc)

How will you promote the garden to the public?

Describe any opportunities for links and synergy with other community activities, eg schools, training facilities, church groups, volunteers etc, if applicable.

4. C

omm

unity

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the community’s involvement with this project?

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Please attach a budget that outlines estimated costs for the whole project. This will include, among other things: compost, soil, plants, stakes, tools,

irrigation etc.

Does your group have its own funding to make to make this project happen?

Yes

No

Yes No Have you identified potential funding sources? If so, please list these.

Are you seeking any resources from the Council? If so, please give details.

5. M

oney

Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the finances for the project?

6. D

esig

n Please attach a concept sketch showing the existing structures close by, any

new physical structures proposed, the location of the intended plantings, pathways, water source etc.

Can you please give us a brief outline of your group? Please include the number and roles of the people involved.

Please briefly outline any other projects you have been involved in with Wellington City Council.

7. C

are

grou

p

Please advise your group’s legal status, eg incorporated society (including membership fees if applicable).

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Is there anything else you would like to tell us about the group leading this project?