FROM:
Dannielle Mauk, Director of Community Services
SUBJECT:
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San Anselmo Community Gardens Draft Bylaws and Rules
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RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends that Town Council adopt the attached bylaws and rules for the San Anselmo Community Gardens at Robson-Harrington Park.
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BACKGROUND
The Town of San Anselmo owns the Community Gardens at Robson-Harrington Park. The gardens were created in the 1970's and serve as a space to grow food, plants, recreate, and relax. Historically, the Town entered into an agreement twenty-nine years ago with the garden steering committee to manage and operate the gardens.
In the past, the garden steering committee established rules that were approved by garden members. Staff is proposing to establish a set of bylaws and rules that will provide consistency and transparency for the management of the community gardens. Moving forward the gardens would be managed by the Recreation Department with oversight by the Parks and Recreation Commission.
The Parks and Recreation Commission reviewed the Community Garden bylaws and rules at their monthly meeting on August 16, 2022. The bylaws and rules were unanimously approved and recommended for approval to the Town Council.
DISCUSSION
Over the past six months there have been problems with plot assignments and management of the community gardens. Town Council asked staff to review the overall operations. As a result, staff worked with the Parks and Recreation Commission and created a sub-committee consisting of two Commissioners, two representatives from the community garden's steering committee and one staff member. The sub-committee met on several occasions over a two-month period to discuss and revise the proposed bylaws and rules. The purpose of the revised bylaws is to restore governance and management of the community gardens to the Town. The purpose of the garden rules is to set forth what is expected of community garden members.
With the supp...
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