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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Session Packet 12/06/2010STUDY SESSION AGENDA CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE, COLORADO City Council Chambers 7500 W. 29th Ave. December 6,2010 6:30 p.m. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in all public meetings sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge. Call Heather Geyer, Public Information Officer at 303-235-2826 at least one week in advance of a meeting if you are interested in participating and need inclusion assistance. APPROVAL OF AGENDA .L Staff Reports 2. Off-leash dog park committee report ~ Urban Agriculture (Live Well Wheat Ridge) 4. WR2020 -Strategic Plan Update City of Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Committee Formed May, 2010 (rev. 08/09/10) First Last Address . -. Joyce Manwaring Director Parks and Recreation Dept. Mary McKenna Community Services Supervisor Police Department Rick Murray Manager Parks, Forestry and Open Space Margaret Paget Forestry and Open Space Supervisor Parks, Forestry and Open Space COMMITTEE Julie Clark 3821 Holland St. Rhonda Champion 6420 W. 46th PI. Kathy Deitsch 2985 Jay St. Barbara Hance 11818W. 52ndAve. Robert Hance 11818 W. 52nd Ave. Joelle Hedden 2640 Newland St. Erna Mcintyre 4080 Reed St. Guy Nahmiach 3650 Ward Rd. Virginia Petty 11300 W. 38th Ave. Jay Reed 4250 Garrison St. Jennifer Reinert 10251 W. 44th Ave. #5-203 Louise Turner 11256 W. 38th Ave. City State Zip 4005 Kipling St. \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 7500 W. 29th Ave. \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 9110 W. 44th Avenue \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 9110 W. 44th Avenue \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80214 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80214 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 \/\/heat Ridge, CO 80033 Attachment 1 Phone Email 303-231-1308 jmanwaring@ci.wheatridge.co.us 303-235-2998 mmckenna@ci.wheatridge.co.us 303-205-7551 rmurray@ci.wheatridge.co.us 303-205-7554 mpaget@ci.wheatridge.co.us 303-345-4505 julieclark@jmclark.biz 303-431-6706 RChampion@Q.com 303-274-4930 cedar@petsgonegreen.com 303-422-4681 hancelama@att.net 303-422-4681 hancelama@att.net 303-237-3668 joelleh@pestsuppliesdirect.com 303-422-2321 elmac56@comcast.net 303-718-7839 C 303-999-5789 guynahmiach@yahoo.com 303-421-7447 gtp@a4isp.com 303-274-6655 Jay.B.Reed@comcast.net 720-628-0177 jenn.reinert@gmail.com 303-422-5134 .' . . " City of ffWheat~dge .-?'OffICE OF THE MAYOR City of Wheat Ridge Municipal Building 7500 W. 29!h Ave. Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-8001 P: 303.235.2800 F: 303.234.5924 March 18, 2010 To: Parks and Recreation Commission Animal Welfare Commission Dear Commissioners: As you may be aware, many of the surrounding communities have constructed dog parks in their areas. The City of Wheat Ridge does not have an area set aside for this use at the current time. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan does recommend the construction of a dog park as a desirable amenity at a suitable location in the community. Requests have been received by staff regarding the possibility of providing a dog park in the community. I am asking for volunteers from your commissions to serve on a task force to make recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Department regarding the operation and possible location of a dog park in the community. The scope of the task force will inClude: 1) Developing site criteria for a selection of a site. For example, minimum size and optimal size 2) Evaluating 1-2 existing park locations as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Department staff 3) Recommending possible new sites to acquire for this purpose 4) Amenities to be included in the park: a. Set minimum amenities needed or required, and b. Prioritize a list of amenities ranging from the minimum needed to open a facility to those desired should additional funding become available 5) Recommending Rules and Regulations for the park 6) Creating a volunteer committee of dog owners of interested parties for oversight and monitoring of the park 7) Reviewing Maintenance Requirements 8) Visiting area dog parks The task force will also be asked to provide a timeline for completion ofthe above list which includes recommendations. These recommendations will be forwarded to the Parks and Recreation Department to compile the capital and operational costs associated with the park for presentation to City Council. Attachment 2 www.ci.wheatridge.co.us There may also be interested citizens appointed to the task force. The Parks and Recreation Department Director Joyce Manwaring, as well as the Community Service Officer Mary McKenna and other staff, will provide staff support for the task force, Please forward the names of any and all commissioners who would like to serve on this task force to Janice Smothers, Attention: Mayor's Office, 7500 W. 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, or e-mail to jsmothers@cLwheatridge.co.us. :iiiO Mayor, City of Wheat Ridge CC: City Council Randy Young, City Manager Dan Brennan, Chief of Police VI' Joyce Manwaring, Parks and Recreation Director Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Task Force Recommendation November 2010 Executive Summary The Wheat Ridge Dog Park Task Force recommends that the Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation Department implement a program to include an off-leash dog park within the park system. The Task Force recommends that a series of off-leash dog parks be established within the city so that the various needs of community dog handlers and their dogs may be met. No single park can be all things to all people. The Task Force has recognized that there may be a need for some special purpose off-leash dog parks such as for smaller, younger or older dogs, as well as less social dogs; these dog parks could be included within the current Wheat Ridge parks system. The Task Force has included in this document: the site criteria for the selection of sites, amenities to be included in the off-leash dog parks, recommendations for rules and regulations, and comments regarding organization of a volunteer committee of dog owners and interested parties for oversight and monitoring of the dog parks. This document also includes a time line for the completion of tasks to be completed in order for the first off-leash dog park to open. Background In March of 20 1 0, the Mayor of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Jerry DiTullio, put together a task force to make recommendations to the Parks and Recreation Department regarding the operation and possible location of a dog park in the community. The scope of the task force was to include: I. Developing site criteria for a selection of a site. 2. Evaluating 1-2 existing park locations as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Department staff. 3. Recommending possible new sites to acquire for this purpose 4. Amenities to be included in the park: a. Set minimum amenities needed or required, and b. Prioritize a list of amenities ranging from the minimum needed to open a facility to those desired, should additional funding become available 5. Recommending Rules and Regulations for the park. 6. Creating a volunteer committee of dog owners or interested parties for oversight and monitoring of the park. 7. Reviewing park maintenance requirements. 8. Visiting area dog parks. The task force has also asked to provide a timeline for completion of the above list which includes recommendations. This time line is included in this document. The recommendations of the task force will be forwarded to the Parks and Recreation Department to compile the capital and operational costs associated with the park for presentation to City Council. WR Dog Park Task Force Recommendation_November 201O_v4.doc Attachment 3 Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Task Force Recommendation November 2010 Site Selection Considerations The factors taken into consideration when determining the selection of a site included: • Current ownership of the site. • Impact upon the neighborhood, especially if the land use would be a significant change from the current use • Infrastructure currently in place. • Federal laws regulatingfencing injlood plains. Location Fruitdale Park (south end) City- Owned? Yes Advanta es • Current park site. • Parking, restrooms and access to water available on site. • Site has varied topography. • Site can be easily and quickly fenced and gated. Disadvanta es • Current walking path may need to be re-routed. • Neighborhood support unknown. The Task Force acknowledges that selecting a site already owned by Wheat Ridge and with infrastructure already in place such as parking, restroom facilities and access to water would reduce the timeline to completion, as well the overall cost of the project. In addition, obtaining the support of the neighborhood in which the dog parks will be opened will also be an important factor before finalizing any dog park location. The committee recognizes that the public hearing process must be completed before the final approval of any off leash dog park. WR Dog Park Task Force Recommendation_November 201O_v4.doc 3 Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Task Force Recommendation November 2010 Rules and Regulations The Task Force has finalized a draft of rules and regulations to put in place for the dog parks. All dog parks in the area have a set of rules and regulations and there are standards available from various sources. The Task Force has used a combination ofthese resources to come up with the Rules and Regulations for the Wheat Ridge dog parks. OFF LEASH DOG PARK ENCLOSURE RULES Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Rules and Regulations are designed to protect all dogs and people visiting the park. • Off leash dog park will be open for the same hours as Fruitdale Park. • Dogs must be leashed when entering and leaving the enclosure. • Dogs must have current rabies tag affixed to the collar. All Wheat Ridge residents are required by ordinance to license dog(s) through the Jefferson County Dog License Program. [Reference Section 4-31 (c) Dog and Cat licenses.] • Dogs must be accompanied by a person 17 years or older. • Dog ownerslhandlers assume full responsibility for their dog(s) and minor children. • Dog ownerslhandlers must be in the enclosed area within view of their dog(s) at all times. • Dog ownerslhandlers must clean up dog feces and dispose of waste in provided receptacles. • Dogs are not allowed to harass or chase wildlife. THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE OFF LEASH AREA: • Aggressive dogs will not be permitted • Female dogs in heat • Dogs without current rabies vaccinations/ attached to the collar or a current Jefferson County Dog License. • Dogs too young to vaccinate against rabies. Per the Wheat Ridge Municipal Code Section 4-10, Rabies Control (a) all dogs over the age of four (4) months shall be inoculated by a licensed veterinarian against rabies. • Dogs exhibiting signs of illness or known to be ill • Dogs not under voice or sight control Failure to abide by park rules may result in a summons to court and loss of privileges. Ownerslhandlers assume the legal responsibility for damage, injury or disease to persons, dogs or property caused by hislher dog. WR Dog Park Task Force Recommendation_November 2010_v4.doc 5 Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Task Force Recommendation November 2010 Description of Infrastructure for Proposed Dog Park at Fruitdale Park The proposed dog park would be built in the south end of Fruitdale Park. Fruitdale Park has an established parking lot, restroom and water source available on the north end of the park. There is a water source near the proposed dog park for maintenance needs as well. Presently, there is no electricity in the area of the proposed dog park. The proposed dog park fencing configuration has not been finalized. If possible, the fencing would be placed within and roughly follow the outline of the current crusher fine outer walking path, with the intent to reduce the impact on neighbors and the existing trail usage. The dog park configuration will be done so as to minimize the impact on pavilion or playground usage. This configuration would also provide shade from the trees as well as a buffer on the north and west sides of the dog park. Within the dog park, a divided fenced section would be built so that smaller or less-social dogs would have an area in which they could be off leash. In addition, crusher fines could be used for an interior trail . Fibar, an engineered wood product, is also needed in deteriorated areas as turf doesn't perform well in these conditions. The preliminary fence design would be a 6" round post and wire mesh type. The posts would be 8' in length with 2' concreted into the ground. The wire mesh fence would be the same height as the posts (6') with small enough wire spacing to keep all dogs of all sizes within the fence boundaries. The height of the fence is consistent with many other existing dog parks to contain larger dogs. Also included within the design of the fence line is a 12' gate for maintenance activities or emergencies, and two to three access gates depending on the configuration of the dog park. It is desirable for the dog park to be configured in such a way as to avoid extreme corners. See Exhibit A for the photo of the proposed location of the off leash area within Fruitdale Park See Exhibit B for a photo of the recommended fencing materials. See Exhibit C for a photo of the recommended fencing and gate materials. WR Dog Park Task Force Recommendation_November 2010_v4.doc 6 Costs Wheat Ridge Off Leash Dog Park Task Force Recommendation November 2010 Projected costs are approximately $18,000 as detailed below for a two (2) acre off leash dog park located within Fruitdale Park. Dog Park Fence Pricing Based On 2 Acre Circular Configuration Item! Specification Quantity Cost Per Unit Cost 12' Heavy Wire Maintenance Gate 2 $110.90 $ 221.80 6' Tubular Steel Pedestrian Access Gate (4-6 depending upon configuration) 6 $90.90 545.40 Posts -6" x 8' Round Wooden (2 acre fence plus 20' vestibule) 117 $12.60 1,474.20 Divider Fence: 33 additional posts 33 $12.60 415.80 Wire Rolls-60" x 2" x 4" Mesh 12 1/2 Gauge 100 Foot Rolls 12 $96.90 1,162.80 Divider Fence. 3 additional wire rolls 3 $96.90 290.70 Concrete (1-2 bags per hole) 150 x 2 Bags $5 Per Bag 1,500.00 Miscellaneous Fasteners 1,000.00 Signs 1,000.00 Kiosk For BrochureslRules and Regulations 750.00 Benches-Repurpose from the Habitat Garden - Trash Cans, Plastic Bag Dispensers - Subtotal -Materials $ 8,360.70 Installation Cost 1,126 Lineal Feet $8.00 9,008.00 Subtotal -Materials & Labor $ 17,368.70 Estimated Cost Increase for 2011 -5% 868.44 Grand Total $ 18,237.14 Source: Wheat Ridge Parks and Recreation Department It is the expectation of the off-leash dog park committee that the City of Wheat Ridge will provide basic services to a dog park as is provided for other parks in Wheat Ridge. This includes trash receptacle pick-up, mowing (as needed and directed), fence, gate and signage repair and maintenance. Replacement of any damaged structures or signs or painting costs are included in additional annual maintenance costs. Ongoing maintenance costs for the offleash dog park are expected to range from $5,000 to $10,000 per year. Maintenance costs also include the cost for supplying doggie bags and terrain maintenance. WR Dog Park Task Force Recommendation_November 201O_v4.doc 7 To: Wheat Ridge City Council From: LiveWell Wheat Ridge Date: December 6, 2010 Wheat Ridge Councilmembers: ,~ .,.," LiveWell pe-tYL 3. A growing number of communities throughout Colorado and the U.S. are embracing urban agriculture. On city-or county-owned plots, private property, office rooftops, on school grounds, and even on roadway medians, people are experiencing the social, economic, environmental, physical, and mental benefits of this exciting trend. In Wheat Ridge, an increasing number of community members are similarly embracing urban agriculture on private property, at community gardens, and on small family farms. Consistent with Goal SF-4.2 (Accessible Healthy Foods) in the 2009 Envision Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan, the purpose of this study session is to more closely examine this issue in the unique context of the Wheat Ridge community. At tonight's session, we will examine successful examples of urban agriculture in Wheat Ridge, identify inspiring case studies from other local communities, discuss the potential economic and health benefits of supporting urban agriculture, and the interface between urban agriculture and Wheat Ridge's zoning code. In particular, staff will ask for guidance from Council to proceed with potential zoning code amendments that would clarify where different uses and activities related to urban agriculture are allowed. Presenters include: Sarah Showalter -Planner, City of Wheat Ridge Suzanne Teale -Wheat Ridge resident and grower and a Wheat Ridge 2020 partner Shannon Spurlock -Community Initiatives Coordinator, Denver Urban Gardens Ted Heyd, Planning and Technical Consultant, LiveWell Wheat Ridge We thank you very much for your time and consideration. Ted Heyd Technical and Planning Consultant LiveWell Wheat Ridge Molly Hanson LiveWell Wheat Ridge Coordinator Attachments: Two articles on the topic of Urban Agriculture Handout on the health benefits of community gardening from Denver Urban Gardens Am.rlc.., Planning Association Planning August/September 2009 Contents Where Food Planning and Health Intersect A New Direction at the USDA A Serious Flirt With Dirt Tarpon Springs Builds a Road to Local Food Vancouver's Green Thumb Lawn Be Gone What's Fowl Is Fair Berkeley Schools Go Green When Access Is the Issue Traditional Tools that Help Build Good Health Delicious in Detroit Montreal's One Percent Solution It Takes a Wall Savings Farms and Farmland The Struggle for African American Agriculture Web Extra: How Conservation Easements Work The Biggest Picture News Web Extra: Q&A with New Orleans 'Recovery Czar' Ed Blakely Legal News By the Numbers Ever Green Letters Planners Ubrary Media Viewpoint Attachment 1 About APA Membership Events Education Outreach Resources Jobs & Practice Planning -August/September 2009 Delicious in Detroit The city is plowing resources into its extenSive stretches of vacant land. By Olga Bonfiglio Detroit, once the nation's manufacturing hub, now has 70,000 vacant lots, comprising about 27 percent of its 139 square miles. The city has lost one million residents since 1950 and hundreds of thousands of jobs since the early 1960s. What to do with all that vacant land? One solution is to convert it to community gardens. That is the strategy being encouraged by the city council's Green Task Force, created by council president Kenneth Cockrel after he was appointed to his post in September 2008. The agency is partnering with several nonprofit organizations to encourage residents to adopt vacant city-owned land. Those who pay the $20 annual permit fee benefit by having the city plow the land, test the soil, and provide seeds and seedlings for vegetables and flowers. "We now realize that people who were once dismissed as tree-huggers were actually futurists," says Cockrel. "They saw what was coming and they anticipated it and moved to deal with it. And now we're all dealing with it, and becoming environmentally conscious." Gardening tradition Detroit has been here before -during the depression of the 1890s, when Mayor Hazen Pingree encouraged residents to garden; during World War II, when victory gardens were common; and in the 1970s, when Mayor Coleman Young's Farm-a-Lot Program also allowed people to grow food on vacant city lots. In 1992, the late autoworker-activist James Boggs and his wife, Grace Lee Boggs, recognized that robots and globalization were reducing job opportunities in the city. They began Detroit Summer, an initiative aimed at getting Detroit residents to envision altemative futures. "Actually, it was a blessing that Detroit no longer had the illusion of expansion," says Grace lee Boggs, a former union and civil rights activist and one of the first Asian Americans in the nation to receive a doctorate in philosophy. "You can bemoan your fate or, as the African American elders taught, you can plant gardens." As the garden movement progressed, many nonprofit food organizations emerged to create the umbrella group known as the Garden Resource Program Collaborative. The collaborative has inspired 359 family, 170 community, and 40 school gardens throughout the city since 2003. "The city government is catching up to the community," says Kathryn Underwood, a planner for the city who works with the planning commission. Underwood's own experience is a case in pOint. The vacant lot in her neighborhood was becoming a trash heap when she, her husband, and six other families started a garden there five years ago. Not only did the garden produce fresh vegetables, but it beautified the area, engaged people of all ages, gave kids an opportunity to see where food comes from, and provided a place for people to gather and talk. "That's the way neighborhoods used to be," says Underwood, who added that gardens have played a huge role in African American cultural tradition. That is significant for Detroit, since 80 percent of its population is black. "Food is essential to daily life," says Ashley Atkinson, one of a number of young leaders promoting urban gardens. She directs Greening of Detroit, which started in 1989 as a reforesting program for the city's neighborhoods, boulevards, and parks. She has been instrumental in developing gardening and youth education programs to help stabilize and redevelop neighborhoods. "We build relationships before we do soil tests," she says. "That ensures that the gardens are scaled correctly and not too overwhelming to the people who will work on them." Land banking lands. other initiatives are in the works. Last September the Detroit city council created a pilot land bank authority to oversee up to 10,000 city-owned properties. Under state law, Michigan's local land banks are aimed at overcoming obstacles like clouded titles, prohibitively high prices, protracted sales transactions, a fragmented land disposition process, and land speculation. Last year the state also recognized the value of gandens and implemented its own Garden for Growth Program. For $50, residents can lease vacant state lands to grow a garden. Wayne County has a similar program for county-owned In 2007 the Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative targeted six neighborhoods and designated $1.7 million for vacant lot reclamation (gardens, tree nurseries, and pocket parks) out of the $8.9 million raised from private foundations, businesses, and the state's Cities of Promise program. Detroit is also trying to create dense urban centers surrounded by forests and connected by greenways, bike trails, and light rail, says Rick Bowers, staff attomey for the city council. Meanwhile, a number of well-connected community activists helped push for the creation of the Detroit Food Policy Council, which was established this March to address food security issues. Fast food and processed foods have largely replaced home-cooked meals in many Detroit households, leading to health problems like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, says Malik Yakini, chairman of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network. Df course, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food security and healthy eating habits are important to everyone, not just specific groups. Nick Leonard, a pre-law student who grew up in a wealthy Detroit suburb, was indifferent to nutritious food until he pursued an internship with the urban gardens last summer. He learned how to grow organic vegetables -and how to cook and enjoy eating them. He also learned about the connection between gardening and a sustainable lifestyle. "Everyone can have a backyard garden," or they can go to the farmer's market," he says. "These approaches are good for the environment." Leonard volunteered at Earthworks, another Detroit nonprofit food organization, which distributes fresh, locally grown vegetables to low-income families and teaches children how to grow, cook, and eat nutritious homegrown food. Earthworks began in 1997 on a vacant lot to help supply food for a local soup kitchen and food bank. Four years ago, it built a 1,300-square-foot greenhouse that last year provided gardeners with nearly 130,000 seedlings and more than 32,000 seeds for free. Going local again "Local food systems and urban agriculture are valuable tools for regional economic development," says Kami Pothukuchi, associate professor of geography and urban planning at Wayne State University. "They have a great potential for creating jobs, developing small businesses, and keeping precious dollars in the community." Actually, this was the way it worked until the 1950s, says Pothukuchi, when an "industrialized food system" began to feed the nation with processed foods at cheap prices and eventually became a trillion-dollar globalized system with a handful of corporations controlling most food production, processing, distribution, retailing, and waste management. "Unfortunately, corporate domination of the food system has meant that food eaten in most U.S. communities Is produced outside the community," says Pothukuchi. "This then lowers the local tax base and reduces the number and variety of jobs available to local people." Detroit has only a few grocery stores where residents can buy a variety of nutritious, high-quality, culturally appropriate foods. Residents spend about $500 million every year in food stores outside the city, she says. Last year, Pothukuchi started the Sustainable Food Systems Education and Engagement in Detroit Program at Wayne State University (SEED Wayne for short) to engage students in building a sustainable local food system. It works with a number of community partners to offer activities related to food security, urban agriculture, farmers markets, farm-to-institution systems, and food policy. In addition, the Eastern Market contributes to Detroit's local food system by featuring more than 300 locally owned businesses, booths for "Grown in Detroit" urban garden produce, and the new Detroit Market Garden Project, a 2.5-acre demonstration site with gardens, hoop houses, greenhouses, and training programs in food production and finance. "[The Market Garden] is truly a well-rounded green project that can serve as an urban laboratory where people see the entire process of growing, proceSSing, distributing, and retailing food," says Dan Carmody, the market's manager -and a planner with long experience in economic development. Urban gardening is being used as an economic development tool not only in Detroit but in Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, Portland, San FranCiSCO, and Washington, D.C. Advocates say that using vacant land for gardens is not a cure-all, but it is a way to help residents feed their families nutritious food, to enhance neighborhoods, and to make cities more sustainable. Olga Bonfiglio is a freelance writer who also teaches at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sidebar: Montreal's One Percent Solution Sidebar: It Takes a Wall Resources Images: Top -Urban agriculture programs like the Greening of Detroit and SEED Wayne of Wayne State University are teaching residents and decision makers about food systems, safety, and policy. Middle -An Earthworks greenhouse, located on a formerly vacant lot. Bottom -The nonprofit group Earthworks distributes fresh vegetables to low-income families. Photos Olga Bonfiglio. Online: American Community Gardening Association: www.communitygarden.org Which of the nation's 4,685 farmers markets is your favorite? Vote at the American Farmland Trust website, www.farmland.org/vote. The results will be announced during Farmers Market Week, August 2-8. Smart city governments grow produce for the people I Feeding the City I Grist http://www.grist.orgiarticIe/food-srnart-city-governments-grow-produce-L 20f4 to low-or no-cost fresh fruits and vegetables. But is this really city government's job? Chard is one of the many plants growing in the Montpelier, \It. state house vegetable garden. As long as municipal policymakers strive to create programs to reduce social inequity and increase the quality of life for their citizens, I contend that it is. Access to healthy, low-cost food helps assure the health, safety, and welfare of citizens every bit as much as other services that city governments provide, such as clean drinking water, protection from crime and catastrophe, sewage treatment, garbage collection, shelters and low-income housing programs, fallen-tree disposal, and pothole-free streets. Median magicians In Seattle, a forgotten strip of land that once attracted only those engaged in illicit behavior is now a source of fresh food and community pride. Residents of the Queen Anne neighborhood worked with the Department of Transportation to transform a neglected street median, rampant with invasive plants and pricked with hypodermic syringes, into a community garden and gathering space. They cleared the median of its debris and weeds, and have recently constructed raised vegetable beds and planted fruit trees. (I had the honor of attending the dedication ceremony back in April, and planted --what else? --an apple tree.) Volunteers plant a median in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle with edible landscaping . Parks and Recreation staff in Des Moines, Iowa, meanwhile, are cultivating the land in neighborhood parks and around schools and community shelters. Fruits and nuts are the foods of choice for Des Moines staff, since once established, these woody perennials require considerably less maintenance than annual vegetable crops such as corn, beans, and tomatoes. Des Moines' reasons to turn public space into food gardens are profound: bolster food security, improve economic self-sufficiency, increase community access to culturally appropriate and nutritious food, and to make connections between community members, organizations, and resources to ensure the longevity and viability of the urban food system. Interestingly, city staff purposely plant fruits that are unfamiliar to many. By encouraging Des Moines citizens to try new foods they hope to increase dietary diversity and to improve "food literacy." That these plants are unfamiliar to many is somewhat ironic, as many of the fruit trees and shrubs --such as paw 08/06/20108:25 AM Smart city governments grow produce for the people I Feeding the City I Grist http://www.grist.orglarticle/food-smart-city-governments-grow-produce-f ... 30f4 paw, spicebush, and serviceberry --are actually native to Iowa. A bit further east along Highway 80, city planners in Davenport, Iowa, where I work, are refining plans to turn an underutilized downtown parking lot into an edible oasis. What is today a one-acre eyesore will become green space filled with fruit and nut orchards, garden plots, and pergolas replete with rambling grape vines. The renovation of this parking-Iot-cum-park is being funded out of the municipality's Capital Improvement Program: $370,000 is allocated for construction, with ongoing maintenance supplied by volunteers from United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, students from local grade schools and universities, and even the proprietor of the Thai restaurant across the street. (The produce he will plant and harvest --such as Thai eggplants, chilies, and basil --is essential to his authentic cuisine, but difficult to source in Davenport.) The willingness on behalf of these local organizations to help the City of Davenport with the ongoing production of fruits and vegetables should placate anyone concerned with maintenance of these public produce plots. Imagine how few takers there would be if municipal leaders were to offer citizens an "opportunity" to help city staff mow the grass in the neighborhood park or weed the petunia beds in the downtown plaza. Ask those same citizens An eyesore of a parking garage (top) will become an edible oasis (bottom), thanks to a joint effort by the city of Davenport, Iowa, volunteers, and nonprofits. to help grow food for their community, and it is remarkable the legions who step forward, trowel in hand. Capitol ideas Higher-profile landscapes around city halls are also shedding their purely ornamental visage for an edible makeover. Such garden transformations have already occurred in Baltimore, Md. and Portland, Ore. In Montpelier, Vt., chard, beets, kale, collards, and red lettuces adorn the public grounds around the historic statehouse. Madison, Wisc. staffers ripped out the flowers around the Capitol and replaced them with potatoes, cabbage, carrots, corn, peppers, and tomatoes. Municipal government officials have no doubt been inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's transformation of a portion of the White House South Lawn into a vegetable garden. But there's an important distinction between the produce being grown at the White House and that at city hall. The food from the First Family's garden is primarily for them and their dinner guests. At these green-thumbed city halls, the growing of food is an endeavor by the people, for the people. "I want people to see city hall differently --that it's our public land, and that it works for us and with us," Sallie Maron, a Bainbridge Island resident who recently helped transform the landscaping around the town's city hall into an edible bounty, told the Kitsap Sun. The volunteers planted more than 40 plants, including cauliflower, kale, and strawberries, and any resident is welcome to grab a tomato and some basil for their dinner. As another Bainbridge Islander remarked, "It's for people in need or people who just want to try some fresh food." The Bainbridge Island folk were inspired by the tale of Provo, Utah, where --as in many municipalities across the country --the recession has reduced budgets and forced cutbacks on maintenance. Fussy ornamental landscapes adorning civic places just don't seem a high financial priority for elected officials. But nobody likes to look at empty plots of dirt or weed patches outside their window. So in Provo, 08/06/2010 8:25 AM Smart city governments grow produce for the people I Feeding the City I Grist http://www.grist.orglartic1e/food-smart-city-governments-grow-produce-f.. 40f4 City planners in Provo, Utah germinated seeds for the city hall plaza in their makeshift greenhouse --in this case their cubicles in city hall. three planners volunteered their time to re-establish the landscape outside their city hall --but did so in a manner that adds immense value to the landscape and the community. They sowed melons, beans, cucumbers, and beets in the many brick planters. During their first season (which was last year), the city planners harvested 350 pounds of produce from 250 square feet of dirt and donated it to the local food bank. This year, with a bit more gardening know-how under their hats, they plan to cultivate an expanded 500-square-foot space from which they hope to reap more than 1,000 pounds --quite a harvest from such diminutive plots. (The group is also blogging the progress of the city hall "farm.") As with many of the urban agriculture projects, the idea of growing food on municipal land is not new. (See the introduction to the Feeding the Cities series, "The History of Urban Agriculture Should Inspire its Future.") Vegetable gardens have helped bolster America's food supply when times were tough during the Long Depression of the 1890s and the Great Depression, as well as both World Wars. The most popular of these public veggie patches -- the Victory Gardens of World War II --were planted not only by patriotic citizens around the nation, but by city governments in public spaces to provide, teach, and inspire their people. With unemployment in many cities, food stamp use, San Francisco planted a Victory Garden in front of its city and pressure on food banks at an all-time high, it hall during World War II. simply makes sense to grow food, not flowers, where possible. Victory Gardens supplied the nation with 40 percent of its fresh vegetables. It is staggering how much edible bounty can be produced from small-scale gardening efforts on public land. The time is ripe to revisit Victory Gardens in public spaces: with just a little bit of organization and encouragement from our government officials, we could bring the community together to brighten the landscape and nourish the needy. Darrin Nordahl is the city designer at the Davenport Design Center, a division of the Community & Economic Development Department of the City of Davenport, Iowa. He has taught in the planning program at the University of California at Berkeley and is the author of My Kind of Transit and Public Produce, which makes a case for local government involvement in shaping food policy. gn st ©2010. Grist Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Gloom and doom with a sense of humor®. 08/06120108:25 AM Background: The Healthy People 2010 hlltiatlve, a national framework for public health prevention, suggests that Individual health IS almost Inseparable from the health of the larger community Understanding and Improving this larger community -the places people live, work ancJ recreate -will go a long way to prornotlllg tlealttl and strengthening neighborhoods. Since 2004 Denver Urban Gardens and the Colorado School of Public Heal~h have worked together, through the "Gardens for Growing Healthy Communities" community-based research Inltlallve. to explore how gardens, as neighborhood places, support healthy liVing. (Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Health Protection Research InitiatIVe and extended by additional funding from the Colorado Clinical and Translational SCiences Institute and the J.R Albert Foundation.) Key Findings**: 100% of community gardeners stated that their main reasons for gardening were to be outside in nature and to get their hands dirty . Almost 80% of them gardened as children. More than 50% of community gardeners meet national guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake, compared to 25°/0 of non-gardeners. As well as eating belter and being more active, gardeners are more involved in social activities, view ttleir neighborhoods as more beautiful, and have stronger ties to their neighborhoods 95% of community gardeners give away some of the produce they grow to friends, family and people In need, 60% specifically donate to food assistance programs. In addition to more positive ratings of physical and mental health. gardeners see the world differently .. emotionally, spiritually and culturally, as well as socially and enVIronmentally. Community gardens promote stronger neighborhood leadership, outreach, and volunteerism 88% of people who do not garden want to see gardens in their neighborhood Rx for Healthy Place-Making: Tilis research highlights the importance of irltenllollally supporting neighborhoocJ environments and SOCial processes that give way to a strong sense of community, also referred to as "healthy place-making". and that healthy places are espeCially Important when they embody a diverse range of ecological, SOCial alld cultural attributes. Community gardens demonstrate one very Viable strategy to achieve healthy place-making and foster Improved health when the. Ecological attributes of gardens reflect a place: to be outSide in nature and to get hands dirty to grow plants -flowers, herbs and food crops that can be used for multiple purposes that IS central, Visible and accessible SOCIal attributes of gardens reflect a place: to socialize and get to know your neighbors to build trust and develop pride to receive and offer encouragement Cultural attributes of gardens reflect a place: to develop emotional and spiritual connections to express heritage and traditions to develop a worldview that serves as a local destillation that promotes Interactions With nature, people and environmental values to share stories, successes and food to foster respect for others and bridge generations to build a stronger sense of community to develop unique community Identity for participants and neighborhood reSidents to experience beauty Con c Ius ion: When a neighborhood place embodies these ecological, social and cultural attributes, It becomes a place that naturally promotes wellness. Thus, a community garden is more than a good idea among a select group of people; it is a community model for healthy living. Contacts: Dr. Jill Litl, PrinCipal Investigator, Colorado School of Public Health: 1III.IItI@ucdenver.edu Michael Buchenau, Executive Director, Denver Urban Gardens: mlchael@dug.org For more information about the research, including companion manuscripts, please visit www .dug.org/GGHC «These are partially unpublished findings, do not cite without permission . ~DGE Partners in a Vibrant Wheat Ridge 2011-2013 STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY Overview: The strategic plan identifies the focus and provides direction for the organization through 2013 in four principal, or priority, areas: Organizational Sustainability; Encouraging Development; Community Building and Identity, and Advocacy. Goals identified in each of the priority areas describe the key roles in which the organization will engage toward accomplishing the identified priorities. Each goal is accompanied by identified action steps and measures of success envisioned for the organization by December 31,2013. Vision: Wheat Ridge is a great city in which to conduct business, live, learn, work, shop, and play. Mission: Advancing Wheat Ridge as a vibrant and sustainable community. Priorities: Organizational Sustainability, Encourage Development, Community Building and Identity, and Advocacy. Priority A: Organizational Sustainability Goal 1 : Achieve financial sustainability in order to continue attracting and retaining stakeholder households and businesses. Goal 2: Increase the organization's visibility in order to demonstrate the value of our work and contributions toward a vibrant and sustainable community. Priority B: Encourage Development Goal 3: Promote and ensure a diversity of quality housing options. Goal 4: Pursue opportunities for supporting commercial development. GoalS: Support development and investment along 38th Ave corridor and adjacent neighborhoods. Priority C: Community Building and Identity Goal 6: Support and further define the positive and cohesive brand for the Wheat Ridge community. Goal 7: Develop leaders and engaged community members to contribute to a vibrant and sustainable community. Priority D: Advocacy Goal 8: Advocate for a regulatory & policy environment that is competitive with neighboring communities. Draft 11/23/10