Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
SECOND SUBSTITUTE - Directing city staff to explore land options in the University Hill Farms Neighborhood and nearby areas for potential gardening space lost in the Hill Farms state redevelopment on Sheboygan Avenue.
Body
WHEREAS, the Sheboygan Community Garden was a valuable community asset for over thirty years in the University Hill Farms neighborhood on the northwest corner of State Department of Transportation property on Sheboygan Avenue; and
WHEREAS, the 1.25 acre garden was home to over 100 individuals and families, many whom lived in close proximity to the garden site; and
WHEREAS, an abbreviated process was undertaken to find potential land for the relocation of the gardens for the 2016 season; and
WHEREAS, the only feasible option for the 2016 season was a small area in Rennebohm Park that will replace twenty percent of the garden space; and
WHEREAS, several other locations were vetted and are in need of more research to determine, cost, feasibility, and community support, including, but not limited to, Vernon Boulevard, Rennebohm Park, Garner Park, and Indian Hills Park; and
WHEREAS, the recently adopted University Hill Farms Neighborhood Plan calls for additional green and gardening space in several locations throughout the neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, additional private lands, such as land in University Research Park are also in need of further discussion and analysis;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that city staff shall explore the aforementioned land options and any others (including private land) that may be possible in the general area in and near the University Hill Farms Neighborhood for new community garden locations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that staff should shall research the cost, soil conditions, water access, sun exposure, and other important factors of locating garden space with the goal of replacing the land lost in the Hill Farms state redevelopment on Sheboygan Avenue; and
BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED, that equity, land security, safety, and accessibility, and competing uses should shall be evaluated considered in any by staff report on for each potential garden space; and
BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED, that any new garden sites determined to be feasible will follow a full public process to engage the community, identify potential gardeners, and design site specifics prior to any formal approval; and
BE IT STILL FURTHER RESOLVED, that staff shall also analyze the demographics of the neighborhood surrounding potential sites to consider the people that each garden space may serve, including an estimate of the proximity of each potential location to people of color, low-income individuals, elderly, and disabled persons that are in need of accessible garden space; and
BE IT STILL FURTHER FINALLY RESOLVED, that city staff shall prepare a full report on the above items, including a short list of feasible sites, the said report and present the its findings to the Common Council and any relevant city committees as soon as possible, but no later than October 1, 2016; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that any garden sites determined to be feasible in the staff report will then be subject to a public process to engage the community in a full equity analysis, identify potential gardeners, and design site specifics prior to any formal consideration of approval by the Common Council and/or the relevant city committee/commission.