SAN DIEGO—
The San Diego City Council is working to make it easier to turn blighted plots of land in the city into places that provide food for residents."The ordinance that we are proposing will eliminate one of the largest barriers to establishing community gardens in our city," said San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria.
Gloria is vice chair of the Land Use and Housing Committee. He hopes making changes to city code will make it easier for community gardens to flourish. It is a hope Mayor Jerry Sanders agrees with.
"Under the city's current land use code, starting a garden like this one where neighbors can get together and grow fresh produce for their families is difficult, expensive and in some areas illegal," said Sanders. "Outdated land use policy favors an empty lot strewn with weeds over an urban farm tended by members of the community. This is about to change."
Sanders said the process to establish a garden will be simplified.
"The code amendment process starting today will mean that if a group wants to start a community garden on a vacant commercial lot the only hoops they'll have to jump through is negotiating with the property owner. There'd be no permits, no fees to the city to get started," he said.
For Diane Moss, who has been trying to start a community garden in Mount Hope for several years, the news is all positive.
"It is not only about the fruits and vegetables, but it's about neighbors working together," said Moss. "It actually builds a kind of social cohesion in a neighborhood that can benefit from that."
