Nonprofit organizations now have the option to grow fruits and vegetables on city-owned land, states a resolution the Wilmington City Council approved 5-1 during the Tuesday, Aug. 4 meeting.
Home owners associations and 501 (c) (3)s can lease land for the gardens from the city under the resolution. Each organization that starts a garden is responsible for the total maintenance costs of the property.
Council member Earl Sheridan said the resolution would benefit people who live in food deserts, areas more than one mile away from a grocery store or any other venue that sells fresh produce.
Council member Charlie Rivenbark also supported the resolution, but he said anyone who wants to start a nonprofit garden should “keep it simple,” and expressed concern that people may try to start an elaborate garden that may not be successful.
“I don’t want this to get too complicated,” he said. “I think this is a great thing.”
Council member Kevin O’Grady recommended Amy Beatty, the superintendent of recreation and downtown services for the City of Wilmington, to start the project with short-term land leases.
“You may find that this is more than you thought it would be. I would suggest a short lease first to see how it works,” O’Grady said.
However, council member Laura Padgett cast the lone vote against the resolution.
“I’m for community gardens. I think they’re a good idea. I’m not for converting park space to community gardens,” she said.
Beatty suggested a vacant lot downtown, 914 Dock St., which once served as an informal community garden, would be a good property for a community garden. Padgett said the land could be used for an organized city park, such as Wallace Park or Portia Mills Hines Park.
Beatty said the community gardens would suit public interests.
“The City of Wilmington staff has received requests from groups to plan and maintain community gardens. Community garden policies are becoming increasingly prevalent across the nation and across North Carolina,” she said.
Beatty emphasized the community gardens would not compete with local private businesses because the resolution states each garden must be more than one mile from a grocery store or vendor. She said pharmacies and convenience stores were not counted as food vendors in the survey. The City of Wilmington will guide organizations that express interest in starting a community garden toward spaces permitted in the resolution.
“The intention behind that criteria is multi-faceted,” Beatty said. “Most of our parks are located outside of one mile of a grocery store in more suburban areas of the city.”
Beatty also displayed a map of Wilmington that showed potential garden sites.
The resolution allows organizations to fundraise for their gardens on the property they lease from the city. The groups will not be permitted to sell the produce they grow, but they can hold a raffle, gala or other fundraising event on the land.
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