Thinking of adding some homegrown herbs to your spaghetti sauce, or bringing fresh-cut flowers to a dinner party? A new law is now easing the way for Jersey City gardens to flourish much like those on the Lower East Side of New York and in Philadelphia – urban greenscapes that have served as models for community gardening.
Last week the City Council unanimously passed revisions to an existing Adopt-A-Lot law, making it easier for organizations to start community gardens on vacant land.
“The main difference in the Adopt-A-Lot program is that the new version extends the lease terms from one to two years,” said city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill.
Community groups can use the city lots as long as they follow a few guidelines. According to Morrill, they must:
“Community gardeners will be able to sell their produce at a designated farmer’s market” – Jennifer Morrill
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-Take an initial education seminar
-Participate in an annual “Green Your Block” program
-Register gardens on Green Maps online and post their events
Planting in the parks
Another major change is that community groups can now use park land that is greatly in need of improvements. This not only promotes community gardening but cleans up decrepit park areas that can become hangouts for drug users. It also saves the city money that would be spent on improvements.
For budding green thumbs, park land takes the guesswork out of securing a lot. A hopeful gardener might spot an empty lot and fantasize about planting some zucchini or zinnias, only to find out that the lot has been slated for development. That would never happen with a city park.
“The expansion of community gardens will also offer additional health options for residents,” Morrill said. “Community gardeners will be able to sell their produce at a designated farmer’s market”
First Lady Michelle Obama, who has been pushing healthy eating programs for all Americans, would be pleased with Jersey City’s efforts.
“Fresh produce will now be more available throughout the city for residents to purchase at reasonable prices, which should promote healthier eating habits,” Morrill said.
The big picture
One activist who supports the measure is Rolando Lavarro, assistant director of grants and sponsorship, New Jersey City University.
“The change will make it possible for community groups to garden in vacant lots,” he said. “The school was involved in a number of green initiatives. We provide interns from the university to the Jersey City food coop, and gardening will involve students and faculty in soil testing and research.”
He added, “The university has a very urban mission. We’ve very interested in the community at large and contributing to its economic and social growth.”
And one way to do that is through community gardens.
Morrill agrees. “Under the revised ordinance there will be more resources available for community gardeners, including educational and online components,” she said. “We feel this not only helps to revitalize neighborhoods and blighted land, but provides recreational opportunities as well.”
Their own little patch of green
Denis Carpenter built his energy-efficient prefab house at the end of a little dead end street in Jersey City called Minerva, in the Greenville section of town. The modern structure with its steep roof, stark lines, prefab concrete insulated panels, cedar rain screens, and “beachy” landscaping stands out on the block.
It’s right next to a vacant lot.
Carpenter said he always envisioned that lot being made into a dog run and community garden.
“It’s called the Arthur Ashe basketball court, and it’s between Minerva and Arlington,” he said.
It’s been a main topic of conversation among the 30 or so members of the Arlington Avenue Block Association.
“We’d been thinking about it, and there was a lot of good discussion in the neighborhood,” said Richard Moon, vice president of the block association. “Last summer we had a cookout/cleanup. We cleaned up the thing and put up a sign saying we wanted to make it into a community garden.”
Their lives and the long winter intervened, but now, Moon said, the group wants to “move forward and make it official.”
“I would love to do it,” Carpenter said, “but it seemed like a lot of time and money.”
Arlington Avenue Block Association, meet Parks and Forestry. Those wanting to adopt a lot should call (201) 547-4449.
Kate Rounds can be reached at krounds@hudsonreporter.com..