Cliff Bungalow - Mission Community Association

Popup Garden Initiative Outline v1.2

Ted Knudtson • 9 July 2020

Note: For this and every initiative, we are advocating and employing a short-cycle, release and reassess model of
delivery to learn and adapt without delaying service. Our initiative champions have been encouraged to try, make
mistakes, learn from those mistakes, try again, make better mistakes - An imperfect initiative that is online and active
is better than a quest for perfection that never gets off the ground. As such, these early outline iterations will likely
change and change often as we learn lessons and get better at what we’re doing. – TK

Objective
Beautify our city and add to the capacity of local community gardens to accommodate potential gardeners.

Strategies
Work with landowners and developers to convert vacant lots into garden space; develop strategic partnerships with
the City, local police, an insurer, neighbouring gardens, and neighbours; access donated and purchased supplies; set
up communal gardening infrastructure; and train volunteer(s) to manage gardeners.

Tasks
1. Find the land:
a. Enumerate garden-friendly lots within the boundaries of the neighbourhood
i. Assess for:
1. Sunlight
2. Water supply
3. Level ground
4. Current ground cover
5. Neighbours
6. Security
b. Collect contact information for each suitable lot owner and deliver opening pitch
i. Developer signage
ii. Property listings
iii. Municipal government
c. Initiate underground utilities identification and marking
i. Gas
ii. Electrical
iii. Water/sewage
iv. Cable, etc.

Note: Level sites with ample sun, access to water supply, and minimal existing plant/grass/weed growth are
ideal. Our site is a corner clay lot with broad southwest exposure. Many jurisdictions offer free utility location
services, such as Alberta One-Call.

2. Find a budget:
a. Community association

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 b. Donations
i. Municipality
ii. Community
iii. Businesses
iv. Services
c. Gardener contributions
i. Fees
ii. Ad hoc

Note: We were able to source donations of materials and supplies from the City, local businesses, neighbours of
the site, and the Community Association. Gardeners were not charged any fees but have been asked to
contribute a small monthly amount to cover water costs, which in our case was $75/m paid to a neighbour
supplying City water access.

3. Ensure stakeholder buy-in and support:

a. Community association
i. Funding
ii. Subject matter experts
iii. Organizational support
iv. Volunteers
v. Equipment, supplies
b. City
i. City departments, e.g. Parks
1. Guidance
2. Donations
3. Resources
ii. Councillors
1. Advice and input
2. Volunteer recruitment
3. Donations/funding
iii. Police
1. Brief on plan
2. Security resources
c. Insurer
i. Identify parameters
ii. Limits to coverage
iii. Premiums
iv. Land use agreement wording
v. Other liabilities
d. Neighbours
i. Consultation and input, concerns

Note: Early consultation with the municipality, the Community Association, Insurer, and neighbours will identify
issues that will need to be addressed in subsequent planning (e.g. we initially explored having a bee hive onsite
to aid pollination and provide an educational opportunity, but this would have complicated insurance), may
provide resources (i.e. communication of the plan elicited several offers of donations), and will foster buy-in (e.g.
involvement of neighbours in planning decisions). As a CA, we benefitted greatly by having pre-existing
relationships with our City Liaison, Parks officials, Councillors, and Police, but each of these groups are readily
contacted by anyone and are extremely helpful.

4. Negotiate the agreement:

a. Create land use agreement to enter into with the landowner
i. Identify contracted parties

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 ii. Property description: Identify lot location and square footage
iii. Property use: Identify intended use and any limitations
iv. Duration: Establish term, options to renew, notice to terminate
v. Landowner rights and responsibilities
1. Property taxes
2. Non-gardening activity related liability
3. Inspections
vi. Land user rights and responsibilities
1. Improvements, additions (e.g. sheds, raised beds, etc)
2. Grounds maintenance
3. Liability limitations (e.g. garden activities vs sidewalks)
4. Liability limit on existing risks (e.g. pollutants, hazards, etc)
5. Risk of damage and loss
vii. Rules and regulations
1. Municipal bylaws and zoning
2. Alcohol, drugs, illegal activities
3. Federal, provincial, and municipal guidelines for health and safety, including
COVID infection prevention
viii. Liability waivers
1. Signed by all gardeners
2. Holds landowner and land user blameless for loss or injury
b. Present agreement to potential garden hosts; winnow list through resulting negotiations.
c. Enter into agreement with amenable landowner.

Note: The agreement was cobbled together from some boilerplate land use stuff found online, requirements
from our insurer, and input from the landowners. This is the stage most of our negotiations broke down - An
agreement in principle is a long way from a signed agreement. There was no push-back on the specific items
included in the agreement, it just seemed that entering into a formal agreement was a commitment many
landowners were not willing to make. Some bowed out right away, others “sent it to legal” then we never heard
back. Having the agreement in place was important to us, as it prevents any potential misunderstandings
upfront, assigns responsibilities, and reduces potential for site access being revoked.

5. Build the team:

a. Identify potential/aspiring gardeners
i. Waitlist from nearby gardens
ii. Garden clubs, horticultural societies
iii. Community association
iv. General call
b. Identify subject matter experts
i. Gardeners and volunteers?
ii. Horticultural societies
iii. Neighbouring community gardens
iv. Community association
c. Appoint garden administrators
i. Gardeners and volunteers
d. Identify volunteer pool
i. Community association
ii. City Councillor referral
iii. General call
e. Establish steering committee
i. Community association rep
ii. Subject matter expert(s)
iii. Garden lead(s)
iv. Landowner

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 Note: We had two neighbouring gardens each with long waitlists, so we began our outreach there. Two of the
potential volunteers stepped forward to assume the responsibilities of garden leads, one of whom had
permaculture education. We were lucky to have mentorship from a woman who had set up three other gardens
previously, who was referred by the Community Association. Volunteers came through the CA and via
pedestrian inquiries and neighbours. We were offered help with volunteer recruitment from our local Councillors,
but were fortunate to have enough volunteer support already.

6. Define parameters and guidelines:

a. Insurance requirements
i. Property use
ii. Excluded activities
b. Gardener waiver of liability
i. Signed by all gardeners
ii. Holds landowner and land user blameless for loss or injury
iii. COVID infection prevention
c. Develop social distancing and disinfection protocols.
i. Space between beds
ii. Tool use
iii. Disinfection
iv. Capacity limitations
d. Develop garden guiding principles, mission statement, and rules for governance
i. Spacing, capacity
ii. Excluded activities
iii. Tool use, disinfection
iv. Contact list

Note: Requirements and limitations imposed by insurer must be adequately communicated to the gardeners, as
well as roles and responsibilities, rules, and infection prevention guidelines. Rules and regulations should be
developed by the steering committee and enforced by the garden lead(s). We had the benefit of support from our
neighbouring community gardens, and they were happy to share the materials they had developed.

7. Source materials and supplies:

a. Garden beds:
i. Lumber or other materials for beds
ii. Soil
iii. Compost*
iv. Weed barrier*
b. Pathways/Grounds
i. Mulch or gravel
ii. Shed*
c. Water supply (rain, trucked, or city water):
i. Rain barrels
ii. Hose(s)
iii. Barrel hose connector kit(s)
iv. Watering cans
v. Platform for barrels
vi. Source
1. Rain: Downspouts from neighbouring property connected
2. Trucked: Schedule, budget, ensure egress to barrels
3. City: Ensure supply, run hoses to barrels
d. Garden tools
i. Shovels, scoop and spade
ii. Rakes
iii. Wheelbarrows

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 iv. Lawn mower, weed whacker, etc.
e. General garden sundries
i. Garden stakes
ii. Bicycle locks and other security
iii. Seeds and seedlings donations
iv. Gloves
v. Sharpie markers
f. Gardener supplied
i. Hand tools
ii. Tomato cages and stakes
iii. Seeds and seedlings
iv. Gloves

Note: We were really late in building our garden, so opted for decisions that streamlined setup. 5” diameter
fenceposts were laid out and trenched into the clay, but not affixed to each other, then filled with soil. This
achieved beds of 6-8” height above ground level. Fence posts were donated from a nearby farm, mulch and soil
was donated from the City, and tools were loaned to us from the neighbouring gardens and the local CA. Weed
barrier was not used in the beds, as the base layer of our site was clay and inhospitable to weed growth. Water
supply infrastructure had to be paid for, as did some materials used in building a raised bed for the mobility
challenged. Gardeners supplied their own hand tools, gloves, seeds/seedlings, and stakes, and were also a
source of some small donations such as watering cans, tools, and plants. That said, we did purchase a few sets
of hand tools and pairs of gloves to ensure everyone who showed up on the first day had the tools they needed
to get started.

8. Construct the garden:

a. Design layout
i. Maximize bed space while allowing social distancing
ii. Water supply location
iii. Safety, security, sightlines
iv. Drainage
v. Delivery egress
vi. Hazard control
vii. Control existing/unwanted vegetation
b. Take delivery of soil, mulch, and compost
i. Usually trucked, need egress
ii. Soil/compost blends can narrow arc
c. Assemble beds
i. Must be minimum 6” above ground level
ii. Ensure ample distance between beds
d. Fill beds with weed barrier, soil, and compost
i. Weed barrier may not be needed, such as on clay or other non-growing medium
ii. Ensure minimum soil depth of 6”, greater is better
iii. Soil will settle with time, watering
e. Plant seeds or seedlings in beds
f. Treat grounds/paths between beds with mulch or gravel
i. Use weed barrier if on growing medium (e.g. topsoil vs clay)
ii. Target mulch depth of at least 3”.
iii. Mitigate hazards such as slip and fall, pooling water
iv. Identify composting site
v. Waste collection
g. Assemble water supply
i. Locate barrel platform in proximity to water source
ii. Ensure barrel platform it as least 18” off the ground
iii. For multiple barrels, use hose connector overflow kit
iv. Fill barrels

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 1. Keeping barrels full will minimize risk of theft
v. Keep watering cans locked up nearby
h. Create and install signage
i. Garden name
ii. Rules, guidelines, warnings
i. Add other amenities
i. Shed/storage
ii. Pathways
iii. Arts and crafts
iv. Benches, seating

Note: Construction began with a core group of four volunteers who laid out the beds and filled them with a base
layer of soil, and also spread mulch between the beds. A hazard assessment was conducted on the site before
inviting the gardeners to come and finish filling the beds. Initial focus was on basic infrastructure – beds, soil,
and water supply. Built a platform for the rain barrels using wooden pallets stacked high enough to allow filling of
watering cans from the bottom barrel spigots. With those in place, we set to work beautifying the site, creating a
pathway, adding signage, storage, etc. Garbage, recycling, and compost bins have as yet eluded us, as we
cannot bear the cost of rental and pickup from the City. As such, we have been packing in/packing out all such
materials. Inclusion of seating and other such amenities has been subject to assessment of the potential of
enabling overnight visitors – a picnic table was removed in favour of wooden stumps, for instance.

9. Administer the garden:

a. Assign roles:
i. Garden leads
1. Assign beds
2. Assign duties
3. Assist and teach gardeners
4. Ensure barrels are full
5. Watering for other gardeners as required
ii. Volunteers
1. Assist garden lead(s)
2. Watering for other gardeners as required
iii. Gardeners
1. Tending beds
2. Watering for other gardeners as required
b. Budget
i. Track expenses
ii. Track donations

Note: Managing a garden and gardeners is a very demanding task, so we opted to appoint two co-leads to split
the duties, supported by a gardening mentor. Volunteers and gardeners report to the garden leads, and the
garden leads report to the steering committee. We had the benefit of a garden lead with permaculture education
and experience, as well as access to several subject matter experts who were able to consult with the gardeners
to ensure the right seeds were planted for the area, growing zone, etc.

10. Consult with stakeholders:

a. City
i. Ensure bylaw compliance
ii. Elicit suggestions for improvement
iii. Invite City stakeholders to tour the site
b. Police
i. Ensure security precautions taken
ii. Elicit suggestions to mitigate potential issues

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 c. Insurer
i. Report on completed setup
d. Community association
i. Review budget

Note: Ongoing consultations ensure ongoing support and timely issue mitigation.

Sample Contract

Land Use Agreement between ______________________________ and ______________________________.

______________________ (the Land Owner) agrees to lease the vacant portion of property located at address
________________________________ for a fee of $1.00 per year to ________________________ (the Land User).

Property Description: The leased portion of the Land Owner’s property (the Property) is ______ square feet in total.

[Land description and boundaries go here, e.g. It is bordered by the 25th Ave sidewalk on the south side, and an apartment complex
on the west side. On the north side the Property is bordered by a house on 1st Street SW. The east side of the Property is
delineated/bordered by the sidewalk along 1st Street SW.]
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

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Property Use: The Property is to be used as a public community garden with rented plots, to be administered by the Land User. No
more than ___% of the lot space shall be used for garden activities.

Duration: The lease Agreement shall commence on ____________ and continue through _____________. This
lease agreement will be reviewed at the termination date stated above with the option of renewal each year according to the desires
of the Land Owner. Option to renew will be communicated by written notice, 90 days prior to the lease expiration date. Land Owner
can provide a sixty (60) day notice to terminate the agreement.

Land Owner Rights and Responsibilities: The Land Owner agrees to maintain full responsibility for all property taxes. The Land
Owner has the right to enter property at any time for inspection. Land Owner has the right to remove unwanted or offensive signage,
art, or displays.

Tenant Rights and Responsibilities: The Land User has the right to make improvements customarily associated with community
gardens (including storage sheds, raised beds, compost bins, bulletin boards, signs, seating areas, perennial plantings, and pruning
of existing trees) at the Land User’s expense. The Land User agrees to be responsible for all trash removal from the property. If at
any point this lease Agreement is not renewed, the Land User has the right to (but is not required to) remove any structures or
improvements that have been made to the property. At the termination of this Agreement the site will be returned to the owner in
neat and orderly condition.

The Land User will only be responsible for the liability associated with the area of land the garden occupies and not responsible for
liability on any parts of the land your garden does not occupy, including sidewalks.

The Land User will not take on liability for existing risks that are either known or unknown by the Land Owner, such as existing
pollutants, hazards or other potential risks.

The Land User assumes all risk of damage to or loss of its equipment howsoever caused and does release the Land Owner from all
claims and demands with respect thereto including to or loss of equipment arising from the act, default or omission of the Land
Owner, its agents, servants, employees, subcontractors, customers, invitees or licensees or resulting from any cause whatsoever
(save and except damage or loss resulting solely from the Land Owner‘s willful or reckless disregard or gross negligence).

Rules and Regulations: All gardeners and volunteers will be required to follow Federal, Provincial, and Municipal guidelines for
COVID-19 prevention. No alcoholic beverages, drugs, or illegal activities shall be permitted by garden volunteers or gardeners on
the premises at any time. The Land User agrees to act lawfully and will operate at all times in accordance with municipal bylaws and
zoning codes.

Gardener Liability Waivers: Gardeners will sign a liability waiver holding the Land User and the Land Owner harmless from all
Liabilities and claims against the Land Owner and the Land User for any personal injury, including death, to any person and/or
damage to the property of any person arising from the acts or omissions of the Land User / Land Owner or any officer, agent,
sponsored program participant, or employee of the Land User / Land Owner under this Contract.

Property Owner: Garden Representative:

__________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Land Owner Land User

Date: _________________ Date: _________________

Example Budget
Real Expenses and Revenues for 2020 Project

Note: This is not necessarily a proper working budget, but rather is the actual accounts of real costs accrued in our
2020 project. It is offered only to provide insight into the sorts of costs one might encounter, and their amounts.

One-Time Expenses
Water barrels x 2 $100.00
Hose connector $13.13
Tools, Lock $33.58
Sign $100.00
Markers and Decorations $100.00
Mulch, 7 cubic yards $190.05
Chalk, Tomato Frames, Stakes $27.30
Tools and Gloves $60.50
Recouped Tools Cost (-$30.00)

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Garbage and Recycle Bins N/A
Raised garden bed $120.28
Total $714.84

Ongoing Expenses
Water and Power $75.00
Garbage/Recycling Pickup N/A
Total $75.00

Revenue
Monthly cash call $75.00 ($3.57 x 21)

Garden Donations
Soil - 10 cubic yards $500.00
Posts x 50 $500.00
Mulch - 4 cubic yards $225.00
Pallets x 10 $125.00
Shovel $19.95
Plants x 300 $900.00
Gravel $165.00
Potato Sacks $40.00
Seed Potatoes $25.00
Hand Sanitizer (3 x 20L) $389.97
Total $2724.92

Construction Process

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