LaSalle Park Community Garden Meeting
Tuesday 20 March 2012
7:30 pm at Beth M Household
Present: Elizabeth M, Danielle S, Chris V, Lindsay M, Tony B, Heather M
Absent: Toni H
Beth M opened the meeting. She had compiled a list of topics that had been brought to her attention and as a group we discussed them, attempted to find the best solution and voted accordingly. These minutes also include any updates that have occurred since the meeting and are noted accordingly.
Garden Plan
Issue: There has been a much larger demand for the 2’ x10’ & 2’x11’ planter beds than the 4’x4’ beds.
Solution/Response:
New Plan: Beth had drafted a revised garden plan and presented it to the group. The planter beds still run east/west but the new plan has less 4’x4’ planter beds, more 2’x10’ beds and 2’x12’ beds have been added. The planter beds were moved 6’ from the North boundary to allow 3’ for the north perimeter bed and a 3’ walking space between the perimeter bed and the 1st raised planter bed. The planter beds are 3’ off of the West fence to allow ~1’ of space for climbing plants to be planted there.
Planter Beds: A couple of planter beds have been built and are at the site to be viewed and used as a template.
Action:
Finish staking garden including the corners for the planter beds and the perimeter beds along the north & south.
Toni H to distribute perimeter plan. Everyone present was excited about the prospect of rose bushes and butterfly plants in the perimeter.
Note: Toni-Please let us know if you need help with the perimeter, either planting, cleanup or upkeep.
Issue: The current spacing between the beds is 3’ which Danielle did not feel was enough space to get a cart or wheelbarrow in and out and would like the space increased to 4’.
Solution/Response:
The group voted to keep the space at 3’.
Action:
None
Issue: Tony & Danielle proposed that there be a community area with a park bench/sitting area so the community, even those who don’t garden, can come and enjoy the garden.
Solution/Response:
The group voted to include a Community Area with seating.
An area on the Western half of the lot will be left open for this purpose in the future.
Action:
Exact size, location and layout of community area to be determined.
Tony will seek businesses to sponsor and cover the cost of creating this space.
Issue: Drainage/Grading: For clarity, the issues will be labeled A, B, C etc.
A. The site appears to have a high spot that runs north south and is located about midway east/west.
B. There is a significant low spot along the east, about midway north/south,
C. There is a low spot in the northeast corner of the lot.
D. There appears to be a sink hole along the north, near the southeast corner of Toni H deck.
Solution/Response:
Danielle suggested that the site should be professionally surveyed and graded properly before moving forward with planter bed installation etc.
Beth suggested that we only build on the Western half of the lot this season while we are still trying to judge the extent of the problem. She obtained a verbal rough estimate that the grading would cost ~$400. This estimate did not include fill material.
The group voted to:
1. Wait and see if the sinkholes are still sinking
2. Move forward with developing ONLY the western half of the lot this season.
Action:
Get a professional estimate for the survey and grading of the site.
Raise funds to cover this expense.
Funding
Issue: We still need to raise funds to complete the construction of the garden and for the upkeep/ maintenance of the garden. Those items are:
Ground cover for walkways
Remainder of Fence
Survey & Grading of Lot
Gravel for Loading Zone**See below for update
Water Lateral
Water Storage [Rain Barrels]
General Landscape Maintenance Equipment
Equipment Storage Building
Solution/Response
Obtained estimates for these items
Tony B will make a list of area businesses that may be interested in donating to our project.
Tony will publish the list to the group & we will determine who will contact which businesses with Tony B being the lead.
Loading Zone
Issue: Besides needing funding to create the loading zone, Beth discovered while talking to our Neighborhood Stabilization Officer (NSO) about our loading zone that the City of St. Louis Ordinance and Garden Lease Guidelines contradict each other.
City Ordinance: Restricts the use of gravel & requires concrete for parking areas. It also does not allow parking on grass.
Garden Lease: Restricts the use of concrete.
Solution/Response:
We cannot install a Loading Zone on the garden lot.
The NSO said that the City Ordinance allows cars to stop in the alley for up to 15 minutes for loading/unloading.
Post Sign stating something to the effect of ‘Maximum of 15 minute Loading/Unloading in Alley’.
As members of the LaSalle Park Community Garden, we must be diligent in loading and unloading quickly and efficiently and then parking our cars on Rutger.
Soil
Issue: None
Solution/Response: We are moving forward with a bulk order of soil mix components.
Action: Beth will order the soil components and keep us posted
UPDATE: Per Beth: “ I spoke with STLCompost and due to very high delivery fees they're not reasonable. Also, it seems I made some errors. I put a number on the wrong side of the equation and the end result is a higher cost. I'm sorry. The increase is going to vary from $10 to $30 depending on how much soil you need, I'll email each of you individually. I'm really sorry. I put our order in at Valley Park Feed and delivery is scheduled for Friday, 3/31.”
Lot & Compost Maintenance
Issues: 1. The compost needs to be turned every two weeks. 2. The lot needs to be mowed & weedeated {is that even a word?!?} every 1-2 weeks, depending on rainfall.
Solution/Response: Garden members will take turns ‘turning’ the compost. Beth has a reel to reel push mower and Tony B has a motored lawnmower. Danielle has an electric weed eater. Heather will put together a schedule for a. turning the compost b. lot weeding, mowing etc.
We currently do not have another meeting scheduled.
