Community garden fee increase held off Community garden fee increase held off (November 16, 2005)

City officials wish to rethink the issue

by Bill D'Agostino

A large jump in the fee that Palo Alto's community gardeners pay -- which caused an outcry in recent weeks -- is on hold so city officials can reconsider the matter.

The increase, from 15 cents per square foot a year to 50 cents per square foot a year, was intended to help pay for the costs of the program, which include water and garbage collection.

But gardeners protested, writing letters to the city and speaking at City Council meetings. In response, the city's Parks and Recreation Commission will reexamine the fees in December and then report to the council in January, Community Services Director Richard reported to the council on Monday night. The gardeners were to begin paying the increased fees in January.

"We feel hopeful and we're very pleased," said Helen Proctor, who's been gardening for more than 20 years at a plot at Eleanor Pardee Park. "We're making progress."

Most of the gardeners said they didn't oppose any fee increase, just the sudden and extremely steep one.

There are more than 240 gardeners who use public plots throughout the city to plant flowers, fruits and vegetables. The garden plots costs the city $30,000, not counting the staff that run the program, but last year's fees only raised $10,500.

The gardeners have agreed to explore ways to save money, such as using less water and having fewer trash pick-ups, Open Space Division Manager Greg Betts said.

Councilwoman Hillary Freeman said the staff was correct to revisit the fee increase following the outcry.

"I think that's what they should have done," she said.

The increased fee was only one of many approved by the City Council last year, in a move to have more community programs recover their costs. Although some of the fees became controversial at the time -- especially a proposed $5 fee for parking in the Baylands, which was ultimately removed from the budget by the council -- many others, such as the gardening fee, flew under the radar.

Staff Writer Bill D'Agostino can be e-mailed at bdagostino@paweekly.com.

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