Costa Mesa commissioners pursue small subcommittee, funding to expand community gardens after gardeners urge more plots and better access

Costa Mesa'9s Parks and Community Services Commission on April 23 heard extended public comment from current gardeners and directed staff to organize a small group of commissioners and community members to study how to expand and improve the city'9s community garden program.

The commission'9s director, Director Gruner, told commissioners the city now operates two garden centers — Delmare (about 60 parcels and five raised beds at 170 Delmare Avenue) and Hamilton (about 42 parcels) — with plots measuring roughly 15 by 13 feet. He said all 102 parcels are rented, the Delmare waiting list is about 183 people and Hamilton'9s is about 59. Fees are $60 per parcel annually, with a one-time $20 key deposit and a $100 refundable cleanup deposit.

Gardeners who spoke urged the city to protect existing plots, address parking and access at Hamilton, and consider splitting large plots as they become available to serve more residents. "We still have the garden. We think we should keep it," said Lynn Redmond, a Hamilton gardener since 2004, describing past community efforts to preserve the site. Sebie Gilpin, a Hamilton participant, warned that Hamilton has only two street parking spots and urged planners to think about walkability when siting new gardens. "If you'9re going to increase the population of that garden, we need to know where people are going to park and how they're going to access the garden," Gilpin said.

Commissioners discussed operational details and next steps. Commissioner Dor Parker and others supported creating accessible raised beds and prioritizing residents living in high-density areas on the wait list. Several commissioners volunteered to participate in a small ad-hoc group to work with staff; Chair Brown and staff said they would confirm interest from absent Commissioner Garcia Aros before finalizing membership. Vice Chair Wright noted the commission previously recommended setting aside $50,000 to begin work on community-garden-related projects.

Staff described program operations and finances: two part-time employees staff the gardens (about 20 hours per week each), part-time wages start around $20 per hour, and staff estimated annual staffing cost at roughly $45,000; program fee revenue is limited (staff reported roughly $6,400 annually), so the program runs with a subsidy. Director Gruner said the city organizes volunteer "working days" (next scheduled May 2 at Hamilton and Delmare) and that staff enforce rules where workload allows.

Gardeners also suggested program design changes: offering six-month check-ins for new plot holders, prorating fees for early turnover to shorten wait times, breaking large parcels into two when vacated, and creating more ADA-accessible raised beds. Several speakers and commissioners recommended using existing parks and city facilities (for example, senior centers and park corners) for additional garden space rather than waiting for new parcels to appear.

The commission did not vote on a formal ordinance or motion at the April meeting. Instead, commissioners registered interest in forming a small working group, asked staff to check availability of an absent commissioner, and requested staff return with additional data (such as historical tenure figures and cost estimates) and a plan for public engagement. Director Gruner also confirmed that correspondence received for the meeting is posted on the city website.

The commission said next steps will include: staff compiling more program data for commissioners (tenure/turnover, precise operating costs), staff and commissioners developing public-engagement questions, site feasibility work (including parking and ADA access), and reporting back to the commission at a future meeting. The commission'9s next regular meeting was scheduled for May 14.