Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Eco City Farms seeks school MOU and water solution for 58th Avenue community garden; town offers short‑term help
Summary
Eco City Farms, operating under a grant, presented plans for a 10‑plot community garden and asked for help securing an MOU with a nearby school and a water source. Town staff suggested a short‑term 'water buffalo' portable tank the public works team can set up while parties negotiate permanent infrastructure.
Town Administrator Wood updated the Bladensburg Town Council on Eco City Farms' grant‑funded plan for a 10‑plot community garden on 58th Avenue and described operational hurdles the group faces, chiefly a missing MOU with the adjacent school and the lack of a permanent water source.
Wood said the garden could proceed without the classroom component but that the school MOU is needed to add a youth outdoor classroom. He described a short‑term watering solution — a portable "water buffalo" tank the town could install and fill — and said town public works could have it operational in a few days.
"The water buffalo is a pretty low level lift," Wood said. "Our guys could get it set up in a day and get it filled out." He also said Eco City Farms indicated a desire to transfer operations to the town within a couple of years if necessary.
Council members expressed support for assisting the garden with the water buffalo and pledged to follow up with the school board member who may help advance the MOU. Several council members suggested exploring partnerships with local nonprofits and senior housing locations that already run plots.
Next steps: Staff will follow up with Eco City Farms and the school system to facilitate the MOU and will assist with short‑term water access and setup if council agrees. No formal vote was taken.
