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City pitches Laguna Grande site to relocate community garden under state urban‑greening grant
Summary
Parks staff proposed moving the city’s community garden to Laguna Grande Park and applying for a California Urban Greening Grant; Sustainable Monterey and current garden managers support the plan but commenters raised Seaside ownership, NCIP overlaps, and safety concerns around homeless encampments.
City parks staff on June 10 presented a conceptual plan to relocate and expand the Monterey community garden to Laguna Grande Park using the California Urban Greening Grant. The proposal would move roughly 20 existing plots into an underused, sunny portion of Laguna Grande with irrigation, raised beds, rain catchment, fruit trees and picnic seating.
Ty (parks staff) said the site meets many grant criteria — water access, full sun, adequate parking and proximity to multi‑family housing — and stressed that public engagement and a formal council resolution would be required before an application is finalized. “There is a public outreach community engagement element to this that is required,” Ty said.
Sustainable Monterey, the current garden operator, was identified as the project partner; Janette Leonido (Sustainable Monterey president) was named in the discussion. Jason Anu, the current community garden manager, testified in public comment that the displaced gardeners want a city location and would contribute sweat equity to build the new site.
Several commissioners and members of the public raised alternatives and constraints. Speakers noted that portions of Laguna Grande are co‑managed with Seaside (a joint powers arrangement), that some areas of the park have separate NCIP projects or funding, and that a long‑standing local homeless population near Monaceto and Laguna Grande raises concerns about siting and security. Staff said the city would pursue required JPA and nonprofit agreements and that grading and minor earthwork were included in early cost estimates.
What happens next: staff said the concept would be refined and, if selected for application, would come back to the commission and City Council for authorization, public outreach and any permitting steps.
