Council approves five-year lease renewal for community garden, leaves shed decision pending insurance and permits

The Baldwin City Council voted to approve a five-year lease renewal for the community garden operated by the Business and Professional Women (BPW). Barbara Pressgrove, the garden manager, described the garden’s history and use and said roughly 35 residents have gardened there over time and the plots are typically 10-by-50 feet.

“We rent out the plots, and I counted up maybe maybe 18, but I know there's more than that. So 35 residents over time,” said Barbara Pressgrove, who presented slides on the garden’s facilities including a hoop house and a small green shed used for tools. Council members asked whether an individual could place a personal storage shed on a plot and whether insurance or building permits would be required.

City staff and the city attorney advised that structures larger than the local permit threshold require a building permit, and the attorney recommended documenting any condition about permitting or insurance in the lease. “Anything greater than a 100 square feet would require a permit for a structure, even if it's a utility shed,” said a staff member explaining the code threshold. Council discussed options — waiting to confirm insurance, approving and amending the lease later, or including a handwritten provision — and voted to approve the lease while leaving an amendment option to address a shed once insurance and code compliance are confirmed.

Council member (speaker 2) moved to approve the lease and the motion carried by voice vote. City staff will work with the BPW to add language or an amendment to address any allowable structures subject to insurance and code compliance.