Residents of Howell may have the opportunity to grow their own vegetables in an organic community garden.
The Township Council recently introduced an ordinance to lease a township-owned property to the organizers of the Howell organic community garden. Officials said the land is not needed by the municipality at this time.
A public hearing on the ordinance will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 in the council chambers. The council may vote to adopt the ordinance after the public hearing.
The garden will grow alongside Route 524 (Adelphia Road), according to Dana Vargo, who proposed the idea for the garden last year.
The garden will give families and organizations a chance to grow their own produce. The leasing of the property will serve gardening and recreational purposes, according to the ordinance.
The garden is expected to serve residents of Howell and Farmingdale by allowing the leasing of plots of land for cultivation. The leasing of land will improve the quality of life in the municipality, according to the ordinance. “The Local Lands and Buildings Law authorizes a governing body to lease municipally owned land to nonprofit corporations for a public purpose [and] authorizes a lease term for a period of up to 50 years with one option to renew for a period of 25 years,” the ordinance states.
A property such as the vacant parcel that officials are planning to lease for the garden can present problems such as criminal activity if left unoccupied, according to the ordinance.
The people who operate the garden will be required to submit an annual report to the township manager containing information about activities that are held for the public at the garden, the cost of those activities, and an affirmation of the continued federal and state tax-exempt status the garden is under.
Vargo met with local arborist Zig Panek last year to discuss the idea of starting a community garden. A target date for the opening of the garden was set for the spring or summer of 2015.
“The community garden will be a great asset to Howell and is going to be something people will respond to in the community,” Vargo said. The organic community garden will allow gardeners to grow anything they want and to use only organic fertilizers, according to Vargo.
Vargo is requesting a deer fence and clean compost for organic gardening purposes. She said the garden will benefit individuals who are not experienced in gardening, but who would like to acquire those skills.
“I feel great about this and it is an amazing opportunity for the town, and it will also be great for parts of town that are not into the ‘going green’ effort, because with the garden, they can get introduced to it,” Vargo said.