City's Review of New Garden Regulations Pushed Back

The City Council’s conversation on community gardens will be continued at a later date.

A group of residents involved with the Seminole Heights Community Gardens descended on yesterday’s meeting of the governing body to voice support for what they say is a more reasonable fee for the proposed regulation of the neighborhood plots.

But officials moved to continue the matter at the April 14 City Council meeting at 6 p.m. instead.

Tampa has been considering a new regulation process for community gardens in an effort to protect owners of neighboring properties. A public hearing is being pitched as a requirement to give nearby landowners more of a say about what is ultimately developed.*

Yet gardening enthusiasts note that a public hearing process would complicate the matter and make it cost-prohibitive for gardeners. The city has said that administration approval costs about $200 while applying for a special use permit involves land surveys and can cost $2,015.

“It also now requires city staff, City Council and the people trying to start a garden to do a lot of, what I believe, is overly burdensome work, some of which could require community gardens to spend even more money,” Robin Milcowitz, an organizer of Seminole Heights Community Gardens, wrote in an e-mail to local gardeners.

However, Milcowitz said some City Council members have said the $2,015 figure is excessive for gardens and that they would be in favor of looking at a $200 fee instead.

*This article contains a correction. An earlier version contained incorrect information as to the reason why a public hearing was requested.