[Amended 5-20-2024 by Ord. No. 24-25]
A. Establishment. A permanent community garden is hereby established
within the Township of Bloomfield, to be located at Pulaski Park,
Milbank Park and the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center.
B. Use of gardens. The Township's community gardens are available to all residents of the Township, on a first-come, first-served basis, for the purpose of growing fruits and vegetables, flowers and herbs. Each person renting a bed shall be required to enter into an agreement governing the use of the plot with the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation Cultural Affairs Department as well an agreement with the Township of Bloomfield pursuant to §
5-135 of this article.
C. Fees. No person shall be permitted to maintain a bed in a Bloomfield
Township Community Garden unless they have registered with the Bloomfield
Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department for the bed, signed
the required agreement and paid the applicable fee of $50. Fees are
payable to the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs
Department, are nonrefundable, nontransferable and must be paid at
the time of registration for the bed. No more than one bed may be
rented by a household; however, a household may rent two if there
are beds that are not rented after May 1 of any year. Veterans must
register for a bed but will not be required to pay the annual rental
fee. Resident gardeners who are assigned a bed shall not lose their
bed as long as they continually renew their application between December
1st and December 31 of the current year. Control of the bed expires
with the season on November 15, and the yearly application and fee
must be completed and fee paid on or before December 31 of the current
rental year or the bed shall be lost and the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation &
Cultural Affairs Department shall issue the bed to the next applicant
the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department
has or receives.
[Amended 12-13-2021 by Ord. No. 21-48; 5-20-2024 by Ord. No. 24-25]
The use of the Bloomfield Township community gardens will be
subject to the following rules and regulations:
A. Establishment: Three permanent community gardens are hereby established
within the Township of Bloomfield, one each at Pulaski Park and Milbank
Park and the Bloomfield Oakeside Cultural Center.
B. Season: April 1 through November 15 or as otherwise established by
the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department.
Cultivation and planting must be started by May 1 and plots must be
tended through the time of fall cleanup. This means that weeds must
be pulled, and ripe produce harvested. Persons renting beds are expected
to spend an appropriate amount of time to maintain their bed so that
it remains attractive (recommended two hours per week). The Bloomfield
community gardens are working gardens powered by gardeners themselves.
All gardeners are expected to volunteer a designated amount of time,
per month at their Community Garden each season. At your orientation,
the Garden Liaison will discuss dates, expected amount of time and
what tasks are needed to be performed. Each garden has different needs
and they will be communicated to you by the Garden Liaison.
C. Parking: in designated or legal parking areas only.
D. Structures. Elaborate garden structures, fountains or the use of
multiple decorative items are prohibited. However, stakes, tomato
cages and similar gardening devices are allowed and must be removed
at the end of each season.
E. Weeds. All waste, weeds, etc., shall be disposed of off-site except
for compostable matter, which may be disposed of in areas designated
by the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department.
No illegal or invasive plant species, trees or shrubs are permitted.
F. Water from the watering spigots provided in the community garden
should be treated as nonpotable and is for use in the garden only.
Irrigation systems are prohibited. Water must be securely turned off
after each use. Do not water another gardener's bed unless they
have asked another gardener to do so.
G. Fertilizers and pesticides. The use of nonorganic pesticides, fungicides,
herbicides and fertilizers is prohibited.
H. Obligations of gardeners. There are shared garden tools at all three
community gardens. Gardeners are responsible for caring for those
tools and returning them to the garden sheds once they are done using
them. The primary obligation is to keep the community garden a happy,
secure and enjoyable place where all participants can garden and socialize
peacefully in an amicable manner.
I. For safety and respect of gardeners' beds, anyone 18 and under,
who are part of the registered renter's household, must be supervised
by registered gardener or shared household user. Pets and other animals
are prohibited at all times.
J. Smoking. Smoking is prohibited at all times.
K. Rules of conduct. All gardeners and their visitors shall observe
the rules of conduct established by the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation
& Cultural Affairs Department as well as the rules and regulations
for the use of Township parks and recreation areas, and all other
regulations set forth in the Township of Bloomfield Code.
L. Indemnification. All persons using the Bloomfield Township community
garden assume any and all risks associated with the use of the community
garden. Prior to use of the community garden, each renter shall complete
the supplied indemnifies the Township of Bloomfield.
M. Violations. Use of the community garden is a privilege. The Bloomfield
Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department reserves the right
to revoke the use of the community garden (and composting) by any
person for failure to observe the rules and regulations established
in this article or by the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Cultural
Affairs Department. If a garden bed is not maintained or abandoned,
and the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department
or the garden liaison is not notified, the following steps will be
taken:
(1) First, a verbal warning by the Community Garden Liaison will be given.
(2) If there is no response or correction after seven days, the gardener
will receive a written notice from the Bloomfield Parks, Recreation
& Cultural Affairs Department.
(3) If, after another seven days, the violation has not be addressed,
the bed will be forfeited and the gardener will forfeit their garden
bed and registration fee for the season. The gardener will also not
be allowed to renew their bed during the December 1 to December 31
renewal period.
[Amended 4-23-2018 by Ord. No. 18-11]
There is hereby established a Bloomfield Township Community
Garden Committee, which shall consist of nine members whose terms
and powers are hereinafter set forth. The Bloomfield Township community
gardens shall be managed by the Bloomfield Township Community Garden
Committee, who shall enforce the rules and regulations set forth in
this article under the direction of the Township Administrator. The
Bloomfield Township Community Garden Committee shall require gardeners
to sign a use agreement, which will be available at the Township Engineer's
office, to supplement the rules and regulations set forth in this
article, provided that the Township Administrator has approved the
terms of the use agreement.
[Amended 4-23-2018 by Ord. No. 18-11]
The Bloomfield Township Community Garden Committee shall be
comprised of the following persons:
A. One member of the Township Council of the Township of Bloomfield
appointed by the Township Council.
B. An Engineer of the Township of Bloomfield appointed by the Township
Council.
C. The DPW Director of the Township of Bloomfield appointed by the Township
Council.
D. There will be six residents of the Township appointed by the Township
Council, one of whom shall serve as an alternate member.
The terms of office for members of the Bloomfield Township Community
Garden Committee shall be as follows:
A. The members of the Bloomfield Township Community Garden Committee
shall be appointed by the Township Council and shall serve for a period
of three years. Any vacancy occurring in the membership shall be filled
in the same manner as the original appointment for the unexpired term.
[Amended 4-23-2018 by Ord. No. 18-11]
B. The Township Engineer appointed to the Bloomfield Township Community
Garden Committee shall have a term of one year.
C. The DPW Director appointed to the Bloomfield Township Community Garden
Committee shall have a term of one year.
E. The balance of the members of the Bloomfield Township Community Garden
Committee shall be appointed by the Township Council and shall serve
for a period of three calendar years, with their appointment always
expiring on December 31 of the third year of appointment.
[Amended 4-23-2018 by Ord. No. 18-11]
A. The powers and duties of the Bloomfield Township Community Garden
Committee shall be limited to those enumerated herein. The Bloomfield
Township Community Garden Committee shall serve in an advisory capacity
to the Township Council of the Township of Bloomfield and make recommendations
to the Council of areas in which to open additional community gardens.
B. The Bloomfield Township Community Garden Committee shall also establish
rules and regulations, not in conflict with the Township Code, for
the use of all of the Bloomfield Township community gardens.
C. The Bloomfield Township Community Garden Committee shall also keep
track of all plot assignments, maintain a waiting list for plots,
and accept or deny applications after receipt from the Engineer's
office. The Committee shall also ensure the proper maintenance and
appearance of the gardens and will promote and educate residents on
the benefits of gardening and community gardens.