SEPTEMBER 2012

WEST FRESNO URBAN GARDEN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

The West Fresno Urban Garden Implementation Plan identifies
near-term goals to construct a community garden, and long-term
goals of increasing capacity, outreach, partnerships and
coordination to create a network of community gardens and food
distribution in West Fresno, California. West Fresno is a
neighborhood in the City of Fresno with a population of 35,000. Its
land use pattern is a mix of industrial and commercial sites
interspersed with residential properties. Compared to other
neighborhoods, West Fresno lacks some public services and
amenities. It is divided from the rest of City of Fresno by freeways
and there are many brownfield sites that contribute to blighting
influences.

Despite these challenges, the community has a strong sense of
pride and resilience, and a desire to improve its physical and
environmental health.

hi October 2011, the Fresno Youth Council for Sustainable
Communities (FYC), guided by the Center for Multicultural
Cooperation (CMC), sought to address two concerns through one
project: addressing blight and food security issues through the
construction of one community garden on a brownfield in West
Fresno. With support from EPA, FYC and CMC identified a site
upon which to construct a community garden. After gathering
information, interviewing stakeholders, and conducting research
there was a realization that in order to address the blight and food
security concerns effectively, the construction of a community
garden would just be the beginning.

The initial goal of the project was for the project team (see text box) to
support FYC and CMC to identify, assess and begin the initial steps in
planning and constructing a community garden on a brownfield in West
Fresno. To plan for the community garden, the project team:

¦	Assisted FYC and CMC in identifying potential
brownfield sites for the first community garden in West
Fresno

¦	Assisted FYC in conducting an environmental history on
the potential garden sites

¦	Identified potential partners for urban garden support

¦	Hosted a workshop to inform and obtain ideas from the
community

¦	Created an Implementation Plan with short- and long-term
sustainability elements

(.available at: www. epa. gov/region9/brownfields)

PROJECT HISTORY	

The project builds upon a previous
EPA supported project entitled,
"Transforming the Golden Westside"
(www.wpa.qov/region9/brownfieldi5/fresno
W/index.html). This community
engagement project was successful in
large part because of the participation of
CMC and FYC at community meetings.
Project accomplishments include:

•	Presentations by national and local
experts to the community

•	Gathering community input on
brownfields and reuse ideas

•	Engaging Fresno Youth Council

•	Educating the community on
brownfields redevelopment

•	Understanding brownfields tools

•	Creating a Community Action Plan

PROJECT TEAM	

•	EPA Region 9 staff

•	U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and Natural Resources
Conservation Service

•	Fresno Metro Ministry

•	Fresno County Economic
Opportunities Council

•	Center for Creative Land Recycling
(CCLR)

•	SRA International, Inc.

CONTACT

Sara Russell

EPA Brownfields Project Manager
415-972-3218 ¦ russell.sara@epa.gov

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SEPTEMBER 2012

THE FRESNO YOUTH COUNCIL

The Fresno Youth Council for Sustainable
Communities is a partnership between the
California Center for Civic Participation,
the Center for Multicultural Cooperation,
and the Wangari Maathai Center. Its goals
are to develop and deploy well-prepared
youth advocates in fast-moving regional
and statewide decision-making processes
in the sustainability realm.

CMC guided a youth-led brownfields urban
garden and food project in southwest
Fresno. CMC is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit
organization that provides quality youth
leadership. CMC coordinates the Fresno
Youth Council, (www.cmcweb.org).

PHASE I	

The overall project goal was to identify a site for a pilot community
garden. The selected site is on the corner of Belgravia and Fairview
Streets, adjacent to Edison High School and Computech Middle
School. It is composed of portions of parcels owned by the Fresno
Unified School District and the City of Fresno. The site area is
approximately 1.50 acres, 600 feet wide and 100 feet deep. The initial
phase includes the following:

¦	Planting areas for about 75-100 people - several factors
determine the type of planting area, such as nature and
condition of the soil, user requirements, and disabled access

¦	Gathering areas for gardeners to congregate, such as plazas,
sitting areas, playground

¦	Teaching area for instruction, such as a small amphitheater
with semi-circular seating

¦	Support areas, such as tool and supply storage, and composting

¦	Pedestrian/bicycle path, access areas and landscaping

¦	Expansion area to be reserved for future expansion, and
which may require clearing and landscaping

¦	Additional elements and features to potentially be located in
one of the areas above, include: bulletin board; farm stand to
sell produce; decorative fence and public art - donated or
community-provided art; decorative shading covering
portions of the teaching and gathering areas

¦	Utilities for the first phase include water and irrigation

Additional planning activities and meetings are necessary to refine the
building program, construction budget, possible project phasing,
fiindraising, and stakeholder organizing. Planning will also address the
construction program in the expansion areas.

PHASE 11 AND NEXT STEPS	

Over the course of the project, FYC and CMC determined that building this initial garden will be the first step. To
ensure the continued operation of this first garden and the vision of FYC and CMC for redevelopment and food
security in West Fresno, an expanded network of community gardens, food distribution, and community
education, the following activities are necessary:

¦	Obtain program management assistance, primarily through technical assistance, partnerships, funding and
capacity building

¦	Conduct brownfields assessment work on the property

¦	Strengthen ties with partners and participants to help cany out planning and implementation of
development; design, site identification, analysis and acquisition; community gardens construction; type of
operations at each garden; food distribution; education programs

¦	Conduct additional planning and outreach activities

¦	Obtain funding and in-kind contributions for program management and operations

¦	Work with the City of Fresno to modify policy and permit requirements for community gardens

¦	Obtain agreements for the planning, design and construction of a community garden network to: plan and
build; operate and manage; distribute food; obtain funding and in-kind contributions; coordinate school garden
activities with the community garden network; and coordinate ancillary programs, such as art, beautification
and education, and volunteer participation programs

¦	Obtain assistance for coordination, operation, construction and maintenance activities in the effort to
create a thriving urban community garden network


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