Community garden needs only 2 OKs

The long-awaited Huntington Beach Community Garden may soon be in bloom, as the project’s developers need only a pair of city agreements before they can break ground.

David Baronfeld, the garden association’s president, said his group is ready to begin work on the site as soon as the city approves a memorandum of understanding with the garden and reaches a final agreement with Southern California Edison. The City Council approved the garden in December, and Baronfeld’s staff has been signing up prospective gardeners ever since.

"As soon as we get the green light from the city and Edison, we’ll be on the property within 24 hours," Baronfeld said.

The 2.5-acre property on Atlanta Avenue at the Santa Ana River would feature 84 15-by-20-foot plots that gardeners could lease for $100 a year. Nearly 50 members have already reserved plots.

David Dominguez, the city’s manager of facilities, development and concessions, said he looked forward to the garden taking shape, although he couldn’t predict how long the agreements would take.

"Unfortunately, it’s taking longer than we thought," he said. "But I think it will be a benefit for the community."

Baronfeld, who called the garden "a beautification project" for the area, said its primary purpose would be to provide a food source for residents who were unable to garden at home.

The rules, he said, would prohibit lessees from selling their produce for profit.

"The biggest issue, if you will, is that this is not intended for commercial use," Baronfeld said. "This is meant for families and individuals who love to garden but don’t have the wherewithal."