Community Garden Comes to Burlingame

The City Council Monday night green lighted the creation of a Burlingame community garden.  The idea for a community garden was first brought by resident Leslie McQuaide before the council at its Nov. 1 meeting.

Since that time, McQuaide, along with members of the Burlingame Community Garden Club and surveyor John Taylor, composed a survey on the garden idea. The survey was sent out in both the Burlingame e-newsletter and to a community insight group in early January.

“The survey results were that more than 90 percent of the community insight group…supported the idea,” said Mayor Terry Nagel. Additionally, she said 80 percent of those who responded to the e-newsletter survey approved of the garden, as well.

A total of 190 residents responded to the survey.

McQuaide said that those interested in participating in the community garden would first become members of the Community Garden Club. Residents could lease a plot for a year, with dues going towards garden necessities, such as water and maintenance. With these requirements, McQuaide said interest in the garden remains high.

At the Green Street Fair, 28 individuals said they would be interested in purchasing a plot, and “in a matter of 3 hours I got another 25 [outside Earthbeam],” she said.

McQuaide estimated that the sustainable garden could be ready as early at April or May.

“We can get it up this year,” she said. “The sooner, obviously, the better.”

According to a staff report on the survey, the majority of respondents believe a community garden will build community relationships, teach people about nutrition and help people locally produce healthy food, among other benefits. However, they noted some concerns over issues such as the city not being reimbursed for water and quality plot maintenance.

The plots would be open to any Burlingame resident. If some plots remained unclaimed, they would be made available to residents from outside of Burlingame.

Council members echoed the community member’s support of McQuaide’s project.

“I think the community has talked about this for a lot of years,” said councilmember Cathy Baylock.

Moving forward, staff will work to find a suitable location for the garden on city-owned property.