Rules & Regulations

 

 Manoa Community Garden Rules and Regulations

Effective August 12, 2018

All members of Manoa Community Garden (MCG) are subject to the Rules and Regulations of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Parks and Recreation; and to the Rules of Manoa Community. Information about MCG is available at http://manoacommunitygardens.blogspot.com

Plot Assignments (Updated due to Covid): 

1. To join MCG, you must email your Name, Email Address, Home Mailing Address, and Phone Number to:  manoacommunitygardens@gmail.com. You will receive a confirmation email.( If you do not have email, no problem, contact Nicole B. at (808) 219.9333. The waiting list is rather long at the moment, but rest assured that we will contact you when your name reaches the top. Due to the Pandemic, MCG is not holding meetings at this time. If you are on the waiting list, and we do begin to hold meetings, please do not attend meetings unless by invitation. We will invite you when you have a plot. This is for safety, and managing group size.
2. There is a limit of one plot per household. The Applications Officer assigns plots. When plots are assigned dues/fees are to be paid, and will be forwarded to the Treasurer. The fees are $20 for a city use fee, $5 for MCG membership, $20 deposit (total $45.00). Fees are to be paid in full by check  to 'Manoa Community Garden', or by cash. Check is preferred.
3. New gardeners must attend the next clean up after the meeting in which the plot was assigned. The community will help clear the plot for the new gardener, if necessary. At the clean up, officers will instruct new gardeners on MCG rules, introduce them to other gardeners, and show them around.
4. The $20 deposit will be returned to a gardener only if the plot is retired (not revoked); and if the plot is cleaned out.  All plants, trellising, fencing, pots, wood, metal, etc., should be removed.  
5. You must start planting within 2 weeks of receiving a plot. If you do not start gardening by the next monthly meeting your plot will be automatically revoked by the membership. 

Gardener Responsibilities: 

1. Annual dues for members are $5 for MCG membership and a $20 city use fee (total $25.00). Dues are to be paid in full by March 31 of each year. Failure to pay dues will result in plot revocation.


2. No herbicides are permitted. Pesticides and fungicides must be OMRI or OTCO certified.
3. No structures can be erected in MCG without the permission of the C&C of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation. Trellises cannot exceed 5 feet in height.  Plants should not exceed the 5 foot height limit.
4. All tool boxes and materials must be stored within the plot border. Tool boxes must not be larger than 18 inches X 18 inches X 5 feet.
5. Anything up to one foot in height can be located on the inside plot border. Anything over 1 foot and up to 3 feet in height must be at least 6 inches inside the plot borders. Anything over 3 feet and up to the 5 foot height limit must be placed at least 12 inches inside the plot borders. This rule includes but is not restricted to: raised beds, fences, walls, borders, trellises, posts, boxes, and plants.  The measure point of the 5 foot height limit is based from the brick pavers upward.  This rule applies to ANYTHING & EVERYTHING.
6. Walkways must be kept clear of all obstructions.
7. Plants growing in your plot must not extend past the border of your plot.
8. Gardeners are responsible for keeping the aisles between the plots free of weeds. You must weed at least a 1 foot wide area of all the brick walkways around your plot. The community will weed the remaining aisle areas during community clean ups. No herbicides are permitted.
9. Do not trim, remove or damage any existing plants outside your plot in the community garden area.
10. You can only garden from sunrise to sunset (daylight hours).
11. Use water sparingly. Do not rinse tools or vegetables in the aisles. Rinse everything in your own plot.
12. Gardeners are required to have a mailbox in their plots or an email address.
13. Carry all trash home. Compost green waste (no noxious weeds). Chop plant material into small pieces before adding it to the compost pile. Do not dispose of trash in the school or park bins. Anyone caught breaking this rule will have their plot revoked.
14. Produce cannot be sold or put to any commercial use. Anyone caught violating this rule will have their plot revoked.
15. No mass plantings of perennial plants (such as ginger, heliconias, tapioca, etc.).  Mass planting is defined as any planting greater than 20% of your plot.
16. No trees can be planted in the ground within the garden plots.  Trees can be grown in pots, but pots must be raised off the ground with at least 3 inches of air flow underneath, in order to prevent potted trees from rooting into the ground.  The overall 5 foot height limit still applies.  The measure point of the 5 foot height limit is based from the brick pavers upward.  "Trees" refer to "trees and/or other potentially tall plants with deep/extensive root systems" that are classified as trees for the purposes of the Manoa Community Gardens.
17. Gardeners wishing to transfer plots must first have their current plot clean before transferring.
    

Meetings:

1. All members are required to attend 4 meetings per year (1 per quarter is recommended).  Failure to do so will result in the revocation of your plot.
2. To receive attendance credit, you must sign in on the attendance list before the meeting is called to order. You must stay for the entire meeting.

Clean ups:

1. All members are required to contribute 6 hours clean up service per year. You must come to the scheduled clean ups. You must sign in when you arrive and sign out when you leave in order to receive credit. You are not permitted to work on your plot or aisles around your plot during clean up service.
2.  Failure to contribute 6 hours of documented community clean-up per calendar year will result in plot revocation.

Revocation of Plots:

1. For warnings cited on the monthly monitor report, you have 2 weeks to correct the warning.  If the warning not corrected you will be issued a second warning and given 2 weeks to correct the warning.  Failure to correct 2^nd Warning will result in a Letter of Revocation for your assigned.
2. Anyone caught in an illegal act, an act of violence, or threatening an act of violence will have their plot suspended immediately. No gardening will be permitted pending a ruling by the coordinator of the community gardens program.
3. Any gardener who is unable to garden due to illness or travel should notify the president of MCG.
4. Any gardener who plans to be away more than 3 months should give up their plot.

Administration:

1. Read the bulletin board. Posted information constitutes a formal notification to all gardeners.
2. Any expenditure over $50 must be approved by the membership.
3. Rule changes will be voted on by membership. Manoa Community Gardens Rules & Regulations 2015