The Planning and Zoning Commissioners gave unanimous support to a proposed lease of city land to Middletown United Fathers for a community garden, at the P&Z meeting Wednesday night. Larry Owens (pictured) told the Commission that Middletown High School students would be doing the soil testing, and that half of the 30 plots have already been paid for and five more were reserved. Middletown United Fathers is a group of primarily men of color which formed 3 years ago to mentor boys into manhood. They collaborate with other groups Middletown High School and have adopted Macdonough Elementary School for mentoring programs.
The Commission also unanimously supported the purchase of 29 acres of land adjacent to Tynan Park on Higby Road. The purchase would be funded in part with City open space funds from a bond referendum, and in part from State DEP funds. The land owner is Cythia Jablonski, who was a P&Z Commissioner before resigning two years ago. Jablonski received approval to subdivide her Higby Road land to build a cul de sac and housing development. The Conservation Commission recommended purchasing three rear lots, two of which would have held houses. The Commissioners unanimously supported the acquisition, Chairman Quentin Phipps exclaimed, "29 acres for $250,000 of city funding on open space is a home run!"
The Common Council will take up the purchase at their May 3 meeting.
Just curious--where is the Middletown United Fathers community garden? It's nice to hear there is an interest in gardening and that more community gardens are popping up.
ReplyDeleteHurrah for more open space.
That's Middletown!
The community garden will be at the corner of Long Hill Road and Long Lane.
ReplyDelete