August 6, 2015 - 2nd Park Workshop
May 12, 2015 - Lake Forest City Council meeting
Saturday - January 31, 2015
November 24, 2014
Wonderful News!
On Tuesday November 18, 2014 the Lake Forest City Council unanimously approved the contract to hire RJM Design Group to design a conceptual plan for the Whispering Hills Park Site. The contract amount was for $41,155 for community workshops and a design plan. After being a zoned but an unimproved park site for 28 years it has reached the next milestone. It is an open design at this point and there are competing interests, including the Lake Forest Community Garden Park concept, an open to everyone, all inclusive gardening/agriculture oriented park. There can be demonstration gardens, educational workshops and seminars, individual garden parcels for individuals and families to grow their own food, and a giving garden with the produce given to the local food bank. Demonstration areas for environmental stewardship, water conservation, recycling and composting. The primary competing proposed plan is to use the public park site for 2 indoor Soccer Area buildings to be used by the youth soccer league. This is within 1 mile of the new $45 million dollar Lake Forest Sport Park with 10 new athletic fields, including 5 beautiful regulation soccer fields. The park concept will be determined by YOU. The first workshop will be held in January 2015. When those interested in planning the Park come and look at what the community wants and needs. You draw your concept as small groups on a site plan. So if you want to see a premier community garden park on the site you need to attend the workshop. This is a unique, most likely once in a life time opportunity, for YOU to create an educational, interactive garden center for all of Lake Forest residents and for the greater Orange County community. If you want to become a part of the future and go something great of the children, families and seniors in the community please attend. The date has not been finalized yet. But you can email for name, and contact number such as email and/or phone we will keep you posted. Send an email to lakeforestgardenpark@aol.com to be on the distribution list. Thank you to all that have supported this effort for the past several years, we are at the deciding milestone to create something incredible, the Lake Forest Garden Park, for everyone to use and enjoy.
Wonderful News!
On Tuesday November 18, 2014 the Lake Forest City Council unanimously approved the contract to hire RJM Design Group to design a conceptual plan for the Whispering Hills Park Site. The contract amount was for $41,155 for community workshops and a design plan. After being a zoned but an unimproved park site for 28 years it has reached the next milestone. It is an open design at this point and there are competing interests, including the Lake Forest Community Garden Park concept, an open to everyone, all inclusive gardening/agriculture oriented park. There can be demonstration gardens, educational workshops and seminars, individual garden parcels for individuals and families to grow their own food, and a giving garden with the produce given to the local food bank. Demonstration areas for environmental stewardship, water conservation, recycling and composting. The primary competing proposed plan is to use the public park site for 2 indoor Soccer Area buildings to be used by the youth soccer league. This is within 1 mile of the new $45 million dollar Lake Forest Sport Park with 10 new athletic fields, including 5 beautiful regulation soccer fields. The park concept will be determined by YOU. The first workshop will be held in January 2015. When those interested in planning the Park come and look at what the community wants and needs. You draw your concept as small groups on a site plan. So if you want to see a premier community garden park on the site you need to attend the workshop. This is a unique, most likely once in a life time opportunity, for YOU to create an educational, interactive garden center for all of Lake Forest residents and for the greater Orange County community. If you want to become a part of the future and go something great of the children, families and seniors in the community please attend. The date has not been finalized yet. But you can email for name, and contact number such as email and/or phone we will keep you posted. Send an email to lakeforestgardenpark@aol.com to be on the distribution list. Thank you to all that have supported this effort for the past several years, we are at the deciding milestone to create something incredible, the Lake Forest Garden Park, for everyone to use and enjoy.
July 4, 2014
We are at the next step in making the Lake Forest Community Garden Park a reality. We will be distributing 5,000 postcards at the Lake Forest July 4th Parade. If you would like to volunteer to assist in handing out postcards at the Lake Forest 4th of July Parade, please call Kenton Boettcher at (949) 859-1057 and leave a message. Thank you for all your help.
If possible please attend the Lake Forest City Council Meeting where the Capital Improvement Budget will be discussed on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 7 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall. The postcards indicate 6 PM but the meeting starts at 7 PM, better early than late. Come show your support when we request the funding to hire a planning firm for the conceptual plan, park design, and cost estimates be included in the CIPB for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. This is the next step in moving the Lake Forest Community Garden Park project forward.
Show your support with an email to the City Council at “Ask Lake Forest" www.asklakeforest.com. See “Message to the City Council” on the Request form.
Thank you for taking the Community Garden Park from a Dream to Reality.
We are at the next step in making the Lake Forest Community Garden Park a reality. We will be distributing 5,000 postcards at the Lake Forest July 4th Parade. If you would like to volunteer to assist in handing out postcards at the Lake Forest 4th of July Parade, please call Kenton Boettcher at (949) 859-1057 and leave a message. Thank you for all your help.
If possible please attend the Lake Forest City Council Meeting where the Capital Improvement Budget will be discussed on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 7 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall. The postcards indicate 6 PM but the meeting starts at 7 PM, better early than late. Come show your support when we request the funding to hire a planning firm for the conceptual plan, park design, and cost estimates be included in the CIPB for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. This is the next step in moving the Lake Forest Community Garden Park project forward.
Show your support with an email to the City Council at “Ask Lake Forest" www.asklakeforest.com. See “Message to the City Council” on the Request form.
Thank you for taking the Community Garden Park from a Dream to Reality.
October 22, 2013
Hello to all the supporters of the Lake Forest Community Garden Park. Here is the latest update of the progress to have the Lake Forest Community Garden Park developed at the park site commonly known as the Whispering Hills site on Lake Forest Drive at Forest Ridge Drive.
The Lake Forest Community Garden Park was placed in the City of Lake Forest 5-year strategic plan in the July 2013 City Council meeting by a unanimous 5-0 vote. There were two other alternative projects proposed for the Whispering Hills site, a soccer arena with an estimated cost of $5 million dollars to the residents of Lake Forest, a Dog Park and the Lake Forest Community Garden Park.
During the last few meetings of the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Commission the discussion has been the type and location of a dog park in Lake Forest. At the October 17, 2013 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission it was decided that a dog section in an existing park was not the best course of action, but rather a long-term perspective of a site away from residential areas to minimize the negative impacts. During the meeting it was indicated that the Whispering Hills park site was not a viable dog park site due to the same negative impacts to adjacent residential development that occurred at all other park sites. This appears to take the Dog Park alternative off the table for the Whispering Hills site.
That leaves two alternatives for the Whispering Hills Park site, a soccer arena and the Lake Forest Community Garden Concept. At this point the supporters of the Lake Forest Community Garden Park are having difficulty forming a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation since the site has not be designated by the City of Lake Forest for the Community Garden Park. We cannot apply for grants or receive taxable deductible donations until the site has been designated by the City Council. In addition we are having difficulty getting planning assistance since the Community Garden Park has not been approved by the City Council.
Our next effort is to have those interested in the Lake Forest Community Garden Park attend the November 19, 2013 Lake Forest City Council meeting. The meeting begins at 7 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall. The Lake Forest Garden Park may not be on the agenda but we can show our support of the Lake Forest Community Garden Park during the “public comment” portion of the meeting. What we would like to convey to the City Council that we need to have the Lake Forest Community Garden Park designated as the preferred development for the Whispering Hills park site. Once the Whispering Hills park site is approved for the site we can move forward with preliminary planning, cost estimates, formation of a non-profit to seek grants and donations. It’s a long process.
In addition to attending this meeting, you can write your comments to the Lake Forest City Council members through the Lake Forest website at:
http://www.lakeforestca.gov/crm/Request/newrequest.asp#h_faq
Click on “Message for the City Council”
This would also make a good project for the local schools that envision use of the Park and field trips to the Lake Forest Community Garden Park for their students. The educational opportunities of the Community Garden Park is one of the foundations of the project. Having students express their thoughts of a Community Garden Park in their community is a great way to introduce them to city government, improve writing skills and voicing their thoughts to others.
We are one step closer to realizing the dream of a Community Garden Park at the Whispering Hills Park site. Let’s keep working toward the goal for the benefit of the Lake Forest community.
Hello to all the supporters of the Lake Forest Community Garden Park. Here is the latest update of the progress to have the Lake Forest Community Garden Park developed at the park site commonly known as the Whispering Hills site on Lake Forest Drive at Forest Ridge Drive.
The Lake Forest Community Garden Park was placed in the City of Lake Forest 5-year strategic plan in the July 2013 City Council meeting by a unanimous 5-0 vote. There were two other alternative projects proposed for the Whispering Hills site, a soccer arena with an estimated cost of $5 million dollars to the residents of Lake Forest, a Dog Park and the Lake Forest Community Garden Park.
During the last few meetings of the Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Commission the discussion has been the type and location of a dog park in Lake Forest. At the October 17, 2013 meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission it was decided that a dog section in an existing park was not the best course of action, but rather a long-term perspective of a site away from residential areas to minimize the negative impacts. During the meeting it was indicated that the Whispering Hills park site was not a viable dog park site due to the same negative impacts to adjacent residential development that occurred at all other park sites. This appears to take the Dog Park alternative off the table for the Whispering Hills site.
That leaves two alternatives for the Whispering Hills Park site, a soccer arena and the Lake Forest Community Garden Concept. At this point the supporters of the Lake Forest Community Garden Park are having difficulty forming a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation since the site has not be designated by the City of Lake Forest for the Community Garden Park. We cannot apply for grants or receive taxable deductible donations until the site has been designated by the City Council. In addition we are having difficulty getting planning assistance since the Community Garden Park has not been approved by the City Council.
Our next effort is to have those interested in the Lake Forest Community Garden Park attend the November 19, 2013 Lake Forest City Council meeting. The meeting begins at 7 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall. The Lake Forest Garden Park may not be on the agenda but we can show our support of the Lake Forest Community Garden Park during the “public comment” portion of the meeting. What we would like to convey to the City Council that we need to have the Lake Forest Community Garden Park designated as the preferred development for the Whispering Hills park site. Once the Whispering Hills park site is approved for the site we can move forward with preliminary planning, cost estimates, formation of a non-profit to seek grants and donations. It’s a long process.
In addition to attending this meeting, you can write your comments to the Lake Forest City Council members through the Lake Forest website at:
http://www.lakeforestca.gov/crm/Request/newrequest.asp#h_faq
Click on “Message for the City Council”
This would also make a good project for the local schools that envision use of the Park and field trips to the Lake Forest Community Garden Park for their students. The educational opportunities of the Community Garden Park is one of the foundations of the project. Having students express their thoughts of a Community Garden Park in their community is a great way to introduce them to city government, improve writing skills and voicing their thoughts to others.
We are one step closer to realizing the dream of a Community Garden Park at the Whispering Hills Park site. Let’s keep working toward the goal for the benefit of the Lake Forest community.
October 4, 2013
New California Law Aims to Cultivate Urban Agriculture
Legislation recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown will allow municipalities to lower the assessed value — and property taxes — on plots of three acres or less if owners pledge to dedicate them to growing food for at least five years.
Read more at: http://fw.to/i39XZeg
New California Law Aims to Cultivate Urban Agriculture
Legislation recently signed by Gov. Jerry Brown will allow municipalities to lower the assessed value — and property taxes — on plots of three acres or less if owners pledge to dedicate them to growing food for at least five years.
Read more at: http://fw.to/i39XZeg
August 1, 2013
Everyone has been asking "What is the next step" to bring the Lake Forest Community Garden Park from a concept in the 5-year Strategic Plan (Approved to be added to the 5-year plan by a 5-0 vote of the Lake Forest City Council on July 16, 2013). It was sent to the Parks and Recreation Commission which is an advisory Commission which will lead the planning effort for the Lake Forest Community Garden Park. Their recommendations will be sent back to the City Council for final approval once the planning is complete.
The Parks and Recreation Commission meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall City
25550 Commercentre Drive, Suite 100, Lake Forest, CA 92630 The agenda can be found at http://www.lakeforestca.gov/cals/default.asp .
The next meeting is Thursday, August 15th, 2013 at 7 PM. The Lake Forest Community Garden Park was not put on the agenda for discussion, so we need to ask that it become an agenda item for the meeting on Thursday, September 19, 2013.
Please feel free to come to the Parks and Recreation meetings and address the Parks and Recreation Commission in the public comments section. You can express your thoughts concerning the Lake Forest Community Garden Park at the Whispering Hills park site. At the Thursday August 15th meeting a progress report and update will be given in the public comments. Hope to see everyone there.
Everyone has been asking "What is the next step" to bring the Lake Forest Community Garden Park from a concept in the 5-year Strategic Plan (Approved to be added to the 5-year plan by a 5-0 vote of the Lake Forest City Council on July 16, 2013). It was sent to the Parks and Recreation Commission which is an advisory Commission which will lead the planning effort for the Lake Forest Community Garden Park. Their recommendations will be sent back to the City Council for final approval once the planning is complete.
The Parks and Recreation Commission meets on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall City
25550 Commercentre Drive, Suite 100, Lake Forest, CA 92630 The agenda can be found at http://www.lakeforestca.gov/cals/default.asp .
The next meeting is Thursday, August 15th, 2013 at 7 PM. The Lake Forest Community Garden Park was not put on the agenda for discussion, so we need to ask that it become an agenda item for the meeting on Thursday, September 19, 2013.
Please feel free to come to the Parks and Recreation meetings and address the Parks and Recreation Commission in the public comments section. You can express your thoughts concerning the Lake Forest Community Garden Park at the Whispering Hills park site. At the Thursday August 15th meeting a progress report and update will be given in the public comments. Hope to see everyone there.
Everyone interested in the Lake Forest Garden Park project needs to attend and speak-up at the Lake Forest City Council Meeting to be held Tuesday, June 2, 2015 at 7:00 PM at the Lake Forest City Hall. The community workshop for the design of the park was held on Saturday, January 31, 2015 with a record number of community participates. The overwhelming majority designed various forms of a Garden Park.
The detractors have framed the project as a “community garden” which often are not well-kept, rather than an Urban Agriculture Center/Garden Park managed by a non-profit organization as an educational, inspirational, and gathering place for the community in a Garden setting. It can be aesthetically beautiful, with controls and volunteer management.
The City Council set up the community input format for the Park planning process. A couple of Lake Forest Council members who has supported alternative uses, now want to postpone the 2nd Whispering Hills public workshop in an attempt to derail the project. They are attempting to destroy the integrity of the planning process. It was decided in the last 10 minutes of a 2 hr Budget Workshop, where no residents were present, to discuss postponing the Whispering Hills Workshop to prevent the conceptual plan of the design firm from being make public. One Councilman even referred to the possibly of “selling” the Whispering Hills Park site (this was litigated years ago and is illegal). The video is provided for your review. Please come to the meeting and speak up. Your voice is important, contrary to what a couple of Council Members have indicated. Bring everyone you know, anyone who attended the 1st Whispering Hills Workshop, and everyone interested in the Garden Park concept and preserving the honestly and integrity of the local government planning process.
Click here to watch a clip of the Lake Forest City Council meeting
The detractors have framed the project as a “community garden” which often are not well-kept, rather than an Urban Agriculture Center/Garden Park managed by a non-profit organization as an educational, inspirational, and gathering place for the community in a Garden setting. It can be aesthetically beautiful, with controls and volunteer management.
The City Council set up the community input format for the Park planning process. A couple of Lake Forest Council members who has supported alternative uses, now want to postpone the 2nd Whispering Hills public workshop in an attempt to derail the project. They are attempting to destroy the integrity of the planning process. It was decided in the last 10 minutes of a 2 hr Budget Workshop, where no residents were present, to discuss postponing the Whispering Hills Workshop to prevent the conceptual plan of the design firm from being make public. One Councilman even referred to the possibly of “selling” the Whispering Hills Park site (this was litigated years ago and is illegal). The video is provided for your review. Please come to the meeting and speak up. Your voice is important, contrary to what a couple of Council Members have indicated. Bring everyone you know, anyone who attended the 1st Whispering Hills Workshop, and everyone interested in the Garden Park concept and preserving the honestly and integrity of the local government planning process.
Click here to watch a clip of the Lake Forest City Council meeting
