Warren St. Marks Community Garden Bylaws
623 Warren Street/94 St. Marks Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Block 0934, Lots 19, 66, 68
Revised March 2013
wsgarden.org
Welcome!
In the 1980s the Warren St. Marks Community Garden between Warren Street
and St. Marks Place and 4th and 5th Avenues was transformed from a vacant lot
full of debris into a working community garden by volunteer work of people in this
community.
In order to continue to provide this neighborhood in Brooklyn with an opportunity
to collectively garden a small area of land, we rely on a commitment from each
member to help maintain the space. To become a member, we ask that you sign
the garden registration form indicating that you understand and agree to follow
the rules below which were developed by garden members.
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is:
o To promote and protect green space in our neighborhood.
o To provide residents of the neighborhood with a safe and beautiful
place to garden and to learn gardening skills.
o To promote community in our neighborhood by providing residents
with a place to meet and work together
MEMBERSHIP & FEES
 Eligibility.
Membership is open to anyone 18 years and older who pays a nominal
annual fee and follows the garden’s bylaws and rules. Youth under 18
may accompany adult members into the garden. There must be at least
one adult per ten youth.
We also work with community groups to bring further gardening
opportunities to more people. In recognition of our variety of members, we
have both individual plots and community plCreated on 3/2/13 1:25
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PMCreated on 3/2/13 1:25 PM4/14/13ots; members are not required to tend a
plot, nor are they guaranteed a plot of their own. In an effort to be
responsible to our environment, we compost, and we do not allow the use
of non-organic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Members must respect
these rules and other rules as established by the by-laws and/or at the
start of the growing season.
 Types of Memberships
There are three types of memberships. Each membership is allotted one
garden key at the start of the season. Each membership gets one vote in
any and all voting processes if they are a member in good standing.
A member in good standing participates in a garden work team and
attends 4 garden work days per season. Members in good standing are
full voting members of the garden after a 3-month probation period.
There may be special additional requirements for plotholders (see
seasonal information page).
THE THREE TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP ARE:
-
Individual Member. This is a membership held by a single person. This
member gets one vote, according to the member in good standing
definition above.
-
Household Member. This is a membership held by a household of
multiple people who live in the same residential unit. The household
membership gets one vote and one key regardless of the number of
people in the household. Any and all members of the household can
contribute to the garden member-in-good-standing requirement
(above) in any combination desired by the household.
-
Institutional Member. This is a membership held by an institution such
as a school, religious, or civic organization. The institutional member
gets one vote and one key regardless of the number of people involved
in the institution. This member must fulfill the requirements of a
member in good standing. Any and all members of the institution can
contribute to the requirement in any combination desired by the
institution.
The general terms “member” or “membership” apply equally to individual,
household, and institutional members.
 Becoming a Member
To establish membership, an adult (over 18 years old) must sign the
appropriate membership registration form, pay the annual dues, and take
an orientation tour of the garden. The membership registration form
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requires contact information as well as a signature indicating that the
member understands the garden rules and agrees to abide by them. In the
case of a household or institutional membership, the adult representative
signing the form will be responsible for their household or institution (e.g.,
as contact person, making sure rules are followed, etc.).
For safety reasons, members are asked not to allow their underage family
members in the garden alone. Please let the membership coordinator
know when someone joins your household or if you move.
Dues must be paid on the first garden workday of each year. Members
who are able are urged to consider making additional financial and
material donations. An installment plan for membership payment may be
arranged. Anyone who joins the garden after Labor Day may skip a year
and renew in the spring of the following year. There is a fee for a lost key;
please note that it can take several days to replace a key. Members must
return the key if they do not renew.
 Member Work Requirements.
All members, non-plotholders and plotholders alike: are required to
participate in a garden work team and attend 4 garden work days during
the growing season (April to November).
Plotholders only: Plotholders are expected to make an extra work
contribution. Fulfilling this obligation is a requirement for keeping a garden
plot. Specific additional work requirements are described in the seasonal
information page (attached).
ORGANIZATION & GOVERNANCE
The running of our garden is overseen by volunteer coordinators who are part of
a steering committee. Major decisions are made by the entire garden community
and by consensus whenever possible. Therefore, attendance at Membership
Meetings is important for all members who wish to participate in decision-making.
See more information on Meetings below. Our relationship with citywide
organizations also has an impact on our organization.
Specific details on policies such as the amount of dues and number of open
hours are subject to change as the need arises and are available on a separate
Garden Information Sheet for each year’s growing season. These details may be
changed by vote at a regular monthly Membership Meeting. Garden rules are
also available on a separate sheet of paper and may be changed or amended at
regular monthly Membership Meetings.
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Garden Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee consists of a group of coordinators, which may include a
garden coordinator, a treasurer, an administrative coordinator, and coordinators
for plot distribution, membership, events, communications and fundraising.
Any member in good standing may join the Steering Committee when there is an
opening after they have completed one year of membership. This waiting period
can be waived by the steering committee, if a vacant coordinator position cannot
be filled. Everyone is encouraged to take his or her turn running the garden. At
the start of each growing season, the coordinators will be elected by those
present at the Annual Meeting. Other members can participate in Steering
Committee meetings as they like and should coordinators step down during the
growing season, the Steering Committee and any members participating in a
Steering Committee meeting will seek to replace that coordinator. At least one
coordinator position must be filled by a resident of either Warren Street or St.
Marks Place between 4th and 5th Avenues.
Citywide Community Gardening Organizations:
Our garden is currently owned by the Brooklyn Alliance of Neighborhood
Gardens (BANG), a local land trust. As part of our membership IN BANG we
are required to follow BANG bylaws, which are available on our website.
We also receive services from GreenThumb of New York City, an organization
supporting community gardens and providing them with free supplies and
workshops.
OPEN HOURS
We aim to keep the garden open to the public for 10 to 20 hours per week,
from April to November. This helps make sure that all members of our
community, whether garden members or not, can enjoy the garden.
MEETINGS
Annual Membership Meeting (February/March)
The most important meeting of the year! At this meeting, the decisions and
actions of the previous year are reviewed. The bylaws may only be revised at this
meeting. Elections for the Steering Committee are held at this meeting.
Members who want to be part of making the basic decisions and policies for the
garden should attend this meeting. All members are invited and encouraged to
attend. A quorum of a majority of steering committee members need to be
present to vote on garden changes.
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Monthly Garden Work Day and Membership Meeting. (April to November).
This is a day when members gather in a group to do basic garden maintenance.
It is a great way to help the garden with major chores, and to learn gardening
skills from more experienced gardeners. It ends with a one-hour membership
meeting. A quorum of a majority of steering committee members need to be
present in order to vote on garden policy changes. Members need to be notified
of pending votes on policy changes a week ahead of time.
Monthly Garden Business Meeting: (Meets 2 weeks before each garden work
day). This is a business meeting that requires a quorum of a majority of Steering
committee members. Details of garden administration will be the general topic of
these meetings. Members interested in being part of the ongoing implementation
of garden policy established during the Annual Meeting, scheduling, event
planning, and problem solving, should attend these meetings. All members are
encouraged to attend.
One membership-in-good-standing = one vote. Members may be individuals,
households, or institutions.
GARDENING
The garden has communal flower, vegetable, and herb plots. Individual plots are
also available for planting. Only the vegetables and herbs are available for
picking; please do not pick flowers from the communal beds. Please do not take
produce or flowers from individual plots. Non-organic pesticides, herbicides or
fertilizers shall not be used in the garden. We have several composting areas
and gardeners are requested to use them. Remember, the smaller you chop
things up, the quicker they break down.
Each month, from April through November, the garden hosts a Garden Work
Day. A potluck barbeque may follow each work day. The garden coordinator
and other experienced gardeners will be available on these days to show
members what needs to be done in the garden, including watering, picking up
garbage, tending the compost, clearing weeds and debris from the paths, etc. All
members are strongly encouraged to attend as many monthly Work Days as
possible. These serve not only as a way for us to keep up with work in the
garden, but also as an opportunity for members to get to know one another, learn
from each other and strengthen our sense of community. A chore board is posted
in the tool shed. Members are also encouraged to participate in the nongardening work, which include mailings, meetings, committees, fundraising,
capital planning and coordination with other organizations.
INDIVIDUAL PLOTS
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Individual plots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Allocating
those plots is the job of the plot coordinator. Members wishing to acquire a plot,
or increase or otherwise alter their current gardening space, or tend additional
space, should consult this person.
Only members in good standing may have plots; members who do not pay
their dues, fulfill work team requirements and other additional
requirements as established at the start of the growing season, or maintain
their plots risk losing them. If you have a garden plot you are expected to
actively maintain it and you must till your plot by the second garden day of the
season. After that date, untilled plots will go to the next person on the waiting list.
Plot-tenders must weed the walkway in front of their plots. Members are not
allowed to work in another member’s planting area without prior approval of that
member. Members questioning the ownership of unharvested crops should
contact the plot coordinator. Members who are unable to harvest their crops are
asked to make arrangements with other garden members or contact the plot
coordinator so that harvestable crops are not wasted. Produce and flowers not
picked from individual plots by Marathon Sunday in November are up for grabs
by all garden members.
Additional work responsibilities for plotholders are described on the seasonal
information page (attached).
EVENTS
Our garden schedules several events each year, such as participation in Spoke
the Hub’s Local Produce Festival, occasional movie nights, children’s activities,
and a bake sale during the NYC Marathon. Only paying members who have
attended an orientation, have a key, and have been a garden member for at least
three months can host garden parties/events. All garden parties and events are
open to all garden members. There are no private parties. Proposed events must
be approved by the Steering Committee and announced to garden members.
The garden may not be used for exclusively private parties. There is a suggested
donation for formal ceremonies. The garden charges a fee for commercial use.
FINANCES
The Garden approves a budget for the following year at its Annual Meeting.
Operating funds are set aside each season for garden materials, tools and
scheduled events. Members wishing to request garden funds that are not
budgeted must have the request approved by three coordinators, with the
knowledge of the treasurer, to make sure funds are available. All reimbursement
requests must be filed with the treasurer within 90 days of the purchase. Failure
to follow these procedures may result in the member not being reimbursed.
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COMPANION ANIMALS
Dogs of members are allowed in the garden if they are registered by their owner
who is a garden member in good standing. Other dogs are not allowed in the
garden. Dogs must be accompanied by their owner at all times, and kept on a
leash. Dogs may not use the garden as a place to urinate or defecate. The
garden’s dog rules and registration form are available from the membership
coordinator(s) and must be read and filled out before a dog is allowed in the
garden.
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
If there is a conflict between members or in the governance of the garden,
mediation will occur in three ways, in the following order:
1. The steering committee’s monthly business meeting. If that fails, then
2. The steering committee’s monthly business meeting, with the presence of
a mediator agreed upon by both parties. If that fails, then
3. As a last resort, a general membership meeting will be called to discuss the issue
and resolve the conflict with the help of a moderator, and a vote by paper
AND/OR ELECTRONIC ballot.
GENERAL
 The garden strives to comply with New York safety and legal
codes.
 Structural additions or alterations to any portion of the garden are
subject to the approval of the Steering Committee group before
proceeding with plans. Only organic, nontoxic building materials
should be used.
 All notices, information and ornamentation not pertaining directly to
gardening activities are subject to Coordinator approval before
posting or installing in or around the garden.
 The garden should be an open and inviting place for those who
pass by, especially during our official open hours, to be set,
announced and posted each season. At other times members are
encouraged to leave the entrance gate open while in the garden
with another person, but note that you are responsible for anyone
you allow to enter.
 Please be considerate of those living in the buildings adjacent to
the garden and of all of our neighbors on Warren and St Marks. s
 No persons will be denied access to the garden or be otherwise
subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color,
national origin, sex, age, handicap, marital status, or sexual
orientation.
 Members concerned with the observance of the garden rules as
they apply to themselves or to other members should contact the
Coordinators to resolve questions or disputes.
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GARDEN RULES FOR EVERYONE
The Community Garden is a special place we share. To keep it as wonderful as possible, please
abide by the following rules.
1. Children, bring your grownups! Anyone under the age of 16 years needs supervision by a
responsible adult when visiting the garden.
2. We care for and respect our plants and trees. There can be no climbing trees or stepping into
plant beds. Please stay on the paths.
3. We welcome dogs who are well behaved, i.e. do not dig, graze, or use the garden as a
bathroom. Dogs must be registered with our membership coordinator before being brought into
the garden. Also, all dogs must be kept on their leashes.
4. Everyone loves our flowers. Please, no picking.
5. Please be thoughtful and polite when harvesting edible plants in the community plots: do not
pick all the food from any single plant. Leave some for the next member. Also, please remember
not to pick anything from the private plots.
6. Always try to leave the garden cleaner and nicer than you found it. We live by the
campground rule: carry in, carry out (i.e. food containers, or garbage).
7. Protect your feet! Shoes or sandals are recommended in the garden.
8. Stay safe! Any act that may cause harm, compromise safety or endanger people in the garden
is prohibited.
9. No smoking, drinking, or illegal drug use. Due to NYC's open container law prohibiting
drinking of alcohol in public spaces, alcoholic beverages cannot be permitted in the garden.
10. Be a good neighbor. Please keep noise to a minimum.
11. Locks are expensive. Please protect them by locking them back onto the gates even when the
gates are open.
12. The garden is meant to be a welcoming place for everyone. Please keep the gates open and
put out the welcome sign boards when you are here. (Put them back in the shed when you leave,
as they can be damaged by rain.) If you are in the garden alone, it is prudent to lock the gate
behind you. The gate must be locked when a member is not present.
The Warren St. Marks Community Garden is a volunteer organization.
Together, we can keep our garden green!
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Warren-St. Marks Community Garden
GARDEN INFORMATION 2013 GROWING SEASON
Note: See bylaws for more detailed descriptions of garden policies.
New members:
Read bylaws, pay dues, sign up for a work team and 4 garden work days, complete application
form, and attend a garden orientation to become a member and receive a key.
Membership dues:
4/14/13$10 to $25, depending on your pocketbook.
Community Service Requirement:
Each member must participate on one garden work team and attend 4 garden work days to be a
member in good standing.
Work teams:
Watering/Weeding; Community Plots; Compost; Sidewalk/Treepit Maintenance and Special
Maintenance; Children’s Events; Fundraising/Grantwriting; Open Hours; Special Events; Pruning
and Offseason Maintenance.
Lost key fee: $10
Plotholder responsibilities:
Plot holders must fulfill all general member requirements plus participate on one additional
garden work team (see Community Service Requirement above).
Monthly garden work days:
10:00 am to 1:30. This includes monthly garden meeting and community potluck lunch from
12:30 to 1:30. Dates: April 14, May 11, June 9, July 13, August 11, September 7, October 13,
November 9.
Monthly membership garden meetings
12:30 to 1:30 during monthly garden work days (see dates above)
Monthly garden business meetings:
7pm, in garden, unless another location is announced. Meetings are scheduled to take place two
weeks prior to garden work days.
Garden coordinators for 2013 Season:
Administrative Coordinator – Andrea Kannapell
Garden Coordinator –Emilie Hagen
Communications Coordinator – Valerie English
Events Coordinators – Kathy Hutson and Chloe Abercrombie
Fundraising Coordinator – McRae Petrey
Membership Coordinator – David Bivins
Plots Coordinator – Dylan Mabin and Tammy Dunn
Treasurer – Ruth Chasek
BANG Liaison – Sheri Stein
Website: wsgarden.org
Posted Open Hours:
10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Saturdays and Sundays
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