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provided many good ideas for improving the garden plans and/or addressing <br />some of their concerns. We are including some of our immediate neighbors in <br />the group of people who will oversee the implementation and management of the <br />garden. These meetings did nothing to address the neighbor's concern that <br />NCPC be required to obtain a conditional use permit. But if we do proceed as <br />planned we are off to a good start working with our immediate neighbors. <br />We are delighted that our community garden will shorten the waiting list of <br />Roseville residents wanting communiry garden plots. Some of the plots are <br />intended to provide fresh produce to area food shelves. Some are intended as a <br />form of outreach to immigrant communities such as the Karen community <br />residents in Roseville. The garden plan includes raised garden beds that are <br />handicapped accessible (an Eagle Scout project). Not all of this will be <br />accomplished in the first year of operation. We are starting small with just 15-18 <br />plots planned for this summer and may expand the scope of the operation, in <br />future years. We view all of this activity totally within the mission of our church. <br />Community gardens building community—they bring people together and that <br />builds nelworks of support. We already conduct food drives and support <br />Minnesota Foodshare financially. Providing fresh produce to local food shelves <br />is yet another way to help those less fortunate than us. And what better way to <br />welcome and assist our immigrant population than to provide them opportunities <br />to do the things they do well—like growing vegetables. We also believe that <br />growing locally without pesticides is respecting God's creation. <br />Our garden plots will be in plain sight of neighbors' homes and the 20,000/day <br />cars driving down Larpenteur Avenue. Everyone—NCPC, our neighbors and the <br />City of Roseville-- wants this development to be visually appealing. Therefore, <br />our garden plan includes elements of screening and landscaping that are not <br />present in most community garden plans. The exposed boundaries of the <br />garden will be bordered by flowers and/or shrubbery. In the near term this will <br />have to be accomplished by fast-growing, tall annuals. In the long term we <br />expect the screening will be accomplished by perennials, shrubbery or trees. <br />The assertion that "NCPC's Proposed Land Use has A Significant Likelihood Of <br />Causing Nuisances"warrants comment. <br />Gardeners will be instructed to park in the church parking lot nearest the <br />gardens. That should address concerns that gardeners might park their <br />cars on Chatsworth (which is their legal right). <br />Regarding the potential for bear, deer and other "pests" being attracted to <br />the neighborhood, consider the fact that the neighborhood already has a <br />community garden one block away (Greenhouse Village), numerous <br />private vegetable gardens in the surrounding neighborhood, numerous <br />bird feeders and birdbaths and private ponds. This neighborhood is <br />already a Garden of Eden for any pest that needs something to eat or <br />