Longmont Community Gardens Rules

These rules are effective January 15, 2026 and govern the Longmont Community Gardens.

0. Introduction

The mission of the Longmont Community Gardens is to provide organic garden areas, tools, water, and a place to share gardening knowledge. This will be a supportive environment for its members and the local community where organic produce will be grown in a way that conserves water usage, respects the land and all creatures, including enhancement of bee populations and other pollinators. Natural integrated pest and weed management practices are encouraged. All products grown by members will be grown for the member’s use or provided to local food banks.

Gardeners of the Longmont Community Gardens Program are stewards of their plots and of the shared garden areas, not owners. All Gardeners are expected to consider the impact that their decisions have on their plot’s neighbors, and on the community as a whole. With this in mind, we have developed a set of rules for participation in the Program. All Gardeners are responsible for being familiar with and obeying all garden rules. Longmont Community Gardens’ Board reserves the right to revise these Policies and Regulations at any time, with notice.

When there are matters needing attention that fall outside of the scope of the written rules, Longmont Community Gardens’ Board reserves the right to make decisions related to these matters. By participating in the Program, you agree to abide by these decisions.

If you have any questions, please contact your Garden Leader first. If further assistance is needed, please contact the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board of Directors.

1. Garden Information

1.1 Garden Resources

Community Garden Program provides:

Water (regulated by the property owner, which may be dependent on weather conditions or other factors). LCG does not have control over when the water is turned on, but will do everything reasonably within our power to encourage access as early as possible each spring. However, LCG bears no responsibility for difficulties caused by late water availability.

Free, unlimited mulch is available at 11th Ave

Communal Hand Tools & wheelbarrows on site

City Composting Services (Green Bins)

City Trash Removal (Black Bins)

Community Events and Programming

1.2 Gardener Responsibilities

Gardeners/Participants are responsible for:

Annual Program participation fee

4 hours of Community Service as assigned or approved by garden leaders

Maintaining the safety and security of the Garden by correctly securing all gates and shed doors after accessing them

Regular removal of weeds from their plots

Regular harvesting of all edible fruits and vegetables

Clear, weed-free pathways around their plot

Maintaining current contact information (mailing address, phone numbers and email address) with the Longmont Community Garden Registrar

Optional supplies gardeners are responsible for:

Seeds and Plants

Fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides: ALL MUST be organic and used according to label instructions.

Hoses

Drip or soaker irrigation systems

Personal Hand Tools

Borders and Plant Supports

Row covers

Water pressure regulators

1.3 LCG Board of Directors

The Board of Directors are elected at the Annual All Members Meeting. Current board member contact information may be found on the Longmont Community Garden website.

1.4 Garden Leaders

Garden Leaders are volunteers, and are appointed by Longmont Community Gardens’ Board to assist with managing the implementation of the Community Garden Rules. The role of the Garden Leaders is to provide support for gardeners and to serve as liaisons between the gardeners and the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board. Their responsibilities include: hosting garden orientation, planning work days, issuing Garden Warnings, hosting social events, and serving as the primary communication contact for the gardeners. Garden Leaders are a great resource for questions and concerns and will try to provide information or coordinate help. Garden Leader contact information is distributed to registered gardeners prior to March 1st.

1.5 Important Dates

January 15th – February 16th: Registrar confirms renewals of rented plots with Returning Gardeners.

February 17th – April 15th: Registrar begins registration process for New Gardeners from the waitlist.

March 1st: Gardeners that have decided to relinquish their plot(s) at Longmont Community Gardens must remove any property, plants or materials from their plot by this date.

March 15th: All new registered gardeners are eligible to start working their plots.

April 1st: Plots voluntarily relinquished before this date will receive a half-refund of plot fee.

April 15th: All rented plots must be obviously worked by April 15th. (See: 2.3 Plot Care and Maintenance) Unworked or unplanted plots may be deemed Abandoned by Garden Leaders and will be reassigned without refund.

Mid-to-Late May: Water is turned on at the property owner’s discretion after the risk of frost has passed.

May 15th (or after water turned on): Gardeners may now connect permitted irrigation systems and hoses to their assigned water spigots.

June 15th: All rented plots must be visibly planted. All plots unrented by this date are made available for half the standard fee.

July 1st: All plots unrented by this date will be made available to current gardeners for food donation projects with Garden Leader approval.

2. Rules and Regulations

2.1 Registration Policy

Primary Gardeners

Longmont Community Gardens will assign garden plots to one individual, known as the Primary Gardener. This individual is solely responsible for ensuring that the assigned plot and pathways remain in compliance with the Program rules. Primary Gardeners are expected to actively participate in gardening the plot assigned to them, and must be physically present in the garden throughout the season to work the plot. They are also responsible for ensuring that individuals whom they invite to garden with them remain in compliance with the Program rules. Primary Gardeners will be held responsible for rule violations that occur from their guests and Additional Gardeners. Primary Gardeners are also required to attend at least one garden orientation per gardening year.

Additional Gardeners

Primary Gardeners may list one Additional Gardener for the plot at the time of registration. If the Primary Gardener voluntarily relinquishes the plot assignment, the Additional Gardener has first right of refusal to the plot. Additional Gardeners will not automatically receive regular seasonal emails or notifications from Longmont Community Gardens, but may request to receive regular garden-related emails.

Plot Assignment

The Board of Directors shall determine plot rental rates annually.

The Longmont Community Gardens Plot Registrar determines which garden plots are assigned to gardeners. All Community Garden Program gardeners require registration through Longmont Community Gardens. No household may rent more than two plots in the garden and persons new to Longmont Community Gardens are restricted to one plot their first year. An exception to the two plot restriction may be made in the case of a Garden Leader desiring a plot in the garden they lead, despite already having 2 plots in the other garden. This person, however, may not exceed 3 plots (2 in one garden and 1 in the other) and must relinquish 1 plot when ceasing to serve as a Garden Leader.

Garden Leaders make the final decisions as to which gardeners are eligible to renew their registration in the program. Factors in determining renewal eligibility include (but are not limited to) following Longmont Community Gardens’ Regulation, including satisfaction of the Community Service Requirement. Gardeners deemed ineligible to return for any reason other than failing to meet the Community Service requirement shall be notified of their ineligibility (and reasoning) by November 22nd by a garden leader, after which point they may dispute their ineligibility to the board. Disputes must be submitted in writing to the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board and must include concrete evidence and/or eye witness accounts contesting the stated reason for ineligibility. By November 30th, the board must decide whether or not to overturn the garden leader’s decision by a majority vote.

Renewals will be made available to previous years’ members in good standing during the period of January 15 – February 16. Returning gardeners may express the desire to return to the same plot, or to change one of their plots to another available plot. Priority will be given to returning gardeners who want to keep their plot to do so, but that is not guaranteed. Starting on February 17, returning gardeners will be given the opportunity to change plots on a first come first serve basis by notifying the plot registrar prior to or during the Jan. 15- Feb. 16 renewal time period. After renewals and plot changes are complete, remaining vacant plots shall be offered to persons on the waitlist in the order that they requested placement, including prospective new gardeners and returning gardeners desiring a second plot (no priority to returning gardeners who seek a second plot).

Gardeners that will not be returning to Longmont Community Gardens due to their own choice will have until March 1st to remove any property, plants or materials from their plot. Anything left after March 1st will become property of Longmont Community Gardens.

New gardeners are only eligible to start working their plots beginning on March 15th.

If a plot is eliminated, the gardener assigned to that plot in the previous year will have priority during the renewal period in requesting an open plot.

Seasonal Payment

It is each gardener’s responsibility to pay the community garden plot fee at the time of registration. If you cannot pay your plot fee at the time of registration, please contact Longmont Community Gardens’ Plot Registrar to request a payment plan. Garden leaders are exempt from all plot rental fees and board members are exempt from rental fees for one plot.

Relinquished Plots/Refunds/Reassignment

If a Primary Gardener voluntarily relinquishes a plot for which they have already paid in the current season, and notification is given to the Garden Plot Registrar or to a Garden Leader by April 1st, the plot will be reassigned and half of the plot fee will be refunded unless there is record of an Additional Gardener for that plot who assumes primary responsibility. No refunds will be given after April 1st. If there is no recorded Additional Gardener assuming responsibility, the plot shall be offered to the next person on the waitlist. If it is not re-rented to someone on the waitlist, the Garden Plot Registrar shall offer it, first come-first served, to current gardeners who do not already have two plots for their household. Such plots shall be re-rented at full price on or before June 15 or at half price after June 15. No refunds will be issued to gardeners whose plots have been revoked under provisions of the Enforcement Procedures (See 2.6 Enforcement Procedures). After July 1st, all abandoned or unrented plots will be recorded by the Registrar and made available for volunteer food donation projects that have been approved by Garden Leaders. Plots that are not temporarily dedicated to food donation projects will remain available for rental at half-rent for the remainder of the season.

2.2 Garden Safety

Garden Access

Gardeners must correctly secure all gates and shed doors after accessing them.

Accessory Garden Structures

No new shade structures are allowed inside garden plots. Current shade structures will be reviewed on an annual basis. If Longmont Community Gardens deems them to be unsafe, these shade structures will be required to be removed immediately. No permanent structures are allowed in garden plots. Temporary trellising, hoop row covering and cold frames are allowable. These shall not exceed 6 ft in height. All trellising or hoop row covers must be contained entirely inside the plot, must be secured, removable if needed, and shall not shade the neighboring garden plots. Accessory items, art, etc not specifically used for gardening are subject to review by Garden Leaders.

Fences

Fences are not allowed inside Longmont Community Gardens. No barbed wire or other hazardous materials may be used on, in or around exterior fencing and/or in the garden.

Manure Application

If a gardener chooses to apply manure to their plot, manure must be “aged” and needs to be immediately watered down and thoroughly worked into the soil within 48 hours of delivery.

Not Allowed in the Gardens

Plants: Marijuana or hemp cultivation. Existing trees in the garden will be individually reviewed by Longmont Community Gardens, and may be maintained, or removed as Longmont Community Gardens sees fit. No new trees may be planted.

Materials: bee hives, tires, pressure treated wood, carpet, barbed wire. Use of sheet plastic is allowed during the season as temporary mulch but must be completely removed by the end of each season. Plastic or rubber chip mulch is not permitted. Lining beds or paths under the level of the soil with sheet plastic or plastic landscaping fabric is not permitted.

Behaviors: audible music (use headphones please), sale of products including produce, unleashed pets and unsupervised children are not allowed in the gardens. (See also 2.5 Garden Conduct Regulations)

2.3 Plot Care and Maintenance

Plot Maintenance

Plots must be reasonably maintained. Reasonably maintained means that weeds including, but not limited to plants such as sunflowers, purslane, and mint are kept under control. Plants must be regularly cared for, pruned, watered and harvested. Plants must not exceed plot boundaries, or shade out a neighboring plot.

By November 15th all non-wintering plants inside of the garden plot must be removed as well as stakes, walls of water, row covers, etc. Any remaining garden-related items must be secured in the plot to ensure that they do not blow away. You may not store bags of leaves/organic matter over the winter.

Plot Neglect/Abandonment

Plots must be obviously worked and weed control begun by April 15th. The plot must be visibly planted by June 15th. Any abandoned, unworked or unplanted plots will be reassigned and no refund given.

If you are unable to keep or maintain your plot you must contact your Garden Leader immediately. The Garden Leader will notify the Garden Plot Registrar if the plot is then available for reassignment.

Unharvested Plots

If a plot is not harvested by the gardener with produce that is obviously rotting, the following procedure will be followed:

The garden leader will issue one notice to the gardener regarding rotting produce.
If the remaining ripe produce is not harvested within 3 days of the notice, volunteers may harvest the produce.
The harvested produce will be donated to a local food bank or other designated charity. This ensures that the garden remains productive and that surplus food benefits the community.

Weeds

There are many weeds in the community gardens. Weeds compete with other plants in the garden, may provide a place for garden pests to hide and multiply and can quickly become invasive. If weeds are left to go to seed they will affect neighboring plots as well. If a Garden Leader sees too many weeds in the garden plot or the plot looks unworked, the Primary Gardener will receive an email or written Garden Warning from the Garden Leader. For details regarding Garden Warnings, please reference section 2.6 Enforcement Procedures below.

Organic Only

Herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers made from synthetic chemicals are NOT permitted. All commercial Organic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides must be used according to label instructions.

Water & Hoses

Use of water should always be controlled. Ground level irrigation (with drip systems or soaker hoses) is highly recommended in our semi-arid climate. Watering at ground level keeps water off garden plant leaves, which will reduce fungus and bacteria.

Overhead sprinklers (allowed but not recommended) waste much water to evaporation and may not be used between the hours of 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. However, ground level irrigation on a timer or watering by hand can be done at any time. Irrigation systems cannot be left running unattended unless operating on a timer.

Keep hydrants in the “off” position when irrigation systems are not in use, unless a timed system is installed. It is recommended to use Teflon tape at all connection points between hydrants, timers and hoses to prevent leaking and cracking of plastic parts when tightened. Check drip systems for leaks on a regular basis. Be a good neighbor and contact fellow gardeners if you spot a leak at any water connections, and notify Garden Leaders of your actions so they can follow up.

Prior to water coming on (around May 15th) and after water turned off (around September 15th) all hoses, drip irrigation and timers must be disconnected by 4pm and remain disconnected overnight unless otherwise directed by Garden Leaders. This is to prevent damage to the water systems due to nighttime low temperatures.

Sharing Surplus

Most gardens have a food donation program that is organized by a gardener. For more information, please contact your Garden Leader. Please note that it is not permitted to sell excess produce from Community Garden plots.

2.4 Community Service, Shared Space, Shared Resources

Community Service Requirement

Every Primary Gardener is required to donate four (4) hours of Community Service time per plot per year, regardless of plot size, with a minimum of 2 hours to be completed during a scheduled workday or the member will be billed for two hours at $40 per hour. This is in addition to maintenance of the plot(s) assigned to the Primary Gardener and adjacent pathways (see Plot Maintenance below). This will be tracked closely. The deadline to complete and report service hours is November 15th. Community service hours must be logged in the manner prescribed by the Garden Leaders. Primary Gardeners are responsible for ensuring that either the required hours are completed and logged by the deadline, or that unrecorded hours are paid by a deadline specified in an invoice issued by the Garden Leader. Unrecorded hours are billed at $20/hour for the two (2) required hours outside of the mandatory workday hours. Failure to pay the invoice by the due date will mean a gardener is ineligible to renew their participation in the Program for the following year. An ineligible gardener will have the opportunity to clear his or her plot and collect their belongings within seven (7) days from the date of notification of their ineligibility. Primary Gardeners who are currently serving a term on the Board of Directors are exempt from community service.

There are many tasks needing completion and we are open to unique and creative suggestions on how gardeners can complete the community service requirement each year. Specific garden work days are often scheduled throughout the season, and participation in these work days can be counted towards the required community service hours. For approval of other proposed community service activities, please coordinate with your Garden Leader. Examples of activities available to complete the Community Service requirement:

Assist an injured or ill gardener to maintain their plot and pathways

Maintain garden tools or wheelbarrows

Attend garden work days

Maintain garden tool sheds

Volunteer at Longmont Community Gardens events

Organize a food donation program at your garden site

Volunteer in the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board

Path Maintenance

It is each gardener’s responsibility to keep their paths clear and weed-free (the half of the path closest to the assigned plot). Pathways around each plot are to be no less than 4 feet wide. Paths must be clear and weed-free. Putting mulch or planting cover on the main pathway from entrance gate to shed and including the covered picnic area is prohibited. Planting in the garden pathways is prohibited. All pathways must remain free of personal items. Longmont Community Gardens reserves the right to enforce pathway maintenance as it sees fit.

Composting

City compost removal containers with green lids are available at the garden and are restricted by the City to compostable garden and food waste. Paper and other non-vegetative materials are no longer accepted by the City. Please do not overfill or put dirt in compost bins. If bins are full, please contact a Garden Leader and wait until bins have been emptied to add any compostable debris. Please do not leave piles of debris in front of the compost bins. If bins are full you can leave compost piles in your plot until the bin is emptied.
Personal composting bins are not permitted in community garden plots or common areas.

Trash

The City of Longmont also provides trash removal services. Gardeners should use these all black trash containers for disposing of any materials not qualifying for composting, but do not put dirt into these bins either.

Tools

Basic tools and wheelbarrows are kept on site at the gardens for everyone’s use. The tool shed/bin code is given out during garden plot registration and codes may change annually. Please reach out to your Garden Leader if you need a reminder of the code.

Responsible community tool use: As respectful gardeners, we cherish our community tools, we use them carefully, we leave them better than before we used them, and we put them away for safekeeping before we leave the garden.

Please use each tool for its intended purpose

Clean tools when you are finished using them

Put each tool in its proper storage spot before you leave

If needed, ask other gardeners about the correct use of tools

If you see a tool being misused, kindly offer assistance

If a tool needs repair or attention, please let your Garden Leader know

The Community Garden Program is not responsible for any personal tools or equipment.

Vehicle Access Regulations

Vehicle access is only allowed in the Longmont Community Gardens for hauling, loading, and unloading and vehicles may not idle or stay inside of the garden unless engaged in these activities.

Mechanized Equipment

Per city zoning regulations, no person shall operate mechanized equipment including, without limitation, lawn mowers, roto-tillers, garden tractors, and motorized weed trimmers, between the hours of 8:00 pm and 10:00 am Saturday and Sunday.

2.5 Garden Conduct Regulations

Gardeners are encouraged to behave and dress in a manner that is thoughtful of the public communal nature of the garden sites and interaction with youth programming happening at the site.

No community gardener shall:

Steal, damage, or misuse any Longmont Community Gardens property or the property of another participant
Smoke any kind of substance, vape, or use chewing tobacco in the gardens or within 15 feet of any garden entrance. Tobacco may infect plants and spread the tobacco mosaic virus.
Commit harassment of any person including a. Lays a hand upon, shoves, strikes, or threatens another gardener, leaders or community member b. Engages in obscene gestures, objectionable demonstrations c. Uses foul language (swearing) or abusive verbal attack upon another gardener, leaders or community member
Commit indecent exposure
Bring a “weapon” into the gardens. Legal knives with blades no longer than 3 ½ inches in length are not weapons when used as gardening tools. This prohibition does not apply to police officers carrying service weapons in accordance with their department’s policies.
Possess or sell illegal drugs in or around the gardens.
Fail to leave any portion of the gardens immediately upon being told to do so by a Longmont Community Gardens Board Member or Garden Leader.
Fail to involve a Garden Leader as a mediator to a dispute with other gardeners
Disturb other gardeners or leaders so as to substantially interfere with their use of the gardens or constitute a general nuisance. Disturbances will be considered:

inappropriate use of personal equipment that include but are not limited to cellular phones, computers, radios, music players, MP3 players
conversations which contain any offensive utterance, gesture, or display, which tends to incite an immediate breach of peace
gardeners yelling or harassing employees, vendors or other gardeners
lack of respect for leaders or other gardeners, including actions towards leaders, community partners or other gardeners that are very disrespectful (including refusal to follow requests of leaders)

Solicit donations of money or anything of value, or sell or take orders for anything of value in any garden with the exception of persons who have entered the gardens in order to conduct a commercial transaction with Longmont Community Gardens.
Enter the garden while that person’s abilities are impaired to the slightest degree by alcoholic beverages, marijuana or illegal drugs or remain in the garden in such a state of impairment.
Longmont Community Gardens cannot anticipate every situation, but it is within our discretion to create, interpret and enforce rules as situations arise in the best interest of the program.

2.6 ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES:

Longmont Community Gardens employs a four-tiered system to ensure compliance with its Policies and Regulations: Notification/Warnings, Probation, Suspension, Termination. Garden Leaders shall be responsible for providing all notifications and warnings called for in each of the following tiers of enforcement unless the garden leaders choose to defer communication to a specified member of the board.

Longmont Community Gardens Board Members, Garden Leaders, property landowners, or property managers may intervene to prohibit any activity or behavior that appears to present an immediate danger to leaders, gardeners, or any other person on the property. Longmont Community Gardens may alert the landowner or land manager of any gardener who violates the Policies or Regulations.

Gardener’s acknowledgement of these Procedures will be kept on file along with its application to participate in the Program. Longmont Community Gardens will also keep a copy of all Regulation violations as notified per the below in addition to other relevant communications.

Initial Notification a. Notification/Warnings- A gardener who is not in compliance with the Rules and Regulations will receive a Garden Warning email or letter (when an email address is not available) from a Garden Leader. The Garden Warning will specify the Rules and/or Regulations that are currently in violation. b. Steps to Remedy the violation – The gardener must remedy the specified violation (if such violation is able to be remedied) within seven (7) days of the date that the Garden Warning was sent. If a gardener is not able to remedy the violation prior to the deadline, the gardener must contact the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board before the deadline to request an extension. Longmont Community Gardens will review all cases individually and make the final decision regarding the extension request within its sole discretion depending on the circumstance. In case the violation is not remedied within the seven (7) day period and no extension was granted, then it is assumed the gardener has forfeited the plot and the gardener may not enter probation but may be suspended within the discretion of Longmont Community Gardens pursuant to the Suspension provision outlined below.
Probation a. Definition – Any gardener who 1.) violates any Garden Conduct Regulation or 2.) receives two (2) or more Garden Warnings in one growing season for violation of any other regulations may be placed on probation. During this time, the gardener is allowed to continue gardening for the remainder of the gardening season with the expectation that he or she will comply with the Regulations and the violation has been immediately remedied. Probation may be lifted at the beginning of the following garden season so long as the gardener is in compliance with all Policies and Regulations. b. Notification – A gardener placed under probation will be notified immediately by a Longmont Community Gardens Board member if a Board member is present in the garden at the time of the violation and/or via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot, (b) a warning posted on the garden plot, or (c) a phone call to the phone number supplied when the gardener registered. Longmont Community Gardens’ Board will alert the Garden Leader(s) of the violation and the actions being taken by Longmont Community Gardens. c. Remedy of the Violation – A gardener on probation can continue to garden in their plot as long as 1) the violation is immediately remedied (if applicable to be remedied) and 2) he or she continues to comply with all of the Regulations. The gardener’s probation may end at the beginning of the following garden season assuming the gardener is in full compliance. If the gardener violates their probation by violating any Regulation before the garden season expires, he or she will be immediately suspended for the duration of the gardening season. (See section 3, Suspension, below.) d. Dispute of Violation – Gardeners who believe they have been unfairly placed on probation may dispute the probation within seven (7) days of the date of notification of the violation by the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board. Disputes must be submitted in writing to the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board and must include concrete evidence and/or eye witness accounts showing that the violation did not occur or explain the circumstances of the violation. This information will be reviewed by Longmont Community Gardens’ Board on a case by case basis and Longmont Community Gardens’ Board reserves the right to make final decisions regarding the probation within its sole discretion.
Suspension a. Definition – Any gardener who 1) violates their probation; 2) violates a Policy or Conduct Regulation twice within a period of two (2) growing seasons; or 3) violates a Policy or Regulation in a manner that Longmont Community Gardens deems extreme, may be suspended from the Longmont Community Gardens Community Garden Program. A suspended gardener cannot participate in the Community Garden Program for the remainder of the gardening season and will not receive a plot refund. Their garden plot may be reassigned to another gardener from the waitlist or maintained by Longmont Community Gardens. If the gardener does not comply with the suspension, he or she will be terminated from Longmont Community Gardens’ Community Garden Program, which does not allow the gardener to apply for participation in the Community Garden Program in the future. (See section 4, Termination, below.) b. Notification – Suspended gardeners will be notified in person and immediately by a member of the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board if a board member is present at the time of the violation and /or via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot or (b) a warning posted on the garden plot, and (c) a phone call to the phone number supplied upon registration. Longmont Community Gardens’ Board will alert the Garden Leader(s), landowner, and land managers of the violation and the actions being taken by Longmont Community Gardens. c. Effect of Suspension – A suspended gardener will have the opportunity to clear his or her plot and collect their belongings within seven (7) days of the date of notification of the suspension. After seven (7) days, any items that remain in the plot shall become property of Longmont Community Gardens and will be disposed of, donated, or reassigned to a new gardener within Longmont Community Gardens’ discretion. A gardener who is suspended from the Program may apply to participate in the Program in future growing seasons, however, eligibility to return to the Program shall be determined within the sole discretion of the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board and shall depend on the severity of the violation. d. Dispute of Violation – Gardeners who believe they were unfairly suspended may dispute the suspension within three (3) days of the date of notification of the violation by the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board. Disputes must be submitted in writing to the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board and must include visual evidence and eye-witness accounts showing that the violation did not occur or explain the circumstances of the violation. This information will be reviewed by Longmont Community Gardens board on a case by case basis and Longmont Community Gardens’ Board reserves the right to make final decisions regarding the suspension within its sole discretion. In the case that Longmont Community Gardens determines that the gardener’s suspension will be lifted, the gardener will be able to finish the growing season on probation. Longmont Community Gardens may require gardeners to participate in mediation services and/or other dispute resolution activities in addition to agreeing to additional participation terms in order to continue in the Program.
Termination a. Definition – A gardener who does not comply with his or her suspension or if Longmont Community Gardens’ Board determines, in its sole discretion, that the community gardener creates a public safety hazard, creates an unsafe environment or acts in a manner that is contrary to the spirit of the Program, Longmont Community Gardens may immediately terminate the gardener from the Longmont Community Gardens’ Community Garden Program. Terminated gardeners will not be allowed to reapply for participation in the Community Garden Program at any point in the future. b. Notification – Terminated gardener will be notified by a member of the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board in person if appropriate, but will also be notified via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot or (b) a warning posted on the garden plot, and (c) a written letter of termination. Longmont Community Gardens’ Board will alert the Garden Leader(s), land owner, and land managers of the violation and the actions being taken by Longmont Community Gardens. c. Effect of Termination – A gardener who is terminated from the Program will not be given the opportunity to remedy any non-compliance and the gardener must immediately remove his or her personal items from the gardens. Terminated gardeners will not be allowed to return to the garden property. All items that remain in the plot seven (7) days after termination will become property of Longmont Community Gardens and will be either disposed of, donated, or reassigned to a new gardener within Longmont Community Gardens’ discretion. Seven (7) days after the date of termination, Longmont Community Gardens’ Board may reassign the plot to a gardener(s) on the waitlist. No refunds will be issued for plots that have been terminated. d. Dispute of Termination – A gardener who believes they were unfairly terminated from the Community Garden Program, may dispute the termination within three (3) days of the date of notification of termination. Disputes must be submitted in writing to the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board and must include visual evidence and eye-witness accounts showing that the probation or suspension violation did not occur or explain the circumstances leading to the decision by the Longmont Community Gardens’ Board to terminate. This information will be reviewed by Longmont Community Gardens’ Board on a case by case basis and Longmont Community Gardens’ Board reserves the right to make final decisions regarding the suspension within its sole discretion. In the case that the Longmont Community Gardens determines that the gardener’s termination will be lifted, the gardener may be able to finish the growing season on suspension. Longmont Community Gardens may require gardeners to participate in mediation services and/or other dispute resolution activities in addition to agreeing to additional participation terms to continue in the Program.