[Communications] Native Garden_Two Questions

[Lorraine Kells]

Good questions. Mamie, so I am including all who may ask the same as my
earlier email left that a bit vague.

The ongoing meetings and the zoom meeting this evening, hosted by Colleen
Smith of the Illinois Environmental Council, will be a gathering of city
officials and some representing Ald Hopkins of the 2nd ward who drafted the
original ordinance which we spoke of at the April 20th meeting. Others
representatives will be from Openlands, the Field Museum, AUA, Blacks in
Green.  Openlands has been the most supportive of our changes to the
ordinance.

CCGA is holding out from support for this ordinance until  we are assured
the words "free' or "free of charge" are clearly stated in the ordinance to
avoid changes to the rules down the road when we'll have no say.  The ins
and outs of rules set out by DPD, ordinances followed by other departments
are a case in point for how little the city understands community gardening
or acknowledges our existence when drafting ordinances that affect all
gardeners. This wording is a thorny issue for the city, but we have made it
clear that this and  a few issues are make or break.

Our next step then is to send out letters from CCGA to alder people and
other organizations to oppose this ordinance. Before we do that we want to
make sure the full weight of CCGA is behind May in our negotiations.  If
you are a chair of a committee, have you informed your committee contacts
and discussed this.  It will be on the agenda again May 18th but before
then what can you do to bring support to CCGA's position? Do you know of
other nonprofit garden groups or organizations which would support CCGA and
oppose this ordinance if it goes ahead without our suggestd revisions?

Lorraine

On Mon, May 10, 2021 at 11:34 AM Mamie Gray <mamiegray2012 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thank you, Lorraine, for the Native Garden ordinance. Two questions: How
> do I support May; just express support via an email? What is the info for
> meeting today at 5:00 pm? Mamie
>
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