2010 KP/R Community Garden Party Photos

View all of the party photos HERE

KP/R Community Garden Autumn Gathering this Sunday!

Rosedale Citizens' Alliance (RCA) invites you to join us for our annual Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden autumn gathering.

Come tour the community garden, meet your neighbors and fellow gardeners and stay for the tasty refreshments and good conversation.

Sunday October 24, 2010 @ 11AM

Interior block bounded by 20th, 21st, D & E Streets NE
(Alley entrances on D, E and 20th Streets) 

D.C. Health Dept.'s Post-inspection Summary of KPRCG Site Inspection

As requested by Commissioner Raglin, Maria Hille - Program Manager, Bureau of Community Hygiene, DC Department of Health - performed a site inspection in and around the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden on August 18, 2010 to observe conditions that might harbor and provide breeding areas for mosquitoes.

Below is Ms. Hille's post-inspection summary email to ANC7D01 Commissioner Raglin and KPRCG Co-coordinator Bob Coomber. Bob Coomber's email response follows. Emails have been reproduced in their entirety and italicization has been added for reference.

For background on this situation, refer HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.

*************************
Sent August 20, 2010


Dear Ms. Raglin and Mr. Coomber,

On Wednesday [August] 18, 2010 I conducted the inspection at the neighborhood and only found 2 problems, one case of overgrown vegetation that needs to be reported to the proper authority and water logging at a property on E St. NE. I already started investigating on the responsible parties in order to address these concerns. The yards appear cleaner and clear from clutter than last year.

The community garden also looked much better maintained than last year. No debris piles, no standing water, no gross overgrowth. The only item that needs attention is a better layout of the screen material at the mouth of the water barrel to prevent any intrusion of mosquitoes.

Any further questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. Thanks,

Maria Hille

Program Manager / Bureau of Community Hygiene / HRLA
DC Department of Health / Animal Disease Prevention / Government of the
District of Columbia

825 North Capitol St., NE / Suite 8026
Washington DC 20002
Office: (202) 535 -1952
Mobile:(202) 380 - 6944
Fax: (202) 535 -1359
maria.hille@dc.gov / www.doh.dc.gov

*******************************
Sent August 20, 2010

Thanks Ms. Hille. We will work on getting a better screen.

Regards,

Bob Coomber

Round IV - KPRCG vs. Kingman Park Civic Association

Below is a response email from Frazer Walton - President, Kingman Park Civic Association - to Bob Coomber's email response to ANC7D01 Commissioner Raglin dated Thursday, August 12, 2010 . Bob Coomber's response to Franzer Walton follows. Emails have been reproduced in their entirety; italicized text has been added for reference.

********************
Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 at 12:33 PM

ROSEDALE ALLIANCE "GARDEN GROUP" NON-COMPLIANCE WITH D.C. HEALTH CODE COMMUNITY COMPLIANCE REQUEST THAT THE GARDEN GROUP COMPLY WITH D.C. LAW

Mr. Coomber:

This e-mail comes in reply to your e-mail dated August 12, 2010. The Kingman Park Civic Association is very disappointed that you would make false, untruthful and intentionally misleading statements to the D.C. City Counsel, officials of the District Government, the ANC Commission, and the general public. You have falsely stated, and implied that the Rosedale Alliance "Garden Group" did not commit D.C. Health Code violations last summer. This misleading misrepresentation was made by you, when you stated in your e-mail that the owner of the subject "Garden" lot was cited for health code violations and not the "garden group."

The truth is that the owner of the subject "garden" lot was cited last summer for health code violations that were committed by "The Rosedale Alliance Garden Group." See the attached, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH INSPECTION REPORT. The false representations [in your August 12th e-mail] that the garden group was not responsible for the health code violations are inexcusable and extremely deceptive. This now leaves your credibility, and the credibility of your group in question.

In addition, you have falsely and intentionally mispresented the fact that the garden group did not build an illegal wooden fence, which surrounds the "garden lot." This is an out right falsehood. The fence was build by several members of your garden group, and witnessed by neighbors, many, whose homes are adjacent to the garden lot. Mr. Jordan and you failed to obtain required governmental permits to construct the fence, and you proceeded to construct the fence despite objections by many of the adjacent landowners.
The obstruction created by the fence prevents many of the adjacent landowners from observing and reporting suspicous criminals to the police and appropriate authorities. This is exactly why you and Mr. Jordan are required to obtain permits first. Unwanted strangers and characters are seen coming and going from the rear of adjacent homes at all times of the night and day. Your group greatly contributed to this problem because the problem did not exist prior to your efforts to bring dozens of individuals to the rear of the homes. We are demanding that you and your group remove the illegal fence and stop this course of misconduct.


Equally disturbing is your untruthful statement that dead bodies or a dead body was found on the lot. Nothing is further from the truth. What type of morbid thought would bring you to make such a false statement. Before you arrived we had a wonderful neighborhood, and we will continue our reputation as a historically great D.C. community.

KPCA will continue to monitor this issue, and we will not hesitate to contact public officials and neighors about any unlawful activity and health code violations. I am sure that Ms. Marie Hille of the D.C. Department of Health will confirm the violations caused by the "garden group" last summer. Committing these health code violations for a second summer is not responsible activity. I suggest that you contact her immediately.

Sincerely,

Frazer Walton
President
Kingman Park Civic Association

Attachment: D.C. Department of Health Inspection Report


***********************
Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 4:30:53


Dear Mr. Walton:

In my email, I wrote that the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden "conversed with DC DOH, rectified all issues they raised, and a citation was not issued" last summer. A brief record of that conversation can be seen in the DC DOH report, which you attached to your email. It is supportive of the account of events in my emails. The Report did not state that the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden or its members were issued a notice of abatement or a citation, which runs counter to your claim that there was a "misleading misrepresentation was made by you, when you stated in your e-mail that the owner of the subject 'Garden' lot was cited for health code violations and not the 'garden group.'" The Report does not involve the issuance of any citations, but only mentions that an abatement notice was sent to "Mr. Asad Hameed, who owns the land that is used by the community garden."

There are many issues that contribute to the mosquito problem in the Kingman Park and Rosedale neighborhoods, and a well tended Garden is at the bottom of the list. On the plot next to the Garden, the vegetation grew so long at one point this summer that it was much higher than the fence that has surrounded the Garden area for many years. Such overgrowth is a source of mosquitoes; as are the large puddles that form in the dilapidated alleys; as are the water traps in all of the backyards on either side of 21st Street, NE between D and E Streets that do not properly drain; as are clogged gutters. Working together to rectify these issues would be a more effective use of your, Ms. Raglin's, and my time and energy.

Our DCRA compliant repairs to the fence have been addressed by my previous emails. Your claim that it prevents people from seeing criminals inside the Garden is difficult to understand, considering the fence is largely transparent. (see attached picture below)



I did not write that dead bodies or a dead body was/were found in the Garden lot. The first reference to dead bodies being found on the property that contains the Garden was in your email. It is disturbing that you created this issue.

I have been in close contact with Ms. Hille of the DC DOH. In an email to Ms. Raglin this morning, Ms. Hille wrote that I corresponded with her "in a responsible manner and disclosed many details that left me at ease with confidence that the garden was under capable hands." Feel free to contact her for further information.

If you have any further concerns, feel free to contact me. I look forward to working together with other Kingman Park and Rosedale residents to address the issues that confront us.

Regards,

Bob Coomber
Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG) Co-coordinator

Round III - ANC7D01 Commissioner Calls Upon DC Department of Health

Below is an email exchange between SMD7D01 Commissioner Raglin and Maria Hill -
Program Manager, DC Department of Health, Animal Disease Prevention - in reference to a requested site inspection, by Commissioner Raglin, for purported mosquito infestation within the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden. Emails have been reproduced in their entirety.

For a further background information, read Round I and Round II

*******************
Date: Monday, August 16, 2010 at 9:35 AM


Good Morning Ms. Raglin,

Thanks for your comments.

Please be informed that as soon as your complaint came to me, I contacted Mr. Coomber, the Coordinator for the KPR Garden and inquired about his garden management, approach and techniques. I did not get involved with anything else.

I ensured that:

1. any situation that leads to the mosquito breeding and harborage such as piles of yard waste, standing water, thick plant overgrowth were taken care of.

2. making an effort in changing watering (irrigation) habits to watering only at the ground level and not wetting the foliage of the plants.

3. Informing him that Tiger mosquitoes are able to breed in droplets of water that are retained in the foliage.

4. Use measures to discourage the attraction of opossums, raccoons and rodents. Any fruit/vegetable waste to be removed from the yard and prevent compost areas.

Mr. Coomber responded in a responsible manner and disclosed many details that left me at ease with confidence that the garden was under capable hands. Please understand that summer is peak time of West Nile Virus surveillance, complaints and other related activities related to not only mosquitoes in the city.

I’ll be glad to reach you once I inspect the entire area. The inspection, as you may recall from last year, is extensive because it includes inspecting the residents’ yards, which also contributed to the mosquito problem last year.


Regards,

Maria Hille
Program Manager / Bureau of Community Hygiene / HRLA
DC Department of Health / Animal Disease Prevention / Government of the District of Columbia
825 North Capitol St., NE / Suite 8026
Washington DC 20002

Office: (202) 535 -1952
Mobile:(202) 380 - 6944
Fax: (202) 535 -1359
maria.hille@dc.gov / www.doh.dc.gov


*******************
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 5:12 AM


Ms. Hille,

As the Program Manager for the Arborvirus Surveillance Program, I am disappointed that it took 17 (seventeen) days for you to find the current owner of the property and to contact me to schedule an inspection for a community hygiene problem in the neighborhood. Your "lack of opportunity to conduct an inspection this year" erodes the confidence of DC residents in the DC Dept of Health's ability to respond and protect all of its citizens as required by law and gives the "garden group" a wanton and reckless license to create any unhealthy situation in the community without impunity.

I am sure Mayor Fenty would want faster service and response to community concerns because he just apologized and pledged better service to D.C. voters. In the meantime, other candidates have promised better and more efficient service.

Please notify me of 3 potential inspection dates and times so that I can arrange my schedule to walk with you.


Veronica Raglin

ANC 7D01

Round II - ANC7D01 Commissioner vs. KPRCG

Below is "Round II" of emails between ANC7D01 Commissioner Raglin and Bob Coomber, Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG) Co-coordinator. This is an ongoing debate in reference to the current conditions of the garden and how it impacts the surrounding neighbors and the Kingman Park and Rosedale communities.

Read all about "Round I" HERE.

Note: Emails have been reproduced in their entirety, italicized information has been added for reference.

*************************************************************************

Sent Date: Thursday, 12 Aug 2010


Dear Ms. Raglin:

Let me apologize again to the many individuals who are unnecessarily copied on this email - those whose charge does not include responsibility for ANC7D, Ward 7, or community gardens. I feel I must copy you on my responses to set the record straight.

Nothing I wrote in my previous email was false or misleading.

In the attached pictures from 2006(see photos below), a fence is visible, and it is visibly old; the fence was erected well before the Garden existed. The Garden members repaired this fence with like materials after part of it was destroyed by a stolen vehicle in 2008.





The District did not provide soil for the garden. A receipt from the soil company that delivered our soil is attached to this email.

Since you state that individuals have been gardening on the property since the early 90’s, it is unclear why you believe gardening today is a source of crime and disease. The area that contains the Garden has repeatedly been described by long time residents as I wrote in my previous email, i.e. as a parking lot and dumping ground during the 1990's and early 2000's. Many long time residents also described the area as a Victory Garden in the early 1940s (there was also a Victory Garden on Kingman Island, as you said).

The Rosedale Citizens Alliance was not cited for mosquito infestation last year. We conversed with DC DOH, rectified all issues they raised, and a citation was not issued. The area South of the Garden is not controlled by Garden members, and became overgrown with four-foot tall weeds this summer. Garden members and residents called to complain, and the District sent a clean up crew and fined the owner. The Garden plot would suffer a similar fate if we were to let it go to seed, as you apparently prefer. It would thus become a more pernicious breeding ground for mosquitoes and other critters. I am not denying that there are mosquitoes in the Garden; I am denying that the Garden is a worse source of mosquitoes than an overgrown, vacant lot or the large amounts of standing water that collects in the 2000 block of D St. NE each time it rains.

As for the name of the part of town in which we live and areas North and West, I attached image of a map from 1905 (see maps below) that identifies Rosedale as a neighborhood. Isherwood is also identified, but Kingman Park is not. Further, DC Municipal Regulations distinguish among Carver/Langston, Rosedale, and Kingman Park. See 10-A DC ADC § 813.6; 10-A DC ADC § 1508.13; 10-A DC ADC § 1509.9; and 10-A DC ADC § 1511.5.





If there are any complaints about a specific Garden plot (each are marked), please let me know, and I will ask the Gardener to clean it up. If they do not do so within 48 hours, I will do it myself.

The overwhelming majority of property owners adjacent to the Garden are supportive of, or participants in the Garden, according to polling we conducted last year. Many have participated in our annual cookout, and all were invited. The additional members of the Garden (save one) are residents of Kingman Park, and most are your constituents. They support the Garden too. Long time residents have also told me that the Garden property has not looked so nice in more than forty years. I believe I have provided more than enough information in this email and the previous email to satisfy your issues.


Regards,

Bob Coomber
(bob.coomber@gmail.com)
******************************************************************************

Sent Date: Monday, August 9, 2010


Dear Mr. Coomber and others:

This is an official response to your email dated July 30, 2010.

Your email did not address my concerns because your responses were false and misleading:

First, do not apologize to anyone for the emails I have sent as a D.C elected government official who represents the neighborhood. Who do you think you are?

Second, Unnessary Individuals: The DC City Council and department heads etc, ANC7D should be informed about issues in the neighborhood because their job involves input on community issues which ultimately affect our quality of life in the neighborhood. The concerns delineated about the "garden group" affect the whole community at large and the adjacent property owners in particular. It appears that you and your group continue to give the impression that you are knowledgeable about gardening when in fact your group is jeopardizing community health standards by violating city codes and regulations.

Third, Mr. Coomber, I see you moved into the former Jones family home within the last 2 years. As the coordinator, I am sure you are aware that the DC Dept of Health cited the Rosedale Citizens Alliance for mosquito infestation (live larvae in rain barrels) last year. I personally inspected the rain barrells last month (July 2010) and found the same violations were present: top and side spout opening had no screens. The CDC (U.S. Center for Disease Control) issued a health annoucement about mosquitoes and the spread of West Nile Virus and Dengue Fever coming up the East Coast. Therefore, it is imperative that these sources of infestation, which the DC Dept of Health says is there policy, be taken seriously and immediately addressed. In fact, one of your participants, complained to the DC Health Department last year because the mosquitos were proliferating out of control. She also sought medical attention for mosquito bites last year and wears protective gear for the mosquitos when she goes to the garden.

Another of your participant's husband (deceased 2003) and neighbor had gardens there for many years during the 1990's and early 2000. In addition to a garden, the lot has been used as a baseball field and playground. The Victory Garden you refer to was not on this field but on Kingman Island. Check your map for its location.

Fourth, FALSE FENCE INFORMATION: The fence around the garden was erected within the last 3 years (2007-2010). There has never been a fence around that lot since the houses were built between late 1930's and early 1940's. I can provide affadavits from many long-time neighbors, (30, 40 and 50 years) if and when necessary, that there was never a fence there before your group erected an illegal fence without a required government permit in 2007. In fact, I checked with DCRA and there has never been a permit issued for this vacant lot.

Fifth, despite all of your claims, this garden is a source of health and safety issues to the adjacent property owners. I have raised these issues with Councilmember Alexander. Why do people who do not live in the neighborhood come to this area to garden at all hours in the back of other people's homes? Could my neighbors and I garden in the back of homes on Capitol Hill? Hillcrest, Georgetown? Crestwood? What is your agenda? People moving in and around our homes are security risks. We are now experiencing more auto break-ins, robberies, bulgaries, and more suspcious and unknown people walking in the neighborhood, especially at nignt in the alleys, near the "garden". I have observed at 10:30pm, someone prowling in your garden. It is only a matter of time before homes will be broken into.

Sixth, CONTAMINATED SOIL: Neighbors obseverred a DC Government truck dump soil on the garden lot. A television news release in May 2010 reported that the dirt the District government had given to D.C. residents was contaminated above EPA levels. My concern is that the the contaminated soil with all its airborne contaminants, is a health hazard to this garden group, its children, adjacent property owners and the community. Who will be responsible for the health problems when they arise?

Please see the letter from the Kingman Park Civic Association regarding the University of Massachuetts Soil Report. I agree with the comments of the Civic Association.

Seventh, ATTRACTIVE NUISANCES: Rotting and rotten vegetables attract rodents and insects. If you are the coordinator, you are responsible for the overall condition of the garden, whether or not the plot participants maintain their plots. This garden needs to be cleaned-up. You can't have it both ways.

Finally, the Rosedale name is also misleading. The Kingman Park Community is legally recognized by the D.C. Federation of Civic association under the D.C. Charter as the official community name with its boundaries from M St NE at the U.S. Aboretum on the North, Bladenburg Road to 15th & East Capitol on the West, 15th & East Capitol Street on the South and the Anacostia River on the East. Rosedale is an area around the recreation center only. As a newcomer, your attempt to change the name of the community and desseminate false information is dishonest and further conveys that your garden group has disengenous motives.

I hope I have clarified these issues for you and if you have any more concerns, you can contact me.

Veronica Raglin
ANC 7D01
(veronica.raglin@mris.com)

Please Support the Common Good City Farm

Hey Folks,

When the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Gardeners asked people to help, Common Good City Farm gardeners sent letters. Now it's KPRG turn to return the favor!

Please take a moment to help save the Gage-LeDroit Park Project and write to the Libraries, Parks & Recreation Committee councilmembers listed below - ASAP!


Background - Common Good City Farm is located on a 3-acre site where the Gage-Eckington School once stood. For over two years the communities of LeDroit Park, Bloomingdale and Eckington have worked with the Mayor and his offices to make sure the site turns into a public community park space.

· We have done everything asked of us by the Mayor's office and acted in good faith to find actual solutions to these challenges.
· This park provides much needed public space for families, children, pets and residents
· This Park provides a public safety benefit
· Thousands of hours of community time have been spent by hundreds of residents to make this a reality

We heard this morning that once again, the PARK FUNDING IS AT RISK. Please help Common Good City Farm and all of our neighbors. Write to and/or call the following people, see the petition below:

Libraries, Parks & Recreation Committee

Chairperson:
· Harry Thomas, Jr. hthomas@dccouncil.us (202) 724-8028
Committee Members:
· David A. Catania dcatania@dccouncil. us (202) 724-7772
· Kwame R. Brown kbrown@dccouncil. us (202) 724-8174
· Phil Mendelson pmendelson@dccounci l.us (202) 724-8064
· Yvette Alexander yalexander@dccounci l.us (202) 724-8068


Dear CM Thomas,

I am contacting you about the resolution you have on today’s Council agenda. (Reprogramming No. 18-0096 Disapproval Resolution of 2010". PR 18-0742). Please WITHDRAW this resolution and approve the funding reprogramming of funds that will enable the park on the grounds of the former Gage Eckington School to continue.
I am a volunteer at and supporter of Common Good City Farm, a community non-profit already established on the grounds of the former Gage Eckington School and growing fresh food for low-income residents. This project, as well as the whole Park Project is critical for the community and Washington, DC.

As recently as January 5th, you committed by email to support the efforts to get the contract resolved and moving again. What has changed? My understanding from all involved is that the Administration has done everything appropriate to get this project on track again after the contract missteps.

Why are you singling out our modest park and the $1.5M funds it requires?

For over two years, Bloomingdale, LeDroit Park have worked in good faith with Council, the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor and City Administrator and have spent thousands of hours demonstrating the best in our communities to get a much needed project completed. For the second time in 6 months, your office is behind the delay and possible end of this project.

If there are issues with this project that you feel must be addressed, why has there been no communications with the community about them? I stand willing to meet and discuss any of the relevant issues with this project.

(As a resident of the LeDroit Park neighborhood or as a supporter of Common Good City Farm), I implore you to move forward with this park project. I know that there are many hundreds of residents who will be extremely upset if your efforts are responsible for further delays or worse for this project.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS (if in the adjacent neighborhoods)

Please Support the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden

Dear Garden Friends,

Please show your support for the Kingman Park Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG)! This year, we are attempting to purchase the land the garden occupies from current private property owner. This owner has taxes owed on the property. First, we'll have to raise the money for the land-purchase. Second, we'll need the city to excuse the back taxes owed on the land so that the sale can go through.

We need to send letters from supporters to city council and would like to have them on hand for grant opportunities. We need these by the end of the day, Thursday, April 23!*

Please see the sample letter (below & HERE) and change the text as you wish to make it your own. Hand signed copies are preferable!

You can send the letter to us either by email Rosedaledc@gmail.com or contact us (Rosedaledc@gmail.com) for fax number or snail-mail address. We'd rather have a signed support letter, but due to the short notice, we'll gladly accept a support email message sent to the above email address.

*If you can't get us a letter by Thursday, April 23, please send your message/letter of support as soon as possible for future grant opportunities.

More information can be found at the Kingman Park Rosedale Community garden Website, click HERE

Thank you!

KPRCG


SAMPLE SUPPORT LETTER

April 23, 2009

Re: Support for the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community Garden (KPRCG)


To Whom It May Concern:

I am pleased to write this letter in support of the Rosedale Citizens' Alliance (RCA) and the community garden they sponsor, in the lot bounded by the alleys of 20th, 21st, D and E Streets NE.

As a resident of the Kingman Park/Rosedale Community, I appreciate their efforts to create a welcoming community space for all to enjoy. For several years, this land was not maintained and became a dumping ground for junked vehicles and other trash. The garden group has been a good steward of the land for the past five years. I support their efforts to purchase the land and maintain it as a community garden and gathering space.

The KPRCG, which is run by RCA, has been a community gathering point, providing a space for the residents of Kingman Park and Rosedale to connect with each other, share stories and celebrate our neighborhood. Under the care of RCA, the site of the KPRCG has become a unique space for neighbors to gather.

I support RCA's efforts to purchase the land and encourage the city council to waive the back taxes owed by the current property owner. This will ensure that the land is preserved as a community space, providing more space for growing edibles, growing our garden, building and beautifying our community.


Sincerely,

Name
Address