New Community Garden rules finalized following robust community outreach

By Nathan Serota
May 14, 2025
City News, DPR News

Community gardener at Makiki District Park

Following robust community outreach conducted over the past four years, the 40-year-old rules governing the Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program (HRCGP) have officially been revised!

You can view the new rules on the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation’s rules and regulations website at: bit.ly/OahuParkRules

Gardeners will have a one-year grace period to make any necessary changes to their plots and common areas to comply with the newly adopted rules. However, plot permits may still be revoked during this period for violations of any new rules that were part of the former rules and regulations. These include issues such as missed payments, failure to attend required meetings or cleanups, creating fire hazards, improper pesticide use, and violations of City or State laws. In addition, City staff will be working with the gardeners to ensure a smooth transition towards implanting these new rules.

This rule revision process began in 2021, and included coordinating with existing gardeners, new HRCGP staffing/funding, public surveying, and a public hearing in January 2025. Prior to this effort, these rules were last revised in 1984 after being first established in 1975.

While the1984 rules continue to serve as a foundation for the new rules, there are significant updates designed to address the evolving needs of our growing and changing community. By prioritizing safety, fairness, ecological sustainability, and transparency, these updates aim to ensure that the program remains accessible, enjoyable, and beneficial for all participants well into the future. The main intent of the rule revisions is to:

Enhance safety through: plot visibility requirements, no roofing, tree & fence height limits, border height limits, no cactuses in common areas, no hazardous plants near plot border, no changing surface run-off patterns, certain structures not allowed, and no hazardous materials (bird spikes, barbed wire, etc.).
Increase fairness and ease turnover of plots with: trees/woody plants in pots, no inheriting plots, City staff oversight of the application process, clearer list of violations, detailed revocation & appeal process, and requirements for new gardeners to begin plot work within 14 days.
Reduce the burden on volunteers through: City waitlist and application process oversight, annually updated contact information provided to the plot officer for each gardener, community gardens determining meeting & cleanup requirement within certain parameters, and modernizing systems by allowing email use, virtual meetings, digital payment, etc.
Promote ecologically sound practices, including: no herbicides/pesticides/fungicides or soil amendments without prior approval, water conservation measures, invasive species measures, and ban of certain materials in plots, such as Styrofoam.
Improved clarity & transparency of processes & procedures with: a clearly identified penalty process for violation of rules, fees & dues structured on a fixed schedule, roles and responsibilities of gardeners/garden officers/temporary helpers, and detailed procedures for meetings, elections, and how information is communicated.

The demand for more community gardens existed well-before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the growing push for food security and desire for outdoor activities throughout our island community significantly increased following the global health event. Currently there are over 300 gardeners on the waitlist vying for one of the approximately 1,238 garden plots within the 11 existing garden sites. Many of these expected gardeners have been waiting up to three years to participate in the City’s community gardening program.

As a result of this increased demand, DPR is also exploring additional locations to house new community garden locations in your City parks. We hope to have additional information on this effort in the near future. Mahalo to all of the community gardeners and members of the public who participated in this rule revision process. Your time and energy are greatly appreciated!

If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov