Beach Flats garden moved to smaller plots - Santa Cruz Sentinel

After nearly two decades of planting cactus, cauliflower and other edible vegetables on 2 acres in the Beach Flats, gardeners are being asked by the city to stop planting, turn in their gate keys and prepare to ...

[Henry]

Beach Flats has the potential to be a great place to expand the local tourist trade by redeveloping the entire area into retail, hotels and other attractions. Instead what we have is immigrants growing cactus, subsidized housing (looks like a fortress), and a flourishing drug market. Dont look to the local politicians, past or present to offer up a vision...as they can't see beyond the next social program.

[disabuser]

"The community garden, which is used by about a dozen gardeners, is special to the surrounding Latino community."

'For 15 years, the city Parks and Recreation Department has leased the land from the Santa Cruz Seaside Co. by paying the property taxes on it, which last year came to $4,400 a month."

If that figure is correct, that would $4,400 of taxpayer money per year per gardener or about ¾ of a million dollars over the 15 years. Spending other people's money; that's what Santa Cruz government is good at.

[Duh]

$4400 a month??? Why do people think that they're entitled to this?

They have received a GIFT using the land for gardening for quite a while, but it does not belong to them and is not theirs to save! The key is to be thankful for gifts when they come. It is extremely distasteful to cry foul when a gift is no longer available.

Are the 12 gardeners willing to pay the cost (approximately $367 a month if I did my math right) to continue to use the land? Maybe they could use the money they get from "peddling" the vegetables to pay for the use of the land. My guess is that if this was proposed the cry to "save the garden" would soften considerably. And who pays for the water - the city?

Furthermore, it is each person's responsibility to do their best to care for themselves and choose to eat healthy, excercise and not become obese. This is NOT the city's responsibility!

[realistic]

This whole story seems strange. For one, why on earth are the property taxes so high on a piece of undeveloped land that hasn't changed hands in decades ? Wouldn't it make more sense for the powers that be to waive or lower the property tax as long as it isn't being used for other than a donation to residents, and then raise it back up when the land is going to be developed ? Also, it didn't say in the story that the city was even going to stop paying the tax right now (and the seaside company knows nothing about it)- is the city planning on continuing to pay while it just sits vacant ? Once the seaside company plans to build, then I can see the sense in the move - but until then ? Just seems odd.

[Mexican]

When a "latino" community does something positive and meaningful it ignored or minimized. This gardening is perhaps one of our best medicines for our men to reconnect to roots of older generations who loved to work with the land, our mother earth, something its hard for some people to understand. Beach flats has been working on cleaning up, getting rid of violence, drugs and this bad reputation. As we provide with new venues for positive meaningful actvities for our adults children pay close attention and perhaps this way they will be able to choose better "role models" than the ones created by your propaganda about all "latinos" been criminals. Good JOB people at Beach Flats for speaking up for what is good for you and your community in general.

Criminal working on my English.

[Chicana]

Mexican wrote:

When a "latino" community does something positive and meaningful it ignored or minimized. This gardening is perhaps one of our best medicines for our men to reconnect to roots of older generations who loved to work with the land, our mother earth, something its hard for some people to understand. Beach flats has been working on cleaning up, getting rid of violence, drugs and this bad reputation. As we provide with new venues for positive meaningful actvities for our adults children pay close attention and perhaps this way they will be able to choose better "role models" than the ones created by your propaganda about all "latinos" been criminals. Good JOB people at Beach Flats for speaking up for what is good for you and your community in general.
Criminal working on my English.

Well said, thank you.

[2cents]

Mexican wrote:

When a "latino" community does something positive and meaningful it ignored or minimized. This gardening is perhaps one of our best medicines for our men to reconnect to roots of older generations who loved to work with the land, our mother earth, something its hard for some people to understand. Beach flats has been working on cleaning up, getting rid of violence, drugs and this bad reputation. As we provide with new venues for positive meaningful actvities for our adults children pay close attention and perhaps this way they will be able to choose better "role models" than the ones created by your propaganda about all "latinos" been criminals. Good JOB people at Beach Flats for speaking up for what is good for you and your community in general.
Criminal working on my English.

That's all very noble.
Just pay for it yourself.
No tax money!
Why do I care about rehabilitating mexicans who yearn for the olden days?
I'm busy working and paying my own bills.
No one gives me a free ride.

[Chicana]

2cents wrote:

<quoted text>
That's all very noble.
Just pay for it yourself.
No tax money!
Why do I care about rehabilitating mexicans who yearn for the olden days?
I'm busy working and paying my own bills.
No one gives me a free ride.

Anyone got a violin? I believe this comment deserves a sad note....

[Pragmatist]

Chicana wrote:

<quoted text>
Anyone got a violin? I believe this comment deserves a sad note....

No, it's your constant whine which would benefit from violins.
Ask around- you are a fat-bottomed complainer lacking gumption.
Look it up!

[the cow says - MOOOOO]

This is rediculous. The people who live in the beach flats are mostly [illegal] latino immigrants who don't even speak english. Why are they entitled to free [paid by taxpayers] land to garden with?

It's time to flush out these illegals and starting with their garden is a great idea. Cut them off!

[Chicana]

Pragmatist wrote:

<quoted text>
No, it's your constant whine which would benefit from violins.
Ask around- you are a fat-bottomed complainer lacking gumption.
Look it up!

Don't need to look it up my fine chap. You are just another on my list for which I say: Bravo! Great comeback! Where do you get your comedy??!??

[Brian]

For years, the white liberal "progressive" establishment encouraged Beach Flats to remain a Hispanic area.

That did wonders for their white liberal guilt complex, but they sure never wanted Latinos moving into their neighborhood!

Now comes a rude awakening for local Hispanic leaders who bought into all of this crap and supported the "progressive" leadership. You've officially been scammed.

[get it right]

henry:
"Beach Flats has the potential to be a great place to expand the local tourist trade by redeveloping the entire area into retail, hotels and other attractions."
...wait, aren't we locals usually pissing and moaning about this? the second some old dudes want to hang out and grow food we suddenly love the toursits?

"immigrants growing cactus" ...who were, incidentally, growing cactus long before our european ancestors came here and illegally profited from their labor in the fields of crops more desireable to the european palate.

disabuse, duh, two cents:
"...property taxes on it, which last year came to $4,400 a month."

"If that figure is correct, that would $4,400 of taxpayer money per year per gardener or about ¾ of a million dollars over the 15 years. "

incidentally, that figure is NOT correct because you misquoted the article. what it comes to is about a buck per resident over the fifteen years. if you have a hard time parting with a dime per year, i'm happy to chip in for you. duh.

brian:
"white liberal guilt complex, but they sure never wanted Latinos moving into their neighborhood!"

As a white person who lived in the Beach Flats, actually in a house that overlooks the garden, I never felt scammed. I felt like I had a good deal because, while I hated waking up to tourists trying to park and sounds of a roller coaster, at least I had the peace of the garden next to me. I felt honored and more like a part of a real community than I have ever felt on the westside. When I would ride my bike home at night after work, there was always one of two groups on the street corner, either a gang of young Latino men or a gang of white men in uniform. One group would routinely say hello politely and engage me. The other would avert their eyes as if I wasn't who they were looking for. It was never once the cops who said hi.

[Real in Santa Cruz]

Let's face it. To the powers that be, they can't stand to see a plot of land being used, but producing no revenue.
Guaranteed that land will go unused until someone will profit from it.
Real in Santa Cruz

[Henry]

Get it right...
I aint part of your we...SC needs and deserves true economic development and given that tourism is planted here to some extent...I say we fertilize it and make it grow and Beach Flats is the perfect place to make it grow.

Please dont lecture me about illegal profits....there is no substance to your comments.

[Mexican]

In 1989 I came in from Mexico and moved to the flats, VERY SAD AMERICA I FOUND. Once, the guys stole the four wheels of a police car, I guess you can call this your tax money. Once the other 12 guys I lived with were arrested while I was working on a real job, not everyone chooses the same path. New role models are emerging, pay attention, we are evolving you are staying ignorant. Our ancestors warned everyone to care for mother earth, to create community, care for the land, SOME PEOPLE are catching up with that, some can't see further than their NARIZ. NOSE.

[American]

Mexican is right on. If part of one generation becomes criminals, the next has much more hope. New role models is the cure to feeling outcast, have to join a gang, etc.

What if you could be a great artist instead of having to tag gang territory? If potential and current gang members had options other than to be locked into a criminal mentality, and put as much hate for the guy wearing the wrong color into community help and discussion, there could be a solution.

As more immigrants from all places learn english, much more communication and discussion is possible. Translation brings clarity and understanding, and a a little PEACE. I can rest at peace knowing what and where my nariz is!

[Pat Kittle]

American wrote:

Mexican is right on. If part of one generation becomes criminals, the next has much more hope. New role models is the cure to feeling outcast, have to join a gang, etc.
What if you could be a great artist instead of having to tag gang territory? If potential and current gang members had options other than to be locked into a criminal mentality, and put as much hate for the guy wearing the wrong color into community help and discussion, there could be a solution.
As more immigrants from all places learn english, much more communication and discussion is possible. Translation brings clarity and understanding, and a a little PEACE. I can rest at peace knowing what and where my nariz is!

The best way to prevent illegal immigrant gangs is to stop the tsunami of illegal immigrants. But that wouldn't appease your knee-jerk liberal hyper-sensitivities, would it?

[Realman]

Secure the border- then we'll talk!
Final offer.
I'm out of patience.