Welcome to Richmond Grows Gardens
Under the leadership of Mayor Levar M. Stoney, our City Administration recognizes that community gardens
provide economic benefits, increase social equity, strengthen our community, and promote environmental
stewardship.
The goals of Richmond Grows Gardens are:
- To support the sustainability goals for the city of Richmond: improve the quality of life for
residents, create a healthy environment and enhance economic development and job creation
opportunities;
- To increase the public’s understanding of the value of community gardens and the need for
community gardens in the city;
- To encourage and facilitate local urban agriculture which increases access to fresh, nutritional
food for residents-particularly those in underserved communities; and
- To transform vacant and underutilized city parcels into productive gardens.
We support the development of community gardens throughout Richmond. We define a community garden
as: A portion of city owned property used to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers, herbs, wood
products, native or ornamental plants for non-commercial purposes, i.e. where there is no
exchange of goods for monetary value.
We offer city property for community gardens to incorporated organizations, unincorporated organizations
and governmental organizations via an online application process. These Garden Groups are encouraged to
engage with individual gardeners by creating their own policies to rent plots or otherwise let individuals use
their parcel.
We also support commercial gardens. We define a commercial garden as: A portion of city owned
property leased from the City of Richmond and used by the lessee to grow fruits, vegetables,
flowers, herbs, wood products, native or ornamental plants to exchange for monetary value off-
site. We offer city property for commercial gardens to eligible applicants who must negotiate a lease with
the city’s Department of Economic and Community Development. The lease also requires approval by City
Council.
All Garden Groups, individual gardeners and commercial gardeners must follow the Richmond Grows
Gardens Rules and Guidelines.
Directions to Apply
Please use the map below to select a potential parcel (Garden Site) to permit or lease. If you would like a plot to
garden rather than permitting or leasing an entire city parcel, please click on a vegetable icon and use the contact
information that appears. If you wish to choose and permit or lease an entire site, scroll in and click on the available
site and the Permit Application will appear. You will have a maximum of 60 minutes to complete the application.
You cannot save or return to the application.
Please review the "Permit Application" menu tab ahead of time using the link on the left side of the home
page to ensure you have all the necessary information with you while completing your online application.
Keeping Citizens Informed!