The document proposes a permaculture design for the garden of the Arab Cultural & Community Center of San Francisco. It provides an assessment of the site, a vision and goals for the garden to support the ACCC's mission through community space, education and food production. A phased timeline is suggested to implement elements over 3 years through community involvement."

1. Design Proposal
The Arab Cultural & Community Center of San Francisco
nora leininger
deanna monaco
lily laurence Urban Permaculture Institute
Urban Permaculture Design Course
Spring 2010
brie mazurek jen schlaich

2. The ACCC is on the corner of Laguna Honda and Plaza
2 Plaza Street, San Francisco, CA 94116-1421

3. The ACCC is on the corner of Laguna Honda and Plaza
2 Plaza Street, San Francisco, CA 94116-1421

4. The ACCC is on the corner of Laguna Honda and Plaza
2 Plaza Street, San Francisco, CA 94116-1421

5. The ACCC is on the corner of Laguna Honda and Plaza
2 Plaza Street, San Francisco, CA 94116-1421

6. The ACCC is on the corner of Laguna Honda and Plaza
2 Plaza Street, San Francisco, CA 94116-1421

7. Alley & main garden access. Front yard.

8. photos

12. History, Vision and Goals

13. History
Site history:
Cattle grazing in mid 19th century
Building built in 1925
ACCC acquired in 1973, left vacant
Geographic location:
San Francisco, Forest Hill neighborhood
Watershed:
San Francisco South Coastal

14. Vision and Goals
ACCC's Mission and Programs:
Cultural programs: language, art, film, poetry, music,
cooking
Youth outreach: children ages zero to college; includes
after-school tutoring program serving recently immigrated
Yemeni children living in the Tenderloin, college counseling
for high schoolers, and more
Social services: citizenship training, jobs search resources,
housing, immigration, cultural competency, legal referrals,
women’s services, domestic violence, health and nutrition
education

15. Vision and Goals

16. Vision and Goals
To help the ACCC in its
mission, the garden will
provide:
Community space:The
garden will be a place for
ACCC community to come
together for classes,
meetings, and volunteer
activities, as well as a feature
to attract visitors, new
members, and the
neighboring community. It will
be a place for the community
to celebrate, learn, work, and
relax together

17. Vision and Goals
To help the ACCC in its mission, the garden will provide:
Education: The garden will be an educational tool for the
Center’s educational programs, to help educate children and
adults about gardening, food production, sustainability,
waste/composting, health, nutrition, and cooking. It will include
some vegetables, herbs, and fruits that are significant to Arab
cuisine and culture, so the garden can be used in concert with
the Center’s cultural education programs, cooking classes, and
community service and outreach.

18. Vision and Goals
To help the ACCC in its mission, the garden will provide:
Food production: The
garden will produce food
that can be harvested for
the Center’s members and
visitors, as well as low-
income Yemeni families
living in Tenderloin, who
may have limited access to
fresh produce.

19. Vision and Goals
Other considerations for goals:
Low-budget
Low-maintenance
Kid-friendly (potential daycare program)

20. Assessment

21. Assessment
Sectors:
Directions
Climate
Sun/shade
Wind
View
Noise
Pollution
Slope
Boundaries/edges
Animals and pests
Access
Human use
Soil
Water
Existing vegetation
Waste
Community
On-site structures/resources

23. Strategy

24. Base Map of Garden

25. The most significant sectors
Slope
Water
Noise
Sun / Shade
Human flow

26. The site slopes from the
upper South corner to
the lower North corner.
Water sources include rain,
catchment, hose, and greywater

27. Laguna Honda is a noisy street

28. Sun and Shade

29. Zones

30. Some Garden Elements

31. Cob bench using earthbags for structure

32. Garden Strategy overview
Sectors:
Climate: Optimize sunny areas, catch water, plant for
climate to obtain yields
Sun/shade: Plant to maximize use of sunny spots
Wind: Block wind with trees and fence-climbers
View: Block traffic and neighbors with trees and climbers
Noise: Buffer with tree row
Pollution: Buffer with tree row
Slope: Catch and store water
Boundaries/edges: Soften border with trees and plants
Animals and pests: Address as needed

33. Garden Strategy overview
Sectors:
Access: Maximize with use of paths and keyholes
Human use: Use zonation; create an inviting space for
relaxation, work, education, and celebration
Soil: Sheet mulch to reinvigorate
Water: Catch, store, and channel
Existing vegetation: Mulch over weeds
Planting: Plant in guilds with cultural keystone plants, and
include other edibles to obtain high yields
Waste: Install worm bin; potential for graywater
On-site structures/resources: Incorporate into site

34. Community Strategy
Community:
Educate and involve ACCC community at all stages to
cultivate partnership, interest, and support
Enlist the Permaculture community to install garden and
maintain in early stages
Promote through ACCC events and membership
Incorporate with education and cultural programs
Offer gardening, compost, etc., workshops to members
Create culture of sharing, family, and fun: workdays,
potlucks, community events, children's programs
Harvest days, volunteering, social service

35. Plants and Animals

36. Plants and Animals
Animals:
Bees, ducks?, gopher snakes?
Plants:
Cultural keystones requested by
ACCC:
Trees: fig, lemon, pomegranate
Vegetables and fruits: Persian
cucumber, onion, garlic, zucchini,
squash, cabbage, grape leaves,
tomato
Herbs: mint, thyme, sage, basil

37. Plants and Animals
Keystones and Guilds
were created with consideration of:
Permaculture Guild Principles
e.g. N-fixer, dynamic accumulator,
insectary
Companion Planting
e.g. grouping plants with similar feeding
needs
Climate
best chance of success (save resources)

38. Plants and Animals
Keystone Species & Guilds Veggie Guilds
Apple & Plum Trees: Squash Guild: Persian
borage, chives, crimson cucumbers, okra, zucchini
clover, foxglove, nasturtium (summer squash),
parsley. pumpkin (winter squash),
chayote, beans, peas,
Fig Tree: borage, radish, sunflower,
chrysanthemums, marigold, nasturtium, marigolds,
nasturtium, pennyroyal. California Goldenrod,
catnip.
Lemon Tree: chamomile,
marigold, crimson clover, {Dislikes: potato, aromatic
nasturtium, sweet alyssum, herbs.}
yarrow.

39. Budget
Two main concerns:
1. Cost for the ACC
2. Amount of maintenance they will need to do
We plan to minimize the costs as much as possible through
donations where appropriate and other cost saving strategies,
such as volunteers.

40. Budget
Considerations for budget were: water, materials to re-route gutter,
barrels for water storage, drip irrigation, tools, bees, greenhouse,
cob materials, worm bin, and plants.
Highest cost is the price of water: 15,000 gallons est. for site/year
We will minimize this through:
Site design
Use of a rainwater catchment system (greywater in future)

41. Budget Roof-Water Catchment Potential:
We plan to collect roof-water from
two sections of our roof. There exists
the potential to collect 10,070 gallons
of water per year. OR 183 55-gallon
barrels
Rain harvesting savings estimated at
1,600 gallons = $1000
15,000gallons estimate needed per year-
gallons rain (slow,spread,sink on-site) from
rain events-550(3)gallons stored rain = 2350
gallons of water /yr paid by ACCC
Cost estimate =
$1294/year water bill
($107/ month)

43. Budget
TOTAL BUDGET ESTIMATE
water ($1294) + gutters ($246) + barrels ($180) + drip ($300)
+ tools (free) + bees (free) + worm bin ($25) + cardboard
(free) + cob (free) + greenhouse ($200) + plants ($515) =
TOTAL $2760

44. Questions and Areas for
Further Assessment

45. Questions and Areas for Further
Assessment to raise awareness .
Making connections:
Canvas neighborhood
Connect with Permaculture guild.
Connect with GFE (which is right nearby).
Connect with SF beekeepers guild.
How does the graywater system work? How exactly should an irrigation system be
integrated?
How will the garden be maintained over time? By whom?
Design and plant the front yard and sidewalks.
Get more specific about which annual plants rotate where over time.
Design a better transition from concrete steps to garden.
Design front yard archway to highlight alley entrance
What could be grown that would be of cultural significance to the Tememe in the
tenderloin?
Include a birdbath? Where? Stacked funtions with rain water catchment/watering
plants? Cultural significance of visible presence of water?
Include an owl box on the pole in the main garden?
Is it viable to implement a fog catchment system? Fog is a considerable element in
the Forest Hill micro climate--we could gleam a considerable amount of water from a
fog catchment system. How much will it cost to construct? How is one constructed?
Where could it be placed?

46. Timeline

47. Timeline
Year 1, First 6 Months (Summer and Fall)
Community
Propose plan to ACC board, create awareness in ACC
community
Connect with GFE, Permaculture Guild, neighbors, ECO
SF
Earthworks workshops, ground-breaking party, volunteer
days
PDC Course--Include students in the implementation
process
Elements
Worm bin, cob bench, tools
Garden
Remove the plastic landscape fabric, dig swales, make
berms, and lay irrigation lines

48. Timeline
Year 1, First 6 Months (Summer and Fall )
Build soil
Sheet mulch, irrigation lines under sheet mulch, straw
mulch, plant nitrogen fixers/green manure, plant some
perennials, chop and drop
Yields
Some vegetables, worm castings

49. Timeline
Year 1, Second 6 Months (Winter and Spring )
Community
Fruit tree planting, springtime planting, kids days,
volunteer days
Center members and employees using site
Elements
Add bees, rainwater catchment, small greenhouse,
compost pile
Design front yard and sidewalks, plant front yard trees
Garden
Plant trees and vegetables, build guilds, nurture the soil

50. Timeline
Year 1, Second 6 Months (Winter and Spring)
Yields
Some vegetables, worm castings
Feedback Loop
Observe and reflect on the feedback the garden has
offered through each of the seasons.
Request and reflect on feedback from community.
Reflect on the overarching vision, goals, and pattern of
the garden.
Respond and plan appropriately.

51. Timeline
Year 2 (Summer–Spring)
Community
Tenderloin outreach, youth and cultural programs,
education, community events, summer solstice, PDC
Elements
Add greywater system
Garden
Plant vegetables and build guilds, nurture the soil,
manage/prune baby fruit trees
Estimated Yields
Vegetables and herbs for community and outreach;
compost; beauty; education, community, food, fun
Feedback Loop

52. Timeline
Year 3 (Summer–Spring )
Community
Tenderloin outreach, youth and cultural programs,
education, community events, summer solstice, PDC
Elements
Cob oven
Garden
Rotate crops, manage fruit trees, plant veggies, feed soil
Less reliance on tap with H20 harvesting and graywater
Estimated Yields
Vegetables, herbs, and fruit for community and outreach;
compost; beauty; education, community, food, fun
Feedback Loop