City Council Meeting – Council Member Items Report
To: City Council
From: Andrew Gruel, Councilm an and Pat Burns, Mayor Date: July 15, 2025
Subject: Community Garden with Multi -Trophic Aquaculture (MTA)
2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648 | www.huntingtonbeachca.gov
ISSUE STATEMENT
The City of Huntington Beach is committed to promoting sustainability, community engagement, and innovative land use. A community garden with multi-trophic aquaculture (MTA) offers an opportunity to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that combines plant cultivation with aquatic farming, producing food, enhancing biodiversity, and providing educational and recreational benefits for residents. MTA integrates species at different trophic levels (e.g. fish, shellfish, and plants) to recycle nutrients and minimize environmental impact, aligning with the City’s environmental goals.
This public garden concept utilizing MTA can become a community hub, fostering social connections, providing educational opportunities, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Direct staff to explore the feasibility of creating a community garden with an emphasis on utilizing multi-trophic aquaculture (MTA) on City property and report back to Council with findings/results within six months. Based on the outcome of the feasibility study, consider and deliberate the appropriate next steps for project development (site identification, environmental impacts, timeline, and community engagement).
ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS
TBD. Future environmental impacts will need to be assessed to ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL
Non Applicable - Administrative Item