Independence Community Garden - Orchard Park

03/17/2026

All raised garden beds in the community garden (located along the Wapsi River behind Lion's Field behind Vern's True Value & DQ) in the community orchard are rented for the 2026 Growing Season. The crops in these garden beds are NOT for public picking. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

03/03/2026

The City of Independence will have a public hearing for the proposed property tax levy on March 23, 2026, at 4:45 pm. To view the hearing notice, please click the link at the bottom of this post.

House File 718, passed during the 2023 Legislative Session, requires that a hearing on the property tax rate be held prior to the completion of the budget. The proposed property tax hearing is intended to spotlight the change in property tax levy to be requested by cities each year. This hearing must be held as a stand-alone meeting, with its own agenda and minutes. No other city business may be on the agenda or discussed during the meeting. In addition to the published notice, the proposed property tax hearing also requires a notice to be mailed directly to each taxpayer on March 20th each year. This property tax notice mailer will show the proposed property tax hearing time, date, and location. The mailer also shows the same information for the county and K-12 school proposed property tax hearing. https://alrt.se/u/YGYbsLsYeDE

08/02/2025

The south row of pears are ready to be picked!

06/28/2025

Nanking cherries are ready to pick!

03/27/2025

2 additional raised garden beds have been added to the Community Gardens... Up to 8 total and all rented for the 2025 Growing Season🍅🥦🥒🫑🥕🧄🥔

03/25/2025

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The City Council for the City of Independence, Iowa will conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026) on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 4:45 p.m. At this public hearing any resident or taxpayer may present objections to, or arguments in favor of, any part of the proposed budget. The notice represents a summary of the supporting detail of revenues and expenditures on file with the City Clerk and County Auditor. Copies of the detailed proposed Budget may be obtained or viewed at the offices of the Mayor, City Clerk, and at the Independence Public Library. To see the public notice, please click on this link: https://www.independenceia.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8603/FY26-Full-Budget-Public-Hearing-Notice-3-18-25?bidId=

03/18/2025

All of the rentable community garden beds are rented for the 2025 growing season. Our Parks Staff will be building 2 additional garden beds and those have been spoken for as well. We will continue to budget each year to add more garden beds. Reminder: Gardens should be planted by June 1st. Thank you to everyone who has rented a garden bed this season.

03/07/2025

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Proposed Property Tax Levy Hearing Notice

House File 718, passed during the 2023 Legislative Session, requires that a hearing on the property tax rate be held prior to the completion of the budget. The proposed property tax hearing is intended to spotlight the change in property tax levy to be requested by cities each year. This hearing must be held as a stand-alone meeting, with its own agenda and minutes. No other city business may be on the agenda or discussed during the meeting. In addition to the published notice, the proposed property tax hearing also requires a notice to be mailed directly to each taxpayer on March 20th each year. This property tax notice mailer will show the proposed property tax hearing time, date, and location. The mailer also shows the same information for the county and K-12 school proposed property tax hearing.

To view the notice for the City of Independence, please use this link: https://www.independenceia.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8479/FY-2026-Proposed-Prop-Tax-Levy-notice?

11/05/2024

On behalf of the Independence Parks & Recreation Department, we would like to say thank you to all those who rented a raised garden bed in the community gardens this season. Thank you also to everyone for cleaning them out so they are ready for next season!! We greatly appreciate it!!

08/23/2024

The apples (all varieties) in the Community Orchard are ready for picking and what we have eaten so far are delicious😊🍎🍏 Free to Enjoy!

The Independence Community Orchard is located behind Lion’s Field (behind True Value) and along the Wapsipinicon River.

07/12/2024

The apple and pear trees in the Community Orchard are overloaded with apples and pears... remember to wait for optimal ripeness🍎🍐🍎🍐