East Silver Spring residents raised their concerns on Monday over a proposed community garden in downtown Silver Spring.

"I'm not sure a community garden would [be] good in the long term," said Raghu Sullivan, a 12-year resident who lives across the street from the proposed site. "I would like to see an area that people can come to take their kids."

The proposed Fenton Street Urban Park – bordered by Fenton Street, Philadelphia Avenue, Richmond Street and Burlington Avenue – would be one of several David Vismara, Chief of the Department's Horticultural Services Division, has developed for the county.

Sullivan, among others, wants to ensure that the garden would be accessible to the whole community.

Vismara tried to assure Sullivan that it would be up to the community to create an open space. He opened the meeting with a presentation on six other community gardens he has developed, including Maple Avenue in Takoma Park, Briggs Chaney, South Germantown, Bradley Community Garden in Bethesda and Sligo Overlook.

Some residents were concerned about applying to the community garden. Karen Roper, board chair for planning, zoning and public works for ESSCA, wondered how the application process works for the community plot and how people are chosen.

Vismara said the process is tricky because the land is public, which means everyone in Montgomery County can apply for the 21 plots in the community garden. In order to be fair, they use a 70 to 30 percent ratio rule.

The rule basically states that 70 percent of the residents who live within a one-half mile radius of the proposed plot are drawn first and then the next draw will be 30 percent of the remaining residents who applied.

In the coming weeks, Vismara said the soil will be tested for nutrients and contaminates, including lead or dangerous metals. The outcome will determine if the proposed lot will be developed into a community garden. A final decision on the Fenton Street Urban Park should be made by early January 2011.