A proposed land use charge that's upsetting Tauranga community gardeners may be waived for them.
Volunteers at the Bayfair Community Garden, who supply produce to the local foodbank, were taken aback when the Tauranga City Council said they might have to pay more than $300 a year to use their garden.
"I was really shocked and taken back, pretty stirred up and thinking, well what am I going to do? How are we going to keep going?" said Jo Stock of the community garden.
The proposed fee follows a policy change and the council says some groups will pay more while others will pay less.
But the gardeners say it's not fair as they're supplying produce to the local foodbank.
Ms Stock said last year they supplied 539 boxes and they're up to nearly 200 already this year.
The council takes the calculated market valuation for leasing land into consideration when setting fees, but admits it could have got it wrong.
"We've now had this discussion, looked further into it and realised that these guys have fallen through the cracks. So we're going to have a discussion and look at a way that we can hopefully waive that fee for them," said Leanne Brown of the council.
The council says it will discuss the proposed changes through the long-term plan in March and April, and a decision will be made in June.
Ms Stock says the council should "just let us stay how we've been for 18 years" so she and her fellow gardeners can continue growing food for those in need.
SHARE ME