I am waiting for the city to give me the go ahead to do some work on the empty lot next door. This is taking longer than expected so I have begun to consider just going ahead and doing it, no permission just plant. This is known as guerilla gardening.
My concern here is that the City does cut the grass every month or so and this would make short work of whatever I plant. I do not want to maintain the site so will be using native widlflowers but if the plants do not get the chance to go to seed and spread, this plan will not work.
While pondering this situation, I have been thinking about water and waste. Rainwater is great for gardens and a rain barrel will let you collect that water for use on another day. You can conserve water and reduce water waste,a good combination. When it rains your garden gets a drink and you gather water for the future.
What a fun and awesome project. Good for you! I hope they get a move on.