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When tryingto encourage urban agri-
<br />culture as a tool foreconomic development,
<br />cities may want to foster intensive'urban
<br />agriculture through permissive uses, butto
<br />prevent nuisance they maywantto limit the .
<br />extent of tlioseuses-either by making.the
<br />use conditional ofby confining it to specific
<br />districts. To encourage more widespread food
<br />production opportunities and small-scale
<br />retail, planners will want to make sure that at
<br />feast some agricultural uses are permitted in
<br />districts encompassing large areas ofthe city.
<br />Extensive/Intensive Agriculture -
<br />Fx[ensive agriculture is accounted for in
<br />many municipalities, usually through per-.
<br />missive districts that allow many types and
<br />scales of cultivation, animal husbandry,
<br />agriculture-related structures, and some
<br />farm-related commercial activity. This
<br />sort of activity tends to be allowed on the
<br />edges of cities in areas that are specifically
<br />designated for agriculture, though in fast-
<br />expandingcities this designation maybe
<br />considered temporary. In some places, lots
<br />may retain anagricultural designation even
<br />in the midst of urban development.
<br />Less Extensive/Intensive Agriculture
<br />Our defin ition of fessextensive/intensive
<br />urban agriculture includes large urban
<br />grow up through anomalies (e.g., special
<br />arrangements with neighborhoods and gov-
<br />ernment oragriculture districts that became
<br />surrounded by development).
<br />Municipalities maywish to do-more
<br />to encourage this sort of urban agriculture,
<br />since it has the potential to create jobs,
<br />provide large-scale job training, foster com-
<br />munitydevelopment; fillgaps in food access,
<br />and provide green space. To illustrate, Troy
<br />Gardens in Madison is an excellent example
<br />ofa multiuse projectincluding housing,
<br />education, and urban agriculture.To encour-
<br />agesustainable practices we advise local
<br />governments to establish partnerships with
<br />or between nonprofit organizations that seek
<br />broad community economic development
<br />goals (such as "triple-bottom-line" busi-
<br />nesses). Despite the benefits of intensive
<br />urban agriculture, urban farms could be a
<br />source of nuisance complaints. For [his rea-
<br />son, we recommend tailoringordinances to
<br />encourage more sustainable land-use prac-
<br />ticesand to avoid urban agriculture projects
<br />that resemble less desirable commercial or
<br />i ndustrial activities (these could, for example,
<br />restrict the use of pesticides and fertilizer or
<br />limit the amount of livestockalldwed).
<br />- As we mentioned above, appropriate
<br />designations can foster urban agriculture.
<br />Some cities create separate urban agricul-
<br />INTENSIVE - - LESS INTENSIVE
<br />rural orperiurban farms
<br />Extensive in Area backyard and community
<br />and associateda ricultural ,
<br />g
<br />gardens, limited livestock, and
<br />activities
<br />...............................................
<br />: farmstands
<br />..............
<br />.....
<br />Less Extensive in Area urban farms, farmers markets, ............................:..............
<br />backyard and community
<br />andcomposting operations gardens
<br />markets, such as the Dane County Farmers
<br />markdtaround the Wisconsin state capitol
<br />in Madison; nonindustrial food processing
<br />operations, such as small-scale commercial
<br />production of fruit preserves; and large
<br />urban fanning initiatives such as Growing
<br />Power, the Urban Farm at Stapleton near
<br />Denver, and Zenger Farms in Portland,
<br />Oregon.~We group large markets, food pro-
<br />cessing, and urban farmstogetherbecause
<br />these uses can have large-scale impacts.
<br />However, in practice, planners maywantto
<br />further subdivide this category inorderto
<br />address the specific effects of different uses
<br />(e.g., the noise and smells associated with
<br />animals orthe traffic and parking issues
<br />associated with markets). Less extehsive/in-
<br />tensiveurban agriculture rarely has a place
<br />in olderzoning codes, and these uses often
<br />lure districts that are more limited than a
<br />-rural agriculture designation, but allow for
<br />animal husbandry, commercial production,
<br />and sales. Another strategy is to create a use
<br />category or categories for urban agricultural
<br />activities thatcan be applied selectively in
<br />existing districts.
<br />The use strategy is exemplified by Port-
<br />Iand, Oregon, which has an "agriculture"
<br />use category that "includes activities that
<br />raise, produce or keep plants or animals."~
<br />Some accessory structures are permitted,
<br />although feed lots, food processing, live-
<br />stockauctions, and retail plant nurseries
<br />are specifically mentioned underdifferent
<br />use categories (Portland ZoningCode Sec.
<br />33.9zo.5oo). This agriculture use category is
<br />permitted by right in all industrial districts
<br />and low-density residential districts. It is
<br />also a conditional use in medium-density
<br />residential districts and some commercial
<br />(mostly retail) districts.
<br />Similarly, Milwaukee has a liberal ag-
<br />riculturaluse category that is permitted-in
<br />all residential and industriaLdistricts, and
<br />Nashville includes both commercial and
<br />noncommercial community garden uses in
<br />its zoning ordinance. Although it may seem
<br />more proactive for a cityto create an urban
<br />agriculture district, the existence ofan agri-
<br />culturaluse category, which is permitted in
<br />existing districts, is more important~for sup-
<br />portingwidespreadurban agriculture.
<br />Creatinga designated urban agd-
<br />culturedistrict serves two functions. The
<br />first is to allow intensive urban agriculture
<br />under specific conditions. The second is
<br />to address land tenure. Many community
<br />gardens and urban farms face ambiguous
<br />land tenure, for instance, ifthey are run by
<br />a nonprofit that leases land fora nominal
<br />sum. An urban agricultural designation can
<br />protect a garden orfarm if agriculture is a
<br />particularly good use forthat parcel. This
<br />rationale may apply when a parcel contains
<br />along-established garden that serves an
<br />important social orcultural function, when
<br />an agricultural use can help to supplyfood
<br />to an area underserved bygrocery stores,
<br />when the garden orfarm serves an educa-
<br />tionalpurpose, when the parcel helps to
<br />fulfill an open space goal, orwhen the use
<br />is in an environmentally sensitive area that
<br />should not be developed. If a city wants to
<br />protect a garden from future changes, an
<br />urban garden designation creates a hurdle
<br />for future development.
<br />Cleveland, Chattanooga, and Boston
<br />all have specific urban agriculture districts.
<br />Cleveland's Urban Garden District uses a
<br />broad definition for urban gardens. Com-
<br />munity gardens and market gardens are the
<br />main permitted uses, and on-site sales are
<br />allowed, alongwith greenhouses and hoop
<br />houses. However, building height and lot
<br />coverage are limited (Cleveland Zoning Code
<br />Title 7, Chapter 336).
<br />Chattanooga's Urban Agriculture Dis-
<br />trict is even more permissive, allowing dair-
<br />iesand stables in addition to crops and a
<br />range oflivestock. The district also can take
<br />the forth of a plan ned unit development that
<br />includes residential uses. However, it has
<br />a minimum area requirement of zo acres;
<br />making it more useful for promoting agricul-
<br />ture atthe peripherythan smaller farms in
<br />denser urban neighborhoods (Chattanooga
<br />Zoning Ordinance, Article V, Section t6oo).
<br />ZONINGPRACTICE 3.fo
<br />AMERICAN PIANNING ASSOCIAnONIp¢g¢57
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