What Happened
The city of Somerville, Massachusetts, is the first in the state to pass an “Urban Agriculture Ordinance,” which establishes guidelines for urban farming and gardening.
So What?
As Gov1 has recently covered, cities are increasingly looking to exert “food sovereignty,” which can expedite the process of getting local products to market. In most cases, local food growers are subject to commercial farming regulations, which are onerous and place an undue burden on local growers. Food sovereignty can expedite the farm-to-table process, cultivate local businesses, and satiate residents’ desire for local produce.
Somerville’s Guidelines
The Somerville ordinance, which was announced by Mayor Joseph Curatone and is still awaiting Alderman approval, establishes guidelines on local farming, gardening, bee-keeping, chicken raising, and more. The policies govern both the growing and sale of agricultural products in Somerville’s urban setting.
The city published a simple, 24-page document called “The ABC’s of Urban Agriculture,” which includes sections such as:
- Agriculture—Covers soil safety and soil tests that are required, and specifies that only “unprocessed” produce can be grown and sold in the town. Encourages organic gardening practices, clarifying that “nothing can run-off your property on to your neighbor’s lot or on to the street.”
- Bee Keeping—Provides extra details on bee-keeping, including requirements, legal obligations, and site-specific details (i.e., “Hives cannot be located closer than three feet from any property line”).
- Chickens—Outlines the requirements for keeping chickens (even if you are not selling the eggs), specifies necessary permits, and addresses issues such as noise and odor. Eleven site-specific bullets are provided (i.e., “You can’t keep hens inside your house”), and recommendations are provided as well (i.e., “Chicken waste is an excellent garden fertilizer, but it must be composted first”).
Other Cities
Somerville may be the first city in Massachusetts with urban farming guidelines, but it’s not the first in the country. Pittsburgh has published urban agricultural zoning regulations, as has Milwaukee, Baltimore, and Seattle. Other cities like Boston are trying limited pilots in specific neighborhoods to experiment with urban farming and zoning changes.
Additional Resource
The city of Somerville has set up a Web site for its urban agriculture initiative, and is hosting local educational events called “Let’s Grow Somerville.” A presentation on urban soils was developed for those who want to grow local produce, and a special blog was created to keep the community informed.
Federal resources are also available for review. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed an urban agriculture resource center, with links, studies, blogs, and other resources on urban farming. And the EPA developed an Urban Farm Business Plan Handbook, although it focuses more specifically reusing brownfield and other abandoned properties.