[Sustain] [SFGP CC] Call For SFGP Support Of SF Urban Ag Legislation

[Bruce Wolfe]

I know a lot about this and request we move slow on this considering the HANC Recycling Center. Alos, I know the lead person on this effort in the city, Kevin Bayuk, my next door neighbor.

Bruce

Sent from Samsung mobile

Eric Brooks <brookse32 at aim.com> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>See the email below from Casey Allen who would like the SF Green Party 
>to endorse new legislation supporting local urban agriculture in the 
>City. Casey also would like our support for three proposed amendments to 
>make the measure even stronger.
>
>Please read below and voice any concerns/support. The measure goes 
>before the Planning Commission on Thursday Feb 17th, so we need to 
>approve this before then.
>
>CC members, can you decide after folks comment?
>
>Also, I may not be able to attend that Planning Commission hearing when 
>that item comes up around 1:30pm, so if one of you is a strong supporter 
>of local urban ag, can you commit to speak on behalf of SF Green Party?
>
>The legislation text can be found at 
>http://www.sfuaa.org/uploads/4/8/9/3/4893022/_sf_urban_agriculture_zoning_proposal_full.pdf
>
>Here is Casey's email:
>
>I hope the new year is going well.  As you know I own and run a 
>landscaping company and we grow food for some folk.  My company is part 
>of a national trend, urban agriculture.  I and others are really happy 
>to see that the planning dept has released a proposed change to the 
>city’s zoning to allow commercial small scale farming.  We think this is 
>great and this will allow us to sell the food we are growing and this is 
>a big improvement.  I am part of a group called the San Francisco Urban 
>Agriculture Alliance and we have recently come together to promote 
>commercial agriculture as well as non-commercial agriculture in SF.  I 
>would like to start a conversation with the Green Partyand yourself 
>about how we may be able to improve on this great proposaland to see if 
>the Green Partycould support us in asking the city for a better policy.  
>Here is the link to review thecity’s proposal:
>
>http://www.sfgsa.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7437
>
>Check out the SFUAA’s website info page: 
>http://www.sfuaa.org/urban-ag-zoning-proposal.html
>
>Here is a write up/press release of the group’s concerns:**
>
>*Urban Agriculture Alliance Applauds Introduction of Proposed Urban 
>Agriculture Zoning Changes *
>
>/New regulations would open more land to community gardens and /
>
>/help city farms be economically viable, but amendments are needed /
>
>
>San Francisco, CA – Yesterday, Mayor Gavin Newsom and the San Francisco 
>Planning Department introduced an ordinance that would amend the 
>Planning Code to allow for greater food production within the city.  The 
>proposal would update San Francisco’s zoning regulations to explicitly 
>permit gardens in all areas of the city and also allow for the sale of 
>produce from those gardens.   While the San Francisco Urban Agriculture 
>Alliance applauds the Mayor and Planning Department for introducing this 
>forward-thinking legislation, the group is concerned about a number of 
>provisions that could make garden projects prohibitively expensive and 
>limit their potential.
>
>“The Planning Department’s proposal is a great step forward, but some of 
>the draft provisions could hinder the expansion of gardening that the 
>City wants to encourage,” said Eli Zigas, co-coordinator of the San 
>Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance (SFUAA).   “Community gardens and 
>urban farms operate on slim budgets and expensive fencing requirements 
>and permitting fees can prevent a garden project from breaking ground.  
>We encourage the Planning Commission to ensure that community groups and 
>city farmers across San Francisco can afford to start gardens and urban 
>agriculture projects in their neighborhoods.”
>
>Advocates are specifically calling on the Planning Commission to amend 
>the proposed ordinance to reduce its costs.  The proposal requires that 
>any fencing around a garden site must be either wooden or ornamental 
>fencing. The addition of significant start-up costs to meet this 
>requirement could deter a project from turning a vacant lot into a 
>vibrant new greenspace or a project that would provide a source of 
>fresh, nutritious food in a neighborhood lacking access to good produce 
>options. Similarly, the Planning Department’s existing “change of use” 
>fee structure would require urban agriculture projects to pay more than 
>$300 before they could begin any work. The SFUAA encourages the Planning 
>Commission to remove any mention of a fencing requirement and waive the 
>change of use fees for urban agriculture.
>
>With this legislation, San Francisco will be the first major American 
>city to modify its zoning to encourage the sale of produce from urban 
>gardens and farms. Similar legislation to allow for on-site sales of 
>city-grown produce became law this year in both Seattle and Kansas City 
>and a proposal is currently being considered in Berkeley.
>
>For city farmers starting small businesses, being able to sell what you 
>grow is critical. Little City Gardens, which cultivates a three-quarter 
>acre garden in the Mission Terrace neighborhood, cannot sell any of the 
>greens or herbs it grows because of restrictions in the current zoning 
>code.  “This proposal is crucial for the success of commercial urban 
>farming in San Francisco,” said Little City Garden’s co-owner Caitlyn 
>Galloway. “We want to demonstrate the viability of market gardening here 
>in San Francisco, but we can’t do that until we’re allowed to sell what 
>we grow.  And we can’t sell from our farm until this proposal passes.”
>
>For San Francisco to truly position itself at the leading edge of urban 
>agriculture, the SFUAA urges the Planning Commission to amend the 
>proposal to allow gardens and farms to pool together their harvest and 
>also allow them to sell value-added products made from their produce.
>
>“As it’s written now, the proposal would allow an urban farmer to sell 
>their strawberries on the farm, but not their strawberry jam,” Zigas 
>explained. “Expanding the proposal to allow for on-site sales of 
>value-added products as well as produce from multiple sites would help 
>small urban farms make the most of their harvest and make San 
>Francisco’s policy an innovative model for the rest of the country.”
>
>The positive impact of the proposal would stretch beyond creating new 
>greenspace and supporting new urban farming businesses.  “This zoning 
>legislation is crucial for the health of San Francisco. Urban farming 
>and community gardens not only provide residents with access to healthy 
>non-toxic produce, but they help engage people in personal nutrition and 
>can improve the health of the entire community. It’s easy for people to 
>become removed from our food sources and those who produce our food," 
>said Dana Perls, community organizer with Pesticide Watch. "This 
>proposal offers San Franciscans more spaces to produce their own food.  
>With the SFUAA’s proposed amendments, the new zoning code will be an 
>investment in healthy communities.”
>
>###
>
>/The San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance (SFUAA) seeks to increase 
>the amount of food grown within San Francisco and promote greater access 
>to and consumption of that food through advocacy, education, and 
>grassroots action. We pursue our mission by leveraging the strengths of 
>our members, building bonds with other organizations and government 
>agencies, and promoting healthy food cultures. /
>
>/More information on the San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance can be 
>found at: www.sfuaa.org <http://www.sfuaa.org> /
>
>Let me know if there is a good time we can talk.  I would like to set up 
>a meeting, if possible.I don’t think anyone from our group has 
>approached the Green Party yet.
>
>Thanks,
>
>*Casey Allen*, Permaculture Designer, Maintenance Manager
>
>Qualified Bay-Friendly Design Professional, SF Naturalist
>
>*San Francisco Landscapes Corporation* CA Lic # 932022
>
>P.O. Box 170182 SF, CA 94117
>
>Cell: 415-572-1144
>
>Office: 415-585-9137
>
>E-mail: Casey at SFLandscapes.com
>
>Web: SFLandscapes.com
>
>
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