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Detroit officials work to create zoning code for urban farming
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Detroit officials work to create zoning code for urban farming
By Nancy Kaffer
Crain's Detroit Business
Mar. 23, 2010
With a growing number of urban gardens and farms across Detroit, city officials are working to incorporate zoning for such projects into the city's code.
A City Planning Commission draft report submitted to the Detroit City Council today suggests a number of policy changes that could legitimize urban farming in Detroit.
Detroit's city code doesn't address urban farming, according to the report, which means large- and small-scale projects are flying "under the radar," according to the report, but the lack of complaints regarding such gardens indicates that such plots have had a positive or neutral impact on neighborhoods.
A letter accompanying the report, signed by CPC Director Marcell Todd Jr., notes that the Urban Agriculture Work Group, comprising a wide range of stakeholders, intends "to craft both a draft policy and draft zoning code to allow for and facilitate urban agriculture in its many forms."
The letter also notes that the group intends to get additional input from an even broader range of community members before submitting a final draft.
Among the zoning and land use changes the group suggests:
• Small farming operations and community gardens should be sold city land at reduced rates, and taxed at a reduced rate.
• Large farming operations that want to purchase reduced-rate land and receive a lower tax rate "must commit to tangible and measurable benefits to the community and/or small farm operations."
• City-owned land sold for agricultural projects will revert back to the city if not used for agriculture.
• Soil testing and remediation standards should be set; policy should dictate what types of agricultural chemicals would be allowed.
• Ordinances should be developed that allow for farmers' markets and farm stands.
• Ordinance should allow the keeping of bees, rabbits, chickens and other farm animals under set conditions.
• Farming projects should have a sustainability plan.
The report notes that these policy suggestions are draft items only, and require greater definition of terms like "small farm operations" or "agricultural purposes" before any formal recommendations may be made.
The report says that six farmers markets operated during the 2009 growing season, and said the Grown In Detroit cooperative sold more than 23,000 pounds of local produce in 2009, earning more than $37,750, with 1,100 pounds donated to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and Spirit of Hope Church.
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