Urban Gardens and Farms

  • Set metrics-based goals to protect urban farming, including buildings and gardens that produce locally-sold agricultural products and a diversity of agricultural products.
  • Adopt ordinances, zoning updates, or other mechanisms to support urban farming preservation and urban food production from future development. Examples could include: making gardening a primary use and farming a conditional/permitted use on city land, reducing barriers to animal keeping, removing restrictions that impede composting, allowing hours of sales of produce grown on-site, and allowing structures such as hoop houses and tunnels.
  • Review zoning codes and other land use regulations and eliminate or reduce policies that restrict urban food production.

  • Facilitate rooftop farming, vertical farming, and other urban farming practices that can create opportunities for food access in the area instead of relying on importing food.
  • Create incentives for buildings and developments to incorporate urban gardens and farms.

Source Documents

These strategies are adapted from existing federal and other resources. Please view these strategies in the context provided by the primary source document: