25 Apr Shaping Code for Austin’s Urban Farms

The Sustainable Food Policy Board (SFPB) has created a working group, Urban Farms- Process and Code Coordination, that will look closely into Code Amendment of Urban Farms. In addition we will coordinate with government agencies that are impacted by the planning process. 

The goals of this new working group are to:

• Look into current code to clarify, update, and revise regulations related to urban farms, livestock, size of farm, employees and dwelling.
• Facilitate and promote public involvement throughout the process in order to have a cohesive understanding of what are the current needs and concerns of farmers, neighbors, and other stakeholders interested on the topic.
• Work with other SFPB working groups as well as City of Austin Planning and Development Review, Code Compliance, Office of Sustainability and Health and Human Services Departments on any updates of current language.
• Create recommendations of current code as well as provide examples of what is being done in other cities regarding Urban Farms.
• Provide feedback to Austin City Council and/or Travis County Commissioners with recommendations on updates and actions to be taken regarding current code on Urban Farms.

There will be three workshops where the following topics will be addressed:

1. Animal raising and Aquaponics
2. Site Requirements, Commerce and Labor
3. Byproducs, Environmental Health and Sustainability·     

The first stakeholder meeting of the Urban Farms Code Coordination Working Group of the Sustainable Food Policy Board was held on April 22nd at Cepeda Library in East Austin. The turnout was phenomenal (70 people attended!) and the input was incredibly helpful and positive. Great things are on the horizon for the health of urban farms and the whole Austin community. Thanks everyone who attended. We sincerely appreciate the support!

The next public session will be on Site Requirements, Commerce and Labor – May 1st from 5:00pm -7:00pm at Fiesta Gardens Meeting Room. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/events/372219879562983/

If you have any questions regarding this working group please contact the chair of the working group, Sustainable Food Policy Board Member Katherine Nicely @ katherine.nicely@gmail.com.