Fiscal Note
Under this proposed resolution, policies for growing food on City-owned land will be documented and communicated to the public. No City appropriation is required to implement this resolution.
Title
Documenting Policies for Food Production on City-Owned Land
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Madison has demonstrated its commitment to support residents to grow food on City-owned land in many ways over the course of more than 50 years:
· Since 1971 the Parks Department has been working with community organizations to facilitate community gardening on city land and has developed programs for shared land use. Demand for growing plots has always outpaced supply.
· The Community Gardens Committee was established in 2003
· The Madison Food Policy Council was established in 2012
· The Common Council adopted policies on Edible Landscapes and Terrace Planting in 2013 to expand opportunities for residents to grow food in the City.
· 2018 Comp Plan and 2023 update
o Neighborhoods & Housing: Strategy 8 - Ensure access to food that is affordable, nutritious, and culturally specific.
o Economy & Opportunity: Strategy 7 - Support efforts for businesses and consumers to produce and buy local food, products, and services.
o Green & Resilient: Strategy 9 - Support sustainable farming and gardening practices that protect the ecosystem and public health.
o In the 2023 Update: adding community gardens and urban agriculture to the list of appropriate land uses in the Parks & Open Space category on page 25 and adding a definition of community gardens to the Glossary of Terms.
· In 2024 the Economic Development Division updated its Land Banking policy to state: “The City welcomes urban agriculture as a secondary use alongside the priorities noted above. Urban agriculture could take the form of community and market gardens, greenhouses and hoop houses, vertical farming, and similar urban agriculture initiatives”; and,
WHEREAS, the May 2023 final report of the Farmland Preservation ...
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