Amendments to Zoning Code to Affect Urban Ag

[Robyn Mello]

Hello All!

Read the below e-mail & attached document describing potential new changes in the already brand newly changed Philly zoning code which would make community or market gardening illegal on certain commercially zoned properties. This change would effect the legality of gardening at The Peace Park, some lots around Fair Hill, & potentially new spaces where we want to help communities start gardens in the future.

If anyone's interested in testifying at the Rules Committee meeting on this proposed change, it's on December 4th at 10am in Room 400 of City Hall. Call Councilman Greenlee's office at 215-­686-­3446 to get on the agenda for testifying. 

We don't care much about legal or illegal at this point, I know, but it would be nice to be able to prevent changes which will make gardening harder in this city.

If you have any questions, get in touch with Amy Laura Cahn or me!

Thanks

Robyn

215-571-9506

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Amy Laura Cahn <ac...@pilcop.org>
Date: Wed, Nov 21, 2012 at 10:32 AM
Subject: Amendments to Zoning Code to Affect Urban Ag
To: 

Hi there,

I am writing to the folks who are on the FORC list and responded to the call to advocate for changes to the City's vacant land policies last year.  It worked, last year, and there is a need to mobilize again.

I have attached an action alert about proposed changes to the Philadelphia Zoning Code that would negatively affect both community gardening and market farming. We know that the City Administration and Council have, with some notable exceptions, historically undervalued gardeners and farmers as a constituency.  It would be great to prove them wrong here.

Please resend and let me know if you might be interested in testifying to the City Council Rules Committee against the amendments and for urban ag on December 4th.

Thanks and best wishes to all,

Amy Laura
--
Amy Laura Cahn

Staff Attorney/Skadden Fellow

Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia

1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Second Floor

Philadelphia, PA  19103

tel. 267-546-1306

cell 917-771-3385

ac...@pilcop.org /ac...@gmail.com