Sacramento General Plan Update

[Matt Read]

Hello SUAAers,

The City is working on including a Urban Agriculture element in its General Plan update, currently slotted to begin in 2014. This afternoon I'll be attending a presentation by Remi Mendoza on this, and wanted to know if anyone felt inclined to engage in this process.

The general plan outlines the city's planning goals and lists policies that can achieve those goals. Currently, there is an agricultural element, but it gives really light treatment to urban ag. Strong language in the general plan helps promote a stronger ordinance later.

I will send out notes to the group after today's presentation, and I would ask you to reach out to people you feel have a stake in this. As in all things, I think it is important to reach out to practicioners (does anybody know someone who would want to start a farm in urban Sacramento, if that were legal?) and people of low-and-moderate income as well as people of color. This is an opportunity to be heard and to empower so lets use it.

Matt

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Matt Read

J.D. Candidate 2014

McGeorge School of Law 

[Matt Read]

All,

Remi Mendoza's presentation yesterday was actually stronger than I expected. Keep in mind the General Plan language is not binding, and does not do anything until the implementation stage, when ordinances are passed. This language gives you a sense of which direction the ordinances will go. The current Sac General Plan is available here.

Goal
ER 4.1 Urban Agriculture and Access to Locally Grown Foods

Expand urban agriculture and food production and increase the distribution and sale of locally grown fresh food.

Policies

ER 4.1.1 Community and Rooftop Gardens - The City shall provide incentives for developers to include community gardens and rooftop gardens in new development projects.

ER 4.1.2 Local Food Production, Distribution and Sale - The City shall promote urban agriculture with zoning provisions that support means for production, distribution, and sale of locally grown foods, such as market gardens, farmer's markets, and farm stands, particularly in areas that have vacant or underutilized land.

LU 8.2.8 Locally Grown and Organic Foods - The City shall allow urban farms and market gardens at a scale that is appropriate to Sacramento's neighborhoods, particularly in areas that lack access to fresh healthy foods, and have vacant or underutilized land.

The language represents a shift in tone in the "community and rooftop gardens" section and sections 4.1.2 and 8.2.8 are new. I was surprised, pleasantly, that the City is talking about allowing revenue generating agricultural uses. I think, however, this could be more comprehensive, and more promotional of urban ag and not merely allowing it. My main concern is that the city will make "crop production" or some such use allowed in certain zones and no one will use it because there is no coordination between environmental health, county ag, SacPD, etc. Being proactive on these issues can help shift the burden off our first farmers to take advantage of the new laws.

Does anybody have any interest in helping to draft some additional sections? It doesn't have to be a ton of work, but its early enough in the process that if we want to get certain text in there I think we can.

Matt