Victory for Urban Farmers as Plan Takes First Steps at City Council

Urban agriculture supporters packed the City Council chambers as a new policy that makes it easier for market farms to operate within city limits cleared its first hurdle in a Thursday committee hearing.

Market farms are similar to the community gardens that flourish across the city, but they're commercial. The plan's approval by Minneapolis City Council's Zoning and Planning Committee is seen as a victory for urban farmers, although several amendments were made to the original plan. The proposal will next travel to the City Council on Friday, April 15, for final approval.  

Russ Henry, owner of Giving Tree Gardens, and a member of Grow Twin Cities, said the plan will protect people already operating farms, and allow for more opportunities for those who want to start new farms. He said the proposal, if it's approved by the City Council, will allow market farmers to operate under these clear guidelines without fear of fines, which could cripple start-ups.

Henry said the plan could open up opportunities in Southwest Minneapolis, where his tree service business currently conducts a number of contracts: "Folks in Southwest Minneapolis are very eco-conscious, and progressive, thinking eaters.”  

The most impressive aspect of the recent meeting was how many people contacted the city, Henry said. Farmers need to be connected to City Hall and be involved in crafting an intentional, overarching policy plan, he said. “We’re not here to compete with one another," he said. "We need each other to survive.” 

Most of the amendments to the plan placed more restrictions on market gardens. Restrictions include the following: no retail sales onsite, no overhead lighting, no parking of more than two vehicles and a cap on the amount of space that's unilluminated (the same restrictions for community gardens). 

Council Member Cam Gordon said on his blog that he disagreed with a couple of amendments made in the plan, including stripping the recommendation about conservation easements and studying the possibility of hoofed animals at farms in the city. 

The council voted not to delete a stipulation that the sale price of the land would be reduced to reflect the fact that it's no longer developable when a conservation easement is required, instead directing staff to make amendments to the policy plan. Council Member Barbara Johnson said she thought it would be impractical for the council to dictate the parameters around the price. Council Member Gary Schiff said if those parameters were made at the City Council level, there would need to be a public hearing for every change. 

Several of the council members were adamantly opposed to even consider a study of hoofed animals. “I just fundamentally disagree with having hoofed animals,” said Johnson. “I don’t want staff spending time on this.”  

Schiff said the hoofed animal study would take up time and resources that the city’s animal control didn’t have.

Council Member Lisa Goodman said she was “absolutely uncomfortable with even considering hoofed animals. “We’ll be embarrassed at the legislature about this,” she said.  

Council Member Meg Tuthill also was opposed. “We all make choices where we live,” she said. “I don’t want hoofed animals next door to me…When the wind blows the right way it can be very fragrant in our homes.”  

While Gordon said he disagreed with a couple of the changes to the proposal, he considered the approval “a major, exciting win for the local food movement.” On his blog he wrote: “I see this as a giant step forward for building a vibrant local food economy, with all of the attendant benefits to health, the environment, and green jobs.”

Colin Cureton from Youth Farms, which operates in South Minneapolis, said he made the first call ever to a city council member about this issue. “There’s a very strong network [of community farmers],” Cureton said. “Everyone is passionate about making these changes."