At a City Council meeting in January, Mayor Petty of Worcester brought up the issue of urban agriculture. This would mean making an amendment to the zoning code to allow for commercial growing in a variety of zones in the city.
The Mayor cited Boston’s recent work in this realm – Article 89 – which now allows for commercial growing in all zones of Boston, both on the ground and on roof tops!
Article 89 is a thoroughly researched and vetted ordinance. Organizations along with the Boston Redevelopment Authority spent time on a thorough public process that allowed neighborhoods, businesses, and organizations to give input and then feedback on the drafts that emerged.
So what does it allow for?
In Boston you can have an acre size plot anywhere in the city to grow food that you can sell commercially. You can have a 5,000 square foot rooftop garden to grow food that you can sell commercially. You can build greenhouses on the ground or on rooftops. You can apply for a permit for larger area farms in all zones. You can apply for an allowance to keep bees or chicken hens on your property and it will be decided on a case by case basis. Farmers’ markets area allowed in all zones and farm stands are allowed on any urban farm. There are rules for composting, soil safety, aquaculture, hydroponics and aquaponics. It basically allows for a whole range of agricultural activity right in the City.
Why is this a good thing?
If we brought a very similar amendment to the zoning code to Worcester, and did it through the same open, transparent, inclusive public process, it would allow for:
- An increase in access to healthy food
- More business opportunities for a variety of people
- The beautification of urban spaces
- Use of vacant and underutilized land and space
So what do you think? Do you want to see more agriculture in Worcester? Would you be a part of the movement to make it happen?[polldaddy poll=7850123]
What rules are there in Boston for non-commercial farming on a smaller, home-sized scale? Is that size/consideration needed in Worcester? If so, what could it look like?
Hi Nicole, As far as I understand it this zoning code would protect any gardening and farming for your own consumption as well. I believe in Worcester there wouldn’t need to be any amendment to the zoning in order to allow for gardening/farming for your own consumption. The zoning change needs to happen to allow for any commercial ag. However, raising chickens or bees even for eggs and honey for your own consumption is not yet allowed in Worcester and we do need to change zoning to make that happen. We had worked on that a few years ago but its still in the Public Health Committee. We’re hoping to wrap it into a bigger change to the zoning to allow for commercial ag in all zones. If in my research I find out that any of what I’ve just said isn’t correct I’ll post it. Thanks for your interest! We’re hoping to engage a whole lot of people in the process of making commercial ag a part of the Worcester landscape so we hope you’ll participate in that process!
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