In response to the increasing interest in urban agriculture, the Institute and the Allegheny County Conservation District formed the Urban Agriculture Special Committee to develop a guide to explain the benefits of urban agriculture and how to add permissive language to existing zoning ordinances. The report, Urban Agriculture: A Guide for Municipalities was published in October of 2017.
The guide contains:
- A brief history and explanation of urban agriculture and what activities it includes
- Definitions for understanding urban agriculture language
- An overview of the benefits urban agriculture activities can bring to a community and the individuals that live there
- Regulations for urban agriculture activities and guidance for incorporating the language into an existing zoning ordinance
- Additional resources for how individuals can practice urban agriculture in a safe and considerate way
Johnathan Burgess, Policy Director from the Allegheny County Conversation District and a key partner in this initiative, presented this work at the statewide Pennsylvania Municipal League Sustainability Conference on June 5, 2018.
Membership
Resource information
- Karlie Haywood, Urban Agriculture: A Guide for Municipalities (University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics, 2017)
Photo by Joe Mabel