Land use codes inhibit urban agriculture

Urban Agriculture is a community priority in Fort Collins. It is written in the City Plan. But city planners have found that outdated land use codes prohibit some local food production. So the city is asking for community input through a survey on urban agriculture practices.

Direct farm-to-consumer food purchases have steadily increased, and a 2012 survey revealed that nearly half of all Americans have gardened in the past 12 months. People are doing it — they’re raising their own food and supporting local. And cities are changing codes to support this grow-your-own movement.

Alongside this increase in local food production looms an increase in food insecurity. In 2011, 14 percent of Larimer County residents were considered food insecure (FeedAmerica.org), meaning they skipped meals because they couldn’t afford food. Only 45 percent of those are eligible for food stamps; the other 55 percent are about $15 a week short of the money needed to feed their families.

In these days of rising gas and food prices, increasing food insecurity, and decreasing government aid, we need to be able to provide for ourselves. Urban homesteading is one way to improve food security in a world where more people have less money and less to eat. Studies show that when communities practice urban agriculture, food security improves, an added benefit being that low-income families become less dependent on government food programs. (Community Food Security Coalition)

Current land use codes prohibit some urban homesteading practices such as the keeping of small goats for milk production, while allowing large, sometimes dangerous, dogs on city lots. It’s time for land use codes to reflect the needs of residents. How can we in good conscience allow dogs, while disallowing food-producing animals as benign as miniature female goats?

So many of us have grown up separated from farm animals and our food supply that we lack understanding of these gentle creatures. Miniature goats weigh less than 60 pounds. Only un-neutered males are smelly. Females are gentle, friendly animals that smell no worse than fresh hay. Goat droppings are dry and good for grass or gardens right out of the goat — one of only a few “cold” manures that can be applied directly to plants.

Along with the “smelly-goat myth” lives the “goats are noisy” myth. In reality, goats are quieter than most dogs. With another goat or companion mammal to live with, adequate food and shelter, goats are content. And content goats are quiet goats.

Oakland, San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Madison, Kansas City, Steamboat Springs, Denver — all are among the cities that have changed land use codes to allow goats on city lots. Our capital city allows two miniature female goats and eight hens or ducks, so Denver residents can feed themselves on their own urban homesteads with the help of productive pets. They can grow a garden, consume homegrown eggs, and produce milk for drinking and cheese making. It’s time for Fort Collins to join these progressive cities and have our land use codes reflect our sustainability values.

As Fort Collins residents, you have already said yes to urban agriculture. Now you can tell the city that you would like the land use codes to be compatible with your goal of independent local food production. So visit fcgov.com/developmentreview/urbanagriculture.php and say yes to updating the land use codes.