Group struggles to implement urban agriculture in Lantzville, BC.

Time Sensitive – Bylaw Changes

By Louise Negrave
Lantzville Urban Agriculture
Apr 26, 2011

Excerpt:

Council has placed themselves and the residents of Lantzville on a very tight timeline to deal with the issue of urban agriculture. Since neither council nor staff have the required expertise in this area, and we want a “made in Lantzville solution”, as council had initially proposed, I recommend we ask council to delay pushing through this bylaw until concerns of all parties can be adequately addressed.

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I would like to see a bylaw that encourages urban agriculture, while addressing the legitimate concerns of residents regarding water quality, air quality and noise. I suggest we request council form an “urban agriculture committee”, involving one or two interested council members, residents, and perhaps employing outside expertise as a resource in areas of concern. If we are going to restrict the amount of land on a parcel that can be devoted to agriculture, I would like a valid basis for that restriction, rather than pulling a number out of a hat. Why 20%, as opposed to 80%? We may need the services of a hydrologist to determine the impact of agricultural operations, as opposed to normal lawn maintenance activities, on water quality. We need time to research what impact urban agriculture has had on air quality and noise, and determine steps to be taken to mitigate any negative impacts.

Read the complete article here.