Hosted by Supervisor David Chiu, the Office of the City Administrator and the Recreation and Park Department

May 15, 2013

Urban Agriculture Program Development

Open House

Urban Agriculture Ordinance: Background

July 2012 Urban Ag Ordinance adopted to (1) establish an Urban Agriculture Program to oversee and coordinate all of the City’s Urban Agriculture activities; (2) adopt goals for the City related to Urban Agriculture.

Defined “Urban Agriculture” as “the growing of plants and raising of animals, usually for food or flowers.”

Multiple benefits to San Francisco

Need for more land, materials, supportive infrastructure

7 + City agencies involved

No current, dedicated city-wide FTE

Builds upon (2009) Exec. Dir. on Healthy & Sustainable Food & (2011) Urban Ag Zoning ordinance

Urban Agriculture Ordinance: Why?

July 2012: Urban Agriculture Ordinance adopted September 2012: City Working Group formed Sept-Dec 2012:

Preliminary work plan established, working pod meetings Individual stakeholder interviews (25+) Community outreach/ town hall meetings (3)

April 2013: Recommendation from City Administrator’s Office to Supervisor Chiu for how best to meet the goals of the ordinance

Work to Date

An accounting of all city funding and resources

A list of all local urban agriculture programs

A count of all active and inactive sites and site coordinators

A count of waiting lists

Evaluate which agency or non-profit should permanently house the program

A needs assessment of resident, organization, and business needs

Projected budget for the Urban Agriculture Program and identify potential sources of funding

Complete and publish an audit of city-owned rooftops potentially suitable for both commercial and non-commercial urban agriculture

Develop incentives for property owners to allow temporary urban agriculture projects

Preliminary Work Plan Goals: Fall 2012

Develop a streamlined “application” process for urban agriculture projects on public land

Develop and implement a strategy to reduce the wait list for SF residents seeking access to a community garden plot and to optimize plot use

Create a “one-stop-shop” for urban agriculture

Develop 10 new locations for urban agriculture

Provide 5 city-wide garden resource locations at new or existing sites

Develop new urban agriculture projects on public land

Coordinate support among public agencies and community organizations for gleaning programs

Explore how urban agriculture can enhance existing job training programs

Preliminary Work Plan Goals: Fall 2012

Recommendations The Recreation and Park Department, San Francisco Public

Utilities Commission, Department of Public Health and Department of the Environment should continue their leadership roles on urban agriculture.

The Recreation and Park Department should be the lead agency for the Urban Agriculture Program

San Francisco’s public spending on urban agriculture is significant, and should be used to leverage new private investment.

Rec and Park Plan

Develop a process calendar to outline Year 1

Hire a full-time Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator

Build on work done in Fall 2012 to develop and implement a Year 1 work plan in collaboration with other city agencies and group and community stakeholders

Develop Urban Agriculture Program along side/ in conjunction with RPD Community Gardens Program

SFRPD currently manages: • 25 RPD sites • 9 DPW sites • 1 PUC site

Next Steps

One Stop Website

Resource:

Build out existing RPD

Website

Next Steps Continue outreach to other interested stakeholder groups

Supervisor Chiu to present recommendation to Board

Public hearing at Board of Supervisors

Official transfer of Urban Ag Program coordination to RPD

Hiring of Urban Ag Program Coordinator

Develop and implement Year 1 work plan with support of interagency working group + community stakeholders

Contact Info Catherine Rauschuber

Office of Supervisor David Chiu catherine.rauschuber@sfgov.org 415.554.7453

Melinda Stockmann Recreation and Park Department melinda.stockmann@sfgov.org 415.581.2548