PLEASE READ ENTIRE POST: This information affects Community and PERSONAL Gardens, Farmers Markets, Mobile Food Vendors, Chickens, and Urban Agriculture. Huntsville needs its people to come to make sure the importance of these issues are understood by the city AND the community. The effects go beyond markets, touching the ability to grow and create your own food on a personal, community, and business level. Please get informed and come to the meeting to learn and share about proposed ordinances. Look at proposed ordinances, amendments, links, and agenda on the left hand side of the page: huntsvilleal.gov/planning/index.php We are trying to work WITH our city and leaders, not against them. Please come to show your support, share concerns, and ask questions. We personally part agree and part disagree with the proposed changes. Please read our previous posts for a thorough history. Last time this topic was addressed, Chickens took the spotlight and the vote was delayed. See some clips here (Watch for the Samovar Crew! whnt/2013/09/24/chicken-ordinance-on-huntsville-planning-commissions-agenda-tonight/) Many of the local farmers, vendors, concerned citizens, and organizations will be there! A small list of some of the organizations we have heard are the Huntsville Hen Alliance, Tennessee Valley Community Garden Association, Deep Roots of Alabama, Food Bank, Alabama Cottage Food Law Information. Please check out their FB pages and learn more about them! Please SHARE THIS INFORMATION with people. People need knowledge and motivation to create effective change. Lets work together and move Huntsville forward! Overview of why these changes are happening: Most of this information came from the Planning Office. They were VERY helpful in clarifying things and are a WEALTH of current information. Basically, things are changing STATEWIDE with the combining of departments. This dissolves many of the regulations that used to run gardens, farmers markets, etc. Cities are trying to come up with ordinances that are orderly and streamlined to protect the public. The backyard chicken ordinance is part of the larger package, and chickens will be a big point of debate. This will also affect Farmers Markets, Gardens, and serving prepared foods and other items at Farmers Markets. NOTE: We recently met one of our state senators who was part of the recent streamlining of Alabama government to create efficiency. He shared that he/they did not realize cities would try to make new ordinances as an effect of streamlining state policy. He told us if we have major problems with the council in this regard to contact him and he will talk to the city council (he knows all of them) and it will become a priority topic. Talk about the power of knowledge! Last we checked, a realistic example of the impact of the ordinances as shared from several organizations researching the topic: Community Gardens and Urban Agriculture will require a yearly application for Special Exemption requirements. Currently it will cost $25 for an application of a Board of Zoning Adjustment hearing, Cost of certified mail notification, then the mailing costs of $7.25 per address within a 500 ft radius. Current estimates are about $200 every year for special exemption application and hearing processes.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 04:46:37 +0000
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