Proposed changes would expand Austin’s urban farm ordinance

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/local/proposed-changes-would-expand-austins-urban-farm-o/nZ5nB/?icmp=statesman_internallink_textlink_apr2013_statesmanstubtomystatesman_launch

Category: Urban development, food production

Level: Local

This article concerns an issue that individuals and families face.

The urban farm ordinances affects families because it controls the ability of urban farmers to operate, generate revenue, and supply our city with locally grown produce and meat. It also affects the families who live in east Austin and addresses their concerns about what types of businesses should be allowed to operate in residential neighborhoods.

My views:

I shop at farmers’ markets regularly and strongly believe in supporting Austin’s urban farms. Ultimately, urban farms increase access to fresh, local, pesticide-free produce and hormone-free, humanely-raised meat. This is a very good thing for all Austin residents and I think especially beneficial for those who live in east Austin, where grocery stores aren’t that great and don’t offer much in the way of organic fruits, vegetables, meat, or eggs. It allows residents of east Austin to have easy access to these products – which is why it is especially strange that the ability for these farms to sell produce and meat from their own properties is being debated. It benefits the neighborhood to have access to these small markets.

I can, however, understand some of the frustration from east Austin residents regarding having a small urban farm for a neighbor. I live in east Austin and have a neighbor who has several goats who like to make a racket at odd times I used to have chickens and they can smell and be a nuisance. But I also have neighbors who (legally) park three RVs on the street outside of my house (and I’m pretty sure two families are living in them). The business closest to me is a car stereo shop whose patrons are often implicated in vandalism and car break-ins. I would much rather have a farmer as a neighbor. That’s what makes the arguments from PODER a little hard to take. I can’t get behind comparing an urban farm to fuel storage tanks. I also disagree with PODER’s assertion that tendency of urban farms to set up shop in east Austin has anything to do with discrimination. East Austin land is much cheaper and more abundantly available.