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City Slicker Farms
1625 16th Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Tell Oakland City Council to recognize urban farming as a right
Last month, the City of Oakland passed the first hurdle to becoming a more urban farmer-friendly city when the Oakland Planning Commission passed an update to the City’s Agricultural Regulations that recognizes planting and raising food and livestock as a right, not a conditional privilege requiring a permit. Now, the proposal is moving onto the Community and Economic Development (CED) Committee.
The update would empower our city to grow and raise our own food in a few major ways. It makes it easier for anyone to start growing food by changing the definition of a community garden from land cultivated by “more than one” to “one or more” persons.
In addition, the changes remove the lengthy and expensive permitting process that used to be required for raising and selling food on a lot by designating certain agricultural activities as “permitted outright.” These activities include growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs; keeping up to three beehives; and, in some areas, selling those food products on- or off-site. This means any community garden less than one acre in size no longer has to apply for a Conditional Use Permit, a process that could cost thousands of dollars and take several months.
A huge congratulations and thanks to the Oakland Food Policy Council and all other supporters and allies for leading the charge on this important regulation change.
Voice Your Right to Farm
The Community Economic Development Committee of the City Council will consider the proposed changes on Tuesday, October 14, at 1:30 pm in Hearing Room 1 of Oakland City Hall. The amendments are slated to be presented to the City Council the following week on Tuesday, October 21, at 6:30 pm in the City Council Chambers of Oakland City Hall. City Council needs to hear the message loud and clear that Oakland residents support the right to grow our own food.
If you are unable to attend either meeting, you can also call or write your city councilperson to express support for this proposal. Find your councilperson at: http://mapgis.oaklandnet.com/councildistricts/.