Constituent involvement continues to help advance this initiative. At the time that these amendments were passed, it was clear to me that further fine-tuning of the Zoning Code would be needed after both policy makers and farmers assessed changing needs and developments. This perception was reinforced at the community forum on Urban Agriculture in Eastside Minneapolis that I hosted last October, as community members, gardeners and farmers discussed the ramifications of the amendments and further practical modifications that needed to be considered.
As we develop a body of experience with urban farming and tangible evidence of what works and what doesn't, changes to our policies have already begun. This past April, the City Council voted on measures to make it easier to keep bees in Minneapolis. Rooftop beehives installed at the second story or higher are allowed without requiring fences or signatures from nearby neighbors. This change made possible the recent installation of two hives on City Hall’s green roof. I expect to see an increase in beehives across the City, which will be a boon for our gardens and farms. Another welcome change has been the crafting of a pathway to allow urban farms water access. Farmers may now apply for hydrant permits to purchase city water, using the same pathway that has been available to community gardens for some time.
As another growing season gets underway and we have the opportunity to see the fruits of urban agriculture at our local farmers markets, farmstands, market gardens, CSAs and urban farms, I’m confident that we’ll discover more ways to enhance our access to good local food.
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