[Lapg] LA - Food and Flowers Freedom Act

[Cory Brennan]

From the the Homegrown Evolution site
<http://www.homegrow nevolution. com/2009/ 08/food-and- flowers-freedom- act.\
html> :

Local food is coming back to Los Angeles. Homegrown Evolution is proud
to be a part of a new group, the Urban Farming Advocates (UFA). Not in
LA? Start your own UFA branch. City codes need to be changed everywhere!
UFA activist Glen Dake posted the following notice on the Garden Council
website:

PROBLEM:

In 1946, a Los Angeles municipal code known as the Truck Gardening
Ordinance was written to allow the growing of vegetables in a
residential (R1) zone for sale off-site. What this means, however, is
that it is prohibited for city dwellers in R1 zones to grow fruits,
nuts, flowers or seedlings and sell them off-site - at local
farmers' markets for example. Furthermore, no one at City Hall can
agree on what Truck Gardening is.

We think it's time for the City of Los Angeles to come into the 21st
century and amend its municipal code to support the burgeoning urban
farming movement. It's time L.A. legalized urban farming in R1 zones
as part of its commitment to greening our city.

SOLUTION:

On July 8th, 2009, Council President Eric Garcetti introduced a motion
to explore allowing "the cultivation of flowers, fruits, nuts or
vegetables defined as the product of any tree, vine or plant, and that
these products be allowed for use on-site or sale off-site." A group
known as Urban Farming Advocates – Los Angeles, has named this
motion the Food & Flowers Freedom Act. We're asking for your support
so that City Hall will change the law quickly and let L.A. become a
leading center for urban farmers. Urban farming provides access to more
local, organic, affordable, fresh and nutritious food. In this time of
economic crisis and rising food prices, urban farming can help create
green jobs and stimulate the growth of artisanal home-based businesses.
Urban farmers help build community bonds and bring a truly local flavor
to farmers' markets.

Angelinos care deeply about buying local organic produce. What about
flowers? According to the California Cut Flower Commission, 80% of the
flowers we buy are imported from overseas. Imported flowers are not
tested for pesticide residues. Let urban farmers meet the rising demand
for fresh, organic flowers!
Urban farmers can meet the needs of people for more locally grown,
sustainably raised, pesticide-free food and flowers. We have the
climate; we have the space.

ACTION:

Please take a moment to support the Food & Flowers Freedom Act by
writing to your Los Angeles City Councilmember. Tell her/him you want to
support urban farming in Los Angeles. Tell her/him you want the Planning
Department to expedite their work and propose ways to legalize urban
farming in Los Angeles. Please cc Council President Eric Garcetti and
send an email copy to Urban Farming Advocates – Los Angeles at
gdake at pacbell. net

To find out who is your local councilmember, go to this link:
http://lacity. org/lacity/ YourGovernment/ CityCouncil/ index.htm
<http://lacity. org/lacity/ YourGovernment/ CityCouncil/ index.htm>