Preserving the urban farm

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By Edward Hill – Goldstream News Gazette
Published: December 03, 2009 1:00 PM
Langford is looking to buff up breathing room between urban development and remaining farmland as part of an agricultural strategy released in November.
A key provision of the strategy is establishing an agricultural development permit area, which would prescribe setbacks and buffer areas between farmland and residential development.
“We want to make the most of what we have,” said Coun. Lillian Szpak, chair of planning and zoning. “It’s about edge planning to ensure the optimal use of urban and agricultural boundaries. It’s so they can live side by side.”
Agricultural DP areas would span 100 metres from existing provincial agricultural land reserve and would require a professional plan for landscaping, stormwater management and building setback, among other requirements.
Langford has about 118 hectares of ALR land in 83 parcels. Eight parcels totalling 7.2 hectares are seeking exclusion from the ALR through the provincial agricultural land commission.
“Once adopted, every development next to agricultural land will be a (development permit) area,” said Matthew Baldwin, Langford’s city planner. “We want to protect land in the ALR by determining how land adjacent to land in the ALR develops.”
The strategy outlines a broad series of initiatives, such as establishing a “public trust” of secured agricultural land, either donated or purchased by the City, and then leased to farmers. Langford has had a developer amenity fee for ALR land acquisition since 2006, but is yet to buy farmland.
Langford also plans to amend its landscaping policy to require edible plant species, allow all commercial and industrial zones to host farmers markets and require developments with at least 100 units per hectare to provide community gardens.
Langford still needs to draft and pass a number of bylaws to bring these initiatives into force. Baldwin doesn’t expect a bylaw for the agricultural DP area to come before council until early next year.
Ultimately, the City’s goal is to promote awareness about food security, farm markets and small-scale farming, Szpak said. The strategy report admits Langford has “very little farmland,” but Szpak said through the public trust, the City wants to preserve what viable soil remains.
“We’re at a time in the world and in the community were food self-reliance is an issue with a lot of interest,” she said. “We are an urban area with rural lands that we’re looking to live in concert with.”
Residents’ anxiety in the Happy Valley area has risen as some properties look to escape the ALR, while others transition from large-lot to higher-density developments. Szpak agreed people should be concerned about preserving farmland, but noted that landowners have a right to try and subdivide and that not all land is farmable.
“Agricultural land is precious. That is the whole reason behind this initiative,” she said. “But we need a balanced approach. If the land is viable we want to keep it for farming.”
A group of Langford green-thumbs, coined Green Langford working group, are helping put on a CR-Fair roundtable next week to talk about Langford’s agricultural strategy.
Bea McKenzie, an avid garlic gardener, said local food producers have plenty of questions about the strategy, which they hope to put to Langford politicians and staff.
McKenzie said she wants to make sure the land acquisition fund doesn’t alienate small farmers.
The CR-Fair roundtable is Monday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Langford legion, 761 Station Ave.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/goldstreamgazette/news/78375837.html

By Edward Hill – Goldstream News Gazette

Published: December 03, 2009 1:00 PM

Langford is looking to buff up breathing room between urban development and remaining farmland as part of an agricultural strategy released in November.

A key provision of the strategy is establishing an agricultural development permit area, which would prescribe setbacks and buffer areas between farmland and residential development.

“We want to make the most of what we have,” said Coun. Lillian Szpak, chair of planning and zoning. “It’s about edge planning to ensure the optimal use of urban and agricultural boundaries. It’s so they can live side by side.”

Agricultural DP areas would span 100 metres from existing provincial agricultural land reserve and would require a professional plan for landscaping, stormwater management and building setback, among other requirements.

Langford has about 118 hectares of ALR land in 83 parcels. Eight parcels totalling 7.2 hectares are seeking exclusion from the ALR through the provincial agricultural land commission.

“Once adopted, every development next to agricultural land will be a (development permit) area,” said Matthew Baldwin, Langford’s city planner. “We want to protect land in the ALR by determining how land adjacent to land in the ALR develops.”

The strategy outlines a broad series of initiatives, such as establishing a “public trust” of secured agricultural land, either donated or purchased by the City, and then leased to farmers. Langford has had a developer amenity fee for ALR land acquisition since 2006, but is yet to buy farmland.

Langford also plans to amend its landscaping policy to require edible plant species, allow all commercial and industrial zones to host farmers markets and require developments with at least 100 units per hectare to provide community gardens.

Langford still needs to draft and pass a number of bylaws to bring these initiatives into force. Baldwin doesn’t expect a bylaw for the agricultural DP area to come before council until early next year.

Ultimately, the City’s goal is to promote awareness about food security, farm markets and small-scale farming, Szpak said. The strategy report admits Langford has “very little farmland,” but Szpak said through the public trust, the City wants to preserve what viable soil remains.

“We’re at a time in the world and in the community were food self-reliance is an issue with a lot of interest,” she said. “We are an urban area with rural lands that we’re looking to live in concert with.”

Residents’ anxiety in the Happy Valley area has risen as some properties look to escape the ALR, while others transition from large-lot to higher-density developments. Szpak agreed people should be concerned about preserving farmland, but noted that landowners have a right to try and subdivide and that not all land is farmable.

“Agricultural land is precious. That is the whole reason behind this initiative,” she said. “But we need a balanced approach. If the land is viable we want to keep it for farming.”

A group of Langford green-thumbs, coined Green Langford working group, are helping put on a CR-Fair roundtable next week to talk about Langford’s agricultural strategy.

Bea McKenzie, an avid garlic gardener, said local food producers have plenty of questions about the strategy, which they hope to put to Langford politicians and staff.

McKenzie said she wants to make sure the land acquisition fund doesn’t alienate small farmers.

The CR-Fair roundtable is Monday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Langford legion, 761 Station Ave.

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