Promoting
Local Food Production
City Council Workshop
City of Cotati
Community
Development
Department
UCANR June 30, 2022
Overview
The goals of this workshop are to :
Receive community input
Identify potential strategies to facilitate local
promote food production (urban
agriculture) in Cotati
Provide direction to staff
Workshop Format
List of potential strategies for focused discussion:
Crop Production, Produce Stands/CSA, Community
Gardens, Animal Keeping, Veronda-Falletti Ranch
Background, context, informational resources in staff report. Questions at this time?
Cotati’s Current Food Production Regulations
Home gardens permitted by-right (P) in all residential zones.
Commercial Crop Production allowed with a Use Permit
(UP) in the RR district.
Farm stands accessory to Crop Production allowed with a MUP in the RR district.
Community Gardens allowed with a MUP in all
residential districts and the Open Space, Recreation
(OSR) district.
Up to 20 chickens for non-commercial purposes
allowed by-right per property in the RR, RVL, and NL
districts, and with a zoning clearance letter in the NM and NU districts and in residential uses in all
commercial districts.
Roosters allowed only in the RR district.
Attachment 1: Potential Strategies to Implement General Plan Policies Related to Food Production # Potential Strategy Potential Standards General Plan Goals Addressed
Planning
Commission
Direction -
March 7, 2022
1 Promote home food gardening through
education and outreach by working with
nonprofit partners
Must conform to existing Code standards for
residential uses and general nuisance
abatement
CHW3.1, CHW3.2, CHW
3.3, CHW3-d.1 CHW3-
d.2, CHW3-d.4, CHW3-
n/a
2 Create new "Market Garden" land use in
Zoning Code:
"Market Garden: Small-scale crop
production for sale or donation, which is
allowed on-site retail sales at a
temporary produce stand with limited
hours/days."
Gardening work hours 9am-5pm; mechanical
equipment limited to typical residential
equipment; maximum area of cultivation and
related activities is 1/2 acre; 5' setbacks for
cultivation area. Produce stand: Maximum 100
sqft size, allowed on-site (not in public right-ofway (ROW)) 2 days/week, 9am-6pm, and must be a temporary structure that can be
dismantled and stored away out of sight of
public ROW on off-days. Dwelling unit
required on site as the primary land use. 2
parking spaces required, on- or off-street.
CHW3.1, CHW3.2, CHW
3.3, CHW3-d.1 CHW3-
d.2, CHW3-d.3, CHW3-
d.4, CHW3-d.6
n/a
2A
Allow "Market Garden" land use by-right
(P) in some or all residential districts
(NU, NM, NL, RVL, and RR)
See above #2
CHW3.1, CHW3.2, CHW
3.3, CHW3-d.1 CHW3-
d.2, CHW3-d.3, CHW3-
n/a
2B
Allow "Market Garden" land use with
MUP in some or all residential districts
(NU, NM, NL, RVL, and RR)
See above #2
CHW3.1, CHW3.2, CHW
3.3, CHW3-d.1 CHW3-
d.2, CHW3-d.3, CHW3-
n/a
2C
Allow "Market Garden" land use with UP
in some or all residential districts (NU,
NM, NL, RVL, and RR)
Standards to be set by UP
CHW3.1, CHW3.2, CHW
3.3, CHW3-d.1 CHW3-
d.2, CHW3-d.3, CHW3-
n/a
3 Allow Crop Production land use (existing
land use in Zoning Code) with UP in RVL
district
Will conform to existing standards in Code for
Crop Production land use in the RR district and
to standards set by UP
CHW3.1, CHW3.2, CHW
3.3, CHW3-d.1 CHW3-
d.2, CHW3-d.3, CHW3-
Yes (as P)
Crop Production
Potential Strategies for Cotati
Crop Production/Growing Food
1. Promote home gardening
2. Create the Market Garden land use: Smaller-scale crop production for sale or donation, allowed on-site retail sales at temporary produce stand with limited
days/hours
. . . and allow in some or all residential neighborhoods (NU, NM, NL, RVL, and RR) with:
a. By-right (P), or
b. MUP, or
c. UP
3. Allow existing Crop Production land use with UP in RVL Some Market Gardens . . .
Since 2010, the “Urban Homestead” farm in Pasadena has produced enough food to feed the resident family plus run a CSA, on 1/10 acre (3,900 sqft). The entire lot size is 8,700 sqft.
Urban Homestead
Site Plan of Urban Homestead
Farm, Pasadena
Urban Homestead
Front yard of Urban
Homestead Farm
WD Dickinson Urban Farm, National City, CA—3/4 acre, veteran-run, organic farm with event center, farm sales, CSA on historic property Female Farmer Project
¼ acre suburban farm in Indiana
Edible Michiana
Front yard food garden in Boulder, CO
Sustainable Dwelling
Potential Strategies: Crop Production
# Potential Strategy Potential Standards
1 Promote home food gardening through education and
outreach by working with nonprofit partners
Must conform to existing Code standards for residential uses and general nuisance abatement
2 Create new "Market Garden" land use in Zoning Code:
"Market Garden: Small-scale crop production for sale or donation, which is allowed on-site retail sales at a
temporary produce stand with limited hours/days."
Gardening work hours 9am-5pm; mechanical equipment limited to typical residential equipment; maximum area of cultivation and related activities is 1/2 acre; 5' setbacks for cultivation area. Produce stand: Maximum 100 sqft size, allowed on-site (not in public right-of-way (ROW)) 2 days/week, 9am-6pm, and must be a temporary structure that can be dismantled and stored away out of sight of public ROW on off-days. Dwelling unit required on site as the primary land use. 2 parking spaces required, on- or off-street.
2A Allow "Market Garden" land use by-right (P) in some or all residential districts (NU, NM, NL, RVL, and RR) See above #2 2B
Allow "Market Garden" land use with MUP in some or
all residential districts (NU, NM, NL, RVL, and RR) See above #2 2C
Allow "Market Garden" land use with UP in some or all
residential districts (NU, NM, NL, RVL, and RR) Standards to be set by UP 3 Allow Crop Production land use (existing land use in
Zoning Code) with UP in RVL district
Will conform to existing standards in Code for Crop Production land use in the RR district and to standards set by UP
Crop Production
DISCUSSION:
Public and City Council Direction
on Crop Production/FoodGrowing Regulations
UCANR
Potential Strategies for Cotati
Selling Food: Produce Stands and CSA
4. Limited-day/hour produce stands at home gardens (P)
5. Limited-day/hour produce stands at Market Gardens
a. As P/by-right
b. With MUP
c. With UP
6. Produce stands in RVL with UP
7. CSA as accessory to Crop Production in RR (UP)
8. CSA as accessory to Crop Production in RVL (UP)
Produce Stands East Sac Farms,
Sacramento (6,000 sqft)—
mobile
produce stand
wheels out to
street 2x/week
East Sac Farms
Produce Stands
Swainway Urban Farm, Columbus, OH (4,000 sqft)
UCANR
Potential Strategies: Produce Stands and CSA
# Potential Strategy Potential Standards
Produce Stands and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) 4 Allow limited day/hour produce stands with sales from on-site home gardens by-right (P) in all residential districts
Produce stand subject to same standards as
for "Market Garden" above (#2)
5A
Allow on-site produce stands by "Market Gardens" by-right (P) in some or all residential zoning districts (Consistent with #2A above)
See Produce stand standards above (#2) for
"Market Garden"
5B
Allow on-site produce stands by "Market Gardens" with MUP in some or all residential zoning districts (Consistent with #2B above)
See Produce stand standards above (#2) for
"Market Garden"
5C
Allow on-site produce stands by "Market Gardens" with UP in some or all residential zoning districts (Consistent with #2C above)
Standards to be set by UP
6 Allow produce stands with UP in RVL district
Conform to existing standards in Code for
this land use in the RR district; further
standards to be set by UP
7 Confirm CSA as accessory activity to Crop Production land use in RR, consistent with "retail sales in the field" Code language (UP required per existing Code)
Standards to be set by UP
8 Allow CSA as accessory use to Crop Production land use in RVL, consistent with "retail sales in the field" Code language (UP would be required; See #3 above)
Standards to be set by UP
DISCUSSION:
Public and City Council Direction
on Produce Stands and CSA
Regulations
UCANR
Potential Strategies for Cotati
Community Gardens
9. Allow by-right (P) in all residential zones
10. Allow in City facilities, OSR, with UP
11. Encourage private community gardens in multifamily
City of Portland
Community Garden at Mosswood Park in Oakland CA
Potential Strategies: Community Gardens
# Potential Strategy Potential Standards
Community Gardens
9 Allow community gardens by-right (P) in all residential districts
Non-commercial only; Work hours 9am-6pm;
mechanical equipment limited to typical
residential equipment; 5' setbacks for
cultivation area; Nuisance abatement per
current Code standards
10 Allow community gardens at City facilities and in OSR, with UP; would require partnership with community
organizations or institutions to operate gardens
Standards to be set by UP
11 Encourage private community gardens in multifamily
developments Conform to existing Code standards
DISCUSSION:
Public and City Council Direction
on Community Garden
Regulations
UCANR
Potential Strategies for Cotati
Animal Keeping—Hens
12. Allow commercial hen-keeping, in excess of 20-chicken limit, in RR and RVL with UP
Minimum property size 1 acre
Other standards set by UP
DISCUSSION:
Public and City Council Direction
on Commercial Animal Keeping
(Hens)
UCANR
James Wirth Photography
Potential Strategies: Veronda-Falletti Ranch
James Wirth Photography
1. Change Zoning from NL to OSR
2. Amend OSR to allow land uses that have been
identified for Veronda-Falletti Ranch,
with UP, including potentially:
a. Crop production
b. Plant nursery
c. Animal keeping (to match OSC)
d. Ag accessory structure
e. Child care/day care center
f. Produce stand
g. Farmers Market
h. Artisan/craft product manufacturing
i. Meeting facility
j. Caretaker quarters
3. Ensure equity/inclusion programming
Potential Strategies: Veronda-Falletti Ranch
# Potential Strategy
1 Change zoning for Veronda-Falletti Ranch property from Neighborhood, Low Density (NL) to Open Space, Recreation (OSR) to meet terms of Conservation Easement 2 Amend OSR zoning to allow land uses/activities at Veronda-Faletti Ranch and other City-owned park properties that serve the community while fostering financial sustainability, with a UP:
2A: Crop Production
2B: Plant Nursery
2C: Animal Keeping (consistent with Open Space, Conservation (OSC): Up to 20 chickens including 1 rooster per acre, 2 horses/cows per acre, 4 other large animals (goats, sheep, llamas, etc) per are, 4 other small animals (rabbits, chinchillas, etc) per acre) 2D: Agricultural accessory structure
2E: Child care/day care center
2F: Produce stand
2G: Farmers market
2H: Artisan/craft product manufacturing
2I: Meeting facility
2J: Caretaker quarters
3 Ensure equity/inclusion in programming at Falletti ranch to extend gardening education to all community members through license agreements. Strategies might include Spanish-language programming, targetted community outreach, school programs, and others DISCUSSION:
Public and City Council
Direction on Veronda-Falletti
Ranch Re-Zoning
Next Steps/Conclusion