If there’s one thing the city of Cleveland can afford its creative approaches to economic development. The city has a wealth of land—3,000 acres where once a home or business was located, and thousands more which property owners may want to use more productively. At the center of the city’s sustainability agenda is the cultivation of land to grow healthier food. The city has a rare urban garden zoning overlay which protects urban gardens, which in turn helps raise property values.

Urban gardens are a social justice issue, Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman said at this morning’s Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition, because they provide fresh produce to thousands of urban residents. Many Cleveland residents don’t have a supermarket within a 1-mile walk or bus ride but have plenty of fast food locations within a half-mile. According to analysis from the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, fast food is 4.5 times more accessible than larger-scale supermarkets in Cleveland, and 3 times more accessible in the county (the analysis did not include farmer's markets). That’s what’s known as a food dessert.

A food desert can mean greater rates of obesity, premature death, and lower quality of life, especially for mothers and children, according to a Chicago study.

Urban gardens can give hope and a sign that people care about their neighborhood. Cimperman cites the community garden around Stanard School near E. 55th Street and St. Clair Avenue as a reason for drastically reducing crime on the block. It also opened minds and involved neighbors in the subsequent ‘deconstruction’ or recycling of Stanard School. “Something fundamentally changed in the neighborhood,” Cimperman said. “People said let’s see this as an opportunity.”

Policies can be a driver for re-valuing land and providing economic opportunity. This Friday, the Cleveland City Planning Commission will consider a series of resolutions that could open new urban agriculture opportunities for its residents. Specifically, the city will allow the tending of a limited number of farm animals – chickens, rabbits, pigeons – in coops (no more than six animals per 4,800 sq ft.). Bee keeping will also be allowed (which has become a business opportunity with the recent epidemic of colony collapse). Horses, cows and goats can be raised in a residential area if a landowner controls 24,000 square feet (half-acre) in area; and in non-residential areas on no less than 14,000 sq ft. of land.

Also up for approval on Friday is legislation that “establishes a food purchasing and contracting policy for the city of Cleveland that promotes regional economic growth, regional collaboration, environmental sustainability, and food security through the support of regional food growers and producers.” In addition to requiring the city purchase local food (grown within 150 miles), a non-binding resolution will be introduced to adopt a Food Charter which promotes a local food system.

Cleveland also recently established the “Gardening for Greenbacks” program that assists small urban farm development through a forgivable grant program.

The goal of policies and food councils is the creation of a just and sustainable food system, Mark Winne, food policy consultant and author of Closing the Food Gap, told the Cleveland-Cuyahoga group.

Food policy coalitions have been effective in the U.S. leading efforts to assess gaps in regional food systems, map locations of farmer’s markets, set goals for increasing the amount of local food produced and consumed, directing incentives such as WIC and other programs to be accepted at farmer’s markets and more. Some states have executive orders establishing food councils (Ohio took a first step when Governor Strickland passed a food policy in 2008), some have departments of agriculture managing farmer’s markets, and others have incentive programs like New York’s Market Bucks which distributes coupons to lower income families to use at farmer’s markets.

Some suggestions for creating a stronger desire for local food include programs that invite kids from city neighborhoods – such as Cleveland’s City Sprouts and City Fresh – to grow veggies. Cooking demonstrations at farmer’s markets may spark interest in buying and using fresh produce. Also, talk to people about what tools are in their kitchen—such as, do they have a working stove? In general, food policy coalitions are most effective when they respond to what the community wants—whether it’s more farmer’s markets or a supermarket in the area. Winne concludes: find out what sustainability really means in your city and then act accordingly.

Resources

• City of Cleveland Food Charter
• Cleveland Local Food Contracts
• Cleveland livestock ordinance
• Backyardchickens.com