Urban Land Use Policy and Zoning Impacts to Conservation and Agriculture Program Implementations

Land use laws play a crucial role in shaping urban conservation programs. These laws often dictate what type of development can occur in specific areas, influencing the preservation of open spaces, natural resources, and the overall urban landscape. However, they can also limit the implementation of conservation programs. For instance, conventional zoning practices that separate residential, retail, and office uses can hinder communities from achieving their desired development. EPA. 

Moreover, current land-related public policies at all levels of government contribute to conflicts in the wildland-urban interface by failing to provide a way for communities to direct and control the increasing demand for land development. Urban Forestry South. 

In some ways, the very land use laws that make urban living sustainable serve as the exact hindrances to the successful implementation of conservation programs, including include zoning regulations, lot size regulations, and urban growth boundary controls. Zoning regulations restrict land use, while lot size regulations limit the size of each housing lot. Urban growth boundary controls separate urban development areas from urbanization-control areas, which can restrict the expansion of urban areas into natural or agricultural lands. Tulane Law. These laws can hinder the implementation of urban conservation programs by promoting development over conservation and limiting the preservation of open spaces and natural resources. Urban Forestry South.

To promote urban conservation and improve the urban landscape, it is essential to adopt smart policies that align with the principles of smart growth. Smart growth emphasizes efficient land use, mixed land use, and the protection of natural resources and environmental quality. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Several strategies can be implemented:

• Developing Land-Use Policies: Some countries have developed land-use policies to integrate natural urban ecosystems, such as wetlands, with urban agriculture."Promoting Urban Agriculture and Its Opportunities and Challenges—A Global Review". These policies can help create space for urban agriculture within the existing urban landscape.

• Investing in Education Programs: Education programs that emphasize urban agriculture topics such as soil, pest, and water management can provide broader support for urban farms across the country. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. By educating the public and policymakers, support for urban agriculture can be increased.

• Tailoring Programs for Varied Communities: It is important to consider the existing operations and practices of urban agriculture in different communities. Cities can create new zones for urban agriculture specifically and offer flexible, medium-scale land supply through adopt-a-lot programs and leasing underused spaces to citizens or qualified urban farmers. "How American Cities Can Promote Urban Agriculture".

• Changing Zoning Laws: Some cities have developed zoning laws that promote and support agriculture in urban municipalities. These laws can include allowances for urban agriculture and strategies to ensure access to marginalized communities. University of Louisville.

By encouraging compact, transit-accessible, pedestrian-oriented, and mixed-use development patterns, smart policies can help create more sustainable and livable urban environments. American Planning Association.

Additionally, promoting urban agriculture initiatives can contribute to a more resilient and sustainable urban landscape. In fact, there are several very successful models of urban agriculture and conservation projects in cities with strict land use regulations, including Chicago, Illinois. Changes to the Chicago Zoning Ordinance allowed agricultural uses like community gardens and urban farms to be established and thrive in many parts of the city. The zoning amendments provided clear definitions for community gardens and urban farm uses, identified where the uses were permitted, and established reasonable regulations that were designed to minimize potential impacts to surrounding properties while maintaining the character of the neighborhoods in which they exist. City of Chicago, Illinois.

Other cities have taken a different approach and sought to develop policies and programs that allow for the use of vacant lots for agricultural production, and have established land banks to acquire vacant or blighted land while working directly with growers to turn the land into productive spaces with urban agriculture plots. Healthy Food Policy Project. West Chester University.

To overcome the limitations imposed by land use laws, communities can consider implementing smart growth policies that support conservation and sustainable development. These policies can include updating zoning codes to allow for mixed land use, promoting compact development, and protecting open spaces and farmland. EPA. But these initiatives are not without their own challenges, including:

• Access Equity

Urban agriculture incentives may not necessarily increase the number of urban farms and the amount of urban food production by themselves. Without specific goals and policies to ensure access to marginalized communities, urban agriculture can deepen inequities by benefiting community members with greater access to land and resources while leaving others out. Healthy Food Policy Project.

• Land Acquisition

Land acquisition is often a barrier to equitable participation in urban agriculture. For farmers looking to grow commercially or on a larger scale, having a community garden plot on city land may not be enough to be productive or economically viable. Residents wanting to produce their own food may not have the financial means to pay for land rental fees. The ability to purchase or lease land from the city or other private landowners for agricultural use is often cost-prohibitive for community members that may benefit the most from urban food production. Healthy Food Policy Project.

• Regulatory Impediments

Regulatory structures may be maladapted to small-scale urban farming, posing barriers to establishing urban agriculture sites. Zoning laws and building codes may not explicitly define how agriculture can be pursued in urban settings, hindering the potential environmental and economic benefits of urban agriculture. "Seeding the City". "Vertical farming faces several challenges. Zoning law is one of them.".

Each of these challenges underscore the urgent need for cities and municipalities to address issues of equity, land availability, and regulation in order to effectively implement smart urban agriculture programs and incentives. By adopting such policies, communities can create a more environmentally responsible and socially equitable urban landscape while accommodating growth in a sustainable manner.  Land use laws significantly influence the implementation of urban conservation programs. By embracing smart policies that promote sustainable development, encourage urban agriculture initiatives, and support conservation efforts, communities can work towards creating more vibrant, resilient, and environmentally friendly urban landscapes.

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Special thanks for research, policy recommendations and review from: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Urban Forestry South, Tulane University Law School, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education, University of Louisville, American Planning Association, City of Chicago, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, amongst others.