found this article on zone change for aquaponics etc

[helencrump]

Mayor Menino Announces Adoption of Urban Agriculture Zoning Zoning will empower commercial farming entrepreneurs

For Immediate Release December 19, 2013 Released By: Mayor's Office For More Information Contact: Mayor's Press Office [e-mail]

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today announced that the Boston Zoning Commission approved new zoning that will support the growth of commercial farming in Boston and improve access to affordable, fresh, and healthy food. Article 89 of Boston’s zoning code creates clarity and predictability for urban farmers who want to pursue ground level and rooftop urban food production. The new zoning is the result of a three year collaboration led by the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and the Mayor’s Urban Agriculture Working Group. Mayor Menino is anticipated to sign the zoning into law this week.

“Urban agriculture is an innovative way to improve city life. Boston’s new zoning creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, decreases the distance food travels from farm to table, and better ours communities,” Mayor Menino said. “Growing food within our city limits means better access to food and economic empowerment, all while cultivating a sense of neighborhood unity, and greening our city.”

By formalizing zoning for urban agriculture, Boston has put itself at the forefront of urban food production. Article 89 addresses a wide range of growing activities, including ground-level farms, roof-level farms, roof-level greenhouses, composting, aquaculture, hydroponics, aquaponics, freight farming, farmers’ markets, farm stands, and soil safety. The keeping of hens and bees on residential property is already addressed in the existing Zoning Code, but Article 89 details size and maintenance requirements for these uses. Article 89 applies only to commercial agricultural endeavors; community gardens and backyard gardening are not a part of the new zoning.

“We have an opportunity to develop our community -- the people who live in it and the land around it -- in a holistic sort of way,” said Bruce Bickerstaff, Roxbury community leader and member of the Urban Agriculture Working Group. “I'm excited for members of our community who might not otherwise have the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of such an exciting business opportunity that is economic, nutritional, educational and spiritual in its nature.”

In 2010, Mayor Menino launched Boston’s Urban Agriculture Initiative to increase access to affordable and healthy food, particularly for underserved communities. At the time, the zoning code did not allow for urban farming as an acceptable land use. In support of the Urban Agriculture Initiative, the BRA explored ways to amend the zoning code, and with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives, established zoning that allowed for two pilot micro-farms on Department of Neighborhood Development owned land in Mattapan.

"We're modernizing the Boston zoning code to create a more vibrant and diverse city," said BRA Director Peter Meade. "This is about unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs, building healthy communities, teaching young people about food production, and supporting the local food movement."

With guidance from these pilot farms, in January 2012, the BRA, the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives, and the 25-member Mayor’s Urban Agriculture Working Group, began exploring the adoption of urban agriculture into the Zoning Code. Goals of the initiative were to increase access to affordable and healthy food, promote economic opportunity, and increase education and knowledge around healthy eating and food production.

Over a year and a half 18 public Working Group meetings were held in order to develop Article 89. In the summer of 2013 the BRA and the Mayor’s Office of Food Initiatives presented a draft of Article 89 to Boston’s neighborhoods through 11 community meetings and a Twitter chat, and incorporated certain suggested revisions into the final draft. The BRA Board approved Article 89 on November 14, 2013 and the Zoning Commission approved Article 89 on December 18, 2013.

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[helencrump]

It took 3 years, and 25 members to zone aquaponics in Boston

[helencrump]

If you notice, they included greenhouses in this new zoning. So, they did not feel they could just allow aquaponics in the same class AS already existing greenhouses. They totally revamped the zones.

[helencrump]

Now HAD Kyle filled out that dreaded (by him) zoning app, the commission might've recommended this same move. Especially if Google is their friend. This was the first item on my search.

[helencrump]

Eva (chrytalia), HubPages Author

FOOD AND COOKING How to Start a Hobby Farm

What Is A Hobby Farm?

A "hobby farm" is a farm that isn't necessarily run as an "agribusiness". Hobby farms can, and usually are, self-supporting, and most make a profit. But these are not the commercial farms covering thouands of acres that people think of when they imagine a "farm". Most hobby farms are small--between 40 and 100 acres or so--and are dedicated to sustainable agriculture that is earth friendly, and animal friendly.

Hobby farmers are people who quite simply love being close to the land, being self sufficient, and growing their own food. Most of them are more than willing to work long hours and live a simple lifestyle to accomplish their goal. Many of them home school, and many use agricultural methods that are thousands of years old in one field, and the newest technology a few hundred feet away.

On a well designed hobby farm, you might find ditch irrigation systems that date back to the dawn or agriculture, state of the art aquaponics, french intensive farming, square foot gardening, and an emphasis on heirloom seed varieties and organic practices--not only because they are "green", but because they work. Nature has done a very good job developing the food sources we have now, and there really is no need to try to improve on them.

Hobby farms are rarely dedicated to a single crop or animal, with the exception of alpaca farms. Most hobby farms will include vegetable gardens, chickens and other small livestock, a cow and calf, bees, and occasionally mushrooms or maple trees in the mix. Given a good climate and fertile soil, and proper planning, you can have garden, animals, bees and maple and fruit trees--all on less than 20 acres, with room to spare.

Micro hobby farms, those around 10 to 20 acres, often employ square foot gardening, mushroom farming, small livestock, 5-10 bee hives, and a few acres of fruit and maple trees, with a small aquaponics setup for fish and extra vegetables. People interested in hobby farming on the micro scale usually look for buildings and land that are multipurpose. A small barn, for instance, can have chickens, rabbits and a few alpacas on the bottom floor, and mushrooms in the hayloft.

A small stock tank, with modifications, can become the center of an aquaponics system to grow tilapia and vegetables. Infertile land can be used to hold bee hives or potato boxes, and a mixed apple orchard and sugar maple orchard will provide fruit and syrup. Planting a triple line of poplar around the edges of the property will insure good firewood and furniture wood indefinitely--and you still have room for a small house!

Now that you have an idea of what a hobby farm can be, let's look at how you start a hobby farm!

[helencrump]

Finding and Choosing Land For Hobby Farms

There are several things you need to do before you go land shopping, so here is the list:

Finances--what can you afford to pay while you get started? Land varies wildly in price--and the type of farm you want will dictate where you look for land. If you are planning on growing Pineapples and don't want to spend a fortune on greenhouses--don't move to Michigan.

Your Farming Plan--What do you want to raise? Do you want to only raise alpacas with a small garden and a few chickens for food? Are you planning on gourmet herbs and mushrooms (saffron crocus, for instance, are highly valuable, as are most restaurant mushrooms)? Are you just looking to be totally off the grid, sustain your family and have enough left over to sell at farmer's markets on the weekend? What you want to do will determine not only the amount of land you need, but the agricultural zone you shop in

Experience Level--have you ever farmed at all? If not, you might consider buying an already functioning hobby farm, and making arrangements to learn from the owners before you move in--then change things later as you get more experience. In farming, mistakes may not only be expensive--they can result in dead animals and injured or dead people.

Time-- Farming is a 24 hour, 365 day a year job, in one way or the other. Do you, and your family, have the time to be farmers? Can you change your current careers to allow you to transition to full time farming? Can you work at home?

Once you have discussed all these things, and made a farming plan, then you're ready to think about land.

[helencrump]

Source: Maggie Smith

Land For Your Hobby Farm

If you have land already, then by all means, plan your farm to fit what you have! But be advised--there are a wide variety of zoning laws wherever you are, and land doesn't necessarily come with "all rights". What does that mean? Well, for instance--your land might have mineral rights (you can mine or drill for oil) but not water rights--so the stream going through it can't be harnessed, dammed,

If you are buying land from a private owner, make sure that you examine the titles and permits carefully so you know what you are getting. Spending the money to have a lawyer experienced in land law, or a real estate agent who handles only farm land, is well worth the cost. It would be a tragedy to but a piece of land and find you can't get the permits you need to develop it.

In most rural areas, there are real estate agents that specialize in farm land, and they are the first people to talk to. Also talk to the local planning and zoning board, the county agricultural extension, the Grange (if there is one) and all the local farmers you can meet. Once you have narrowed your choices down, then you'll want to make sure the land you are looking at has a clear title, so you don't have any legal hassles to deal with beyond the normal paperwork that accompanies a property purchase.

It may seem a little bit excessive to take all these steps, but not everyone is honest--while farmers are considered the salt of the earth, they are just as capable of taking advantage of someone as anyone else. Better to be safe than sorry!

[helencrump]

I also found the above article, which, although it's a hobby farm, it does mention including aquaponics.

The reason I posted it, is it mentions before purchasing property: TALK TO PLANNING AND ZONING

[Kyle Mitchell]

Mar 28, 2014 8:34:25 GMT -6 helencrump said:

Now HAD Kyle filled out that dreaded (by him) zoning app, the commission might've recommended this same move. Especially if Google is their friend. This was the first item on my search.

Very good article about Boston helen, thank you. I'll try to read the rest later.

Too bad our Mayor was not interested in having it explored here.

I'm sure that he knew how ridiculous and irresponsible it was to even apply for industrial zoning on Main Street; I'm confident that he knew he was shutting it down.

Why do you think he didn't suggest that it be explored anytime during the years of my asking for justification and talking about it publicly as going against our laws?

Why would he let Council members comment on it, bringing themselves into the middle of the controversy and not just suggest that it be explored here?

When I was at a recent Planning & Zoning meeting a member of the commission made a comment that having the wrong plan on the City's website shouldn't have been a problem because many people don't have the internet anyway.

Are you sure that all of the P&Z members even know what Google is?

When I talked about the Aquaponics requirement going against our laws at P&Z meetings, none of them suggested that it be explored.


I just keep thinking that if we had new leaders that were more open minded and progressive thinking, that maybe we could be more on the forefront of these things like Boston is.

[helencrump]

Also, it sounds kind of cool. Maybe I will purchase a couple of those dilapidated buildings, tear em down and start a HOBBY FARM. first, I will talk to that planning n zoning committee.

[helencrump]

Kyle, while some have suggested you stop beating that dead horse, I beg you to continue. The more you talk, the more people that see your true colors.

[ohhenry]

Mar 28, 2014 9:16:52 GMT -6 helencrump said:

Kyle, while some have suggested you stop beating that dead horse, I beg you to continue. The more you talk, the more people that see your true colors.

Very true - we all know his true colors

His selfish ways
His constant complaining
His lies

and the list goes on........

[OutlawwithaSnipeSniper]

Gee, oh golly, someone trying to bring employment to Streator........

How SELFISH.

[ohhenry]

Mar 28, 2014 13:08:19 GMT -6 OutlawwithaSnipeSniper said:

Gee, oh golly, someone trying to bring employment to Streator........

How SELFISH.

if that were the case - I would be all for it!!!!! - Not the case -

[Kyle Mitchell]

Mar 28, 2014 8:54:50 GMT -6 helencrump said:

Also, it sounds kind of cool. Maybe I will purchase a couple of those dilapidated buildings, tear em down and start a HOBBY FARM. first, I will talk to that planning n zoning committee.

It is cool helen, producing your own food and trying to live sustainably can be very rewarding.

I would encourage you to make the venture.

If you are going to have it be a hobby farm and just raise food for your family, not making it a business, of course you would need demolition permits, but I don't think you would even need to go to P&Z for anything.

If there would have been a reasonable requirement given and some support shown, I am sure that I would have gone to P&Z.