Courtesy Diana Jain
Nicole Capizzi be given a CSA from her 1/2 - acre urban farm in Seattle ’s Rainier Beach neighborhood .
Anyone who ’s secretly been keeping more than three chicken in Seattle is no longer give way the law , thanks to new legislation that updates the city ’s land - purpose codes on urban agriculture . But it’sixnayfor theroosters .
The urban - farming lawmaking was overhaul as part of Seattle ’s push button to make 2010 “ the class of urban agriculture . ” And fit in to Seattle.gov , the changes were a key component of the “ campaign to upgrade urban agribusiness efforts and increase community access to topically grown nutrient . ”
Specifically , the update legislation — which was passed by a unanimous vote of the Seattle City Council on Aug. 16 , 2010 — increases the allotted number of chickens per lot from three to eight . It states that coops take to be placed at least 10 metrical foot away from basal manse structures ( existing coops will be grandfathered in ) and outlaws keeping cock .
“ I am still hesitant to take away an alternative that currently exists , ” Conlin wrote in an email about cock to council members . “ But I check that this is a nuisance result we can avert without compromising our larger goal . ” Like Gallus gallus coops , existing Seattle cock will be grandfathered in .
The Seattle legislation also allow for food to be mature in rooftop greenhouses that can reach out 15 feet above height limit in certain zone , and it officially recognizes farmers ’ market as retail marketer .
Perhaps the most important aspect of the updated codes submit that urban farms of up to 4,000 square foot are permitted within urban center limit point . And food raise on these urban farm can be sold on site .
“ I guess Seattle is tremendous for push these issues and press to make them a priority . I ’m very lofty of my metropolis , ” says Nicole Jain Capizzi , who late repay to Seattle from Milwaukee to set out a 1/2 - Accho urban farm in the metropolis ’s Rainier Beach neighborhood . Sheraises Honey beesand grows a mix of vegetables and flowers for sale through her residential district - support farming program and to a smattering of local restaurants .
Keeping Honey bees had never been an issue for Capizzi ( Seattle already had apiary legislation ) , but growing food for thought on a residentially zone slew for the purpose of deal it had . Because urban farming was always widely accept in Seattle — even though it was n’t technically effectual — Capizzi says the legislating did n’t change what she design to do on her farm , so much as how comfortable she felt publicise it .
“ My marketing was really underground — by word of mouth . I did n’t want to make it very public because it was n’t effectual yet , ” she sound out . “ But I ’m really glad I can now seem for customer a little more wide and divvy up what I ’m doing and allow others use it as an illustration and an intake . ”
With full support from the city council and minimal resistance from grammatical constituent ( Conlin says he receive only about 60 email in opposition to the legislation ) , Seattle ’s agriculture culture will sure inspire urban - farming communities around the country .
“ We hope it set a modeling for other city , ” Conlin says . “ That metropolis will look at ours and say , ‘ This create sense , they ’ve taken attention of their contingencies and they know what they ’re doing . ' ”
