Subject: Re: Support your local Farms programs

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 13:15:57 -0400

I am on a city committee which is revising the ordinance that addresses
agricultural land uses and sales.  In our area agriculture is a preferred use
in residental zones and the political climate is incredibly supportive.
 However, we all know things change so we are being careful to protect
farming opportunities for the future.  We are looking for a definition of
"farm" as well as examples from small towns that have dealt with this issue.
The questions to be answered primarily are - What can be sold at roadside
stands? Only local produce, only produce grown on site, non-agricultural
items such as t-shirts, pumpkin carving kits and calendars, produce trucked
from other regions?  Should farmers have to comply with parking restrictions
and setback limits? Are CSAs considered roadside sales? 
HEEEEELP anyone?
Suzy

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 09:22:04 -0400

Suzy,

In California, roadside stands are addressed in state rather than local law.
 The state law exempts roadside stands from certain local health and building
codes i.e. they don't have to paint the walls a light color from the floor up
to 4' in height.

Roadside stands are imputed to be on-farm sales.  I would suggest if your
goal is to support local farmers to increase their economic take so they stay
in business, you let them sell directly related adjunct merchandise like
pumpkin carving kits, apple peelers, t-shirts with their farm logo, as well
as value-added produce like jams, jellies, ristras, garlic braids, etc.  The
adjunct merchandise, unlike produce is not perishable so the losses are less,
the margins are higher, and they lead to higher produce sales.  

Around here CSAs don't fall under the roadside stand regs.  The produce is
sold before it is picked up and the traffic is specific rather than general
public.  Also most CSAs in this region have neighborhood drop-off points in
near-by population centers so not all CSA shareholders come to the farm.

The questions you asked seem to indicate local shopkeepers are concerned
about the competition they perceive may be coming from farm stands.  This
needs more dialog with the townies rather than more regulation.  There are
studies available (I don't have them but have seen references maybe someone
else can help here) showing the more retail in a given area (provided the
scale of the operations is similar) the stronger everyone's sales are.
 Examples, in cities, shopping areas may find Macy's, Mervyn's, Penny's,
Sears, and Target within the same shopping area.  Smaller towns may have an
"antique alley" or a group of gift and small clothing stores.  It is not
uncommon to find McDonalds, Taco Bell and Burger King on opposite corners of
the same intersection.   

Consumers percieve choice differently than retailers do.  To consumers,
choice has to do with the look, feel and personality of the shop and
shopkeeper as much as the selection of merchandise.  Retailers seem to think
choice means your store carries more than one color of socks.

Setbacks and parking issues drive me crazy.  My personal opinion is that
government should get out of micro-managing the "how" i.e. specific set
backs, and look at compliance with "intent" i.e. "stands shall provide enough
parking to handle peak traffic flows in such manner as not to obstruct
traffic nor creat safety hazards to the driving public"  This is common sense
(probably missing in your town like it is here)  If cars parked at the stand
extend into the street and traffic has to drive around them, everyone is in
violation of the law.   Think about it, if you can't park conveniently and
safely at a business, will you shop there?  Of course not.  Is it legal in
you community to park your vehicle in such manner as it blocks the roadway?
 Of course not.   

These kinds of discussions are less about what's fair than what's fear.  A
good mediator could help everyone talk about what they want for their
community and what they fear for the community and their own businesses.
 Townies need to know their farming neighbors, farmers need to let townies
know they frequent town businesses and are part of the economic fabric of the
comunity as well as the "quality of life"

Marcie

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 11:41:59 -0400

Thank you for the info.

Part of the origin from this issue is that the population is growing with
people from urban California and suburban Seattle.  Some think farms are
pretty, quaint, things that smell sweet and farmers are "custodians of the
land."(does this mean we take out the trash?).  Others see this area as a
suburb of Seattle with culdesacs and like it.  Others remember the farms and
forests that used to be here and helped maintain the ecosystem not that long
ago.  All homes here are dependent on island well water and most have their
own drainfields.  Tax levies are passed to purchase open space/green areas
for preservation.  We farmers are trying to explain that farms are open
space/green areas that feed you and contribute to the econmic base of the
community.  One of the difficult part in arguing this is that farm size
ranges from 2 - 20 acres with the median being 5 acres so individually we
have very little impact and we tend to by nature be an independent slightly
indignant group that doesn't contribute to public policy making.

An example of potential public sentiment about this is when a new resident
came complaining to the committee about a farm stand next door to her.  She
didn't like the traffic that went up their driveway near her house and gosh
darn it she bought her 6 acres at top dollar and doesn't want to live next to
a retail establishment.  We explained that agriculture is a preferred use in
residential zones and this includes farm stands. She replied with distaste
"you mean all these beautiful homes could be dotted with farmstands?"  Yep.
 She was disgusted and left to continue her complaint process.
Now we also know she cut down all the vegetation that was a buffer between
the properties including a 100 year old apple tree.

We had a mediator meet with the farmers to what they want and need to
survive.  It was a bust perhaps because of the skills of mediator.

Would you suggest a limit on sales of directly related adjunct merchandise?
 Would a limit prevent a retail store from popping up in residential zones?
 or be unnecessary regulation.

The biggest issue with us is permitting sales of produce from off the island.
 One farmer imports apples to press cider (a main product from his
farmstand).  Apples grow well here but  this farmer doesn't want to wait
until his trees are in production.  Some think this in inappropriate, others
think it doesn't matter.  One farmer imports strawberries and corn in a very
visible farmstand.  The customer perceives these products as local.  The
quality is inferior to local produce so customers think all local produce
tastes bad.  I have a hard time selling my local corn to anyone who has
bought the perceived local corn.

We are addressing the labeling aspect of this problem but I am not sure the
customer will notice a label.

The other issue we have to define is that of a nursery being a farm.  Is
there a distinction?  Are bedding plants, produce starts, Rhodies in pots...
farm products to be sold at road side stand with no produce?  And what about
green house operations?  Do green houses contribute to that openspace/ green
space concept?  Perhaps they do if used as season extenders where plants are
planted directly into the ground.  But what about the concrete floor, heated,
lighted 3500 square foot one that the neighbors don't like in their quiet
forested neighborhood?

The fear from the farmers is that if the ordinance does not address issues
completely, a political shift in the government could alter the
interpretation of the law and eliminate farmstands in residential zones in
the future as the population becomes more dense thus putting farms out of
business.  

Surely others must have similar problems.  Thanks.

Suzy