Form revised February 4, 2010

 

FISCAL NOTE FOR NON-CAPITAL PROJECTS

 

Department:

Contact Person/Phone:

DOF Analyst/Phone:

Legislative

Michael Jenkins/ 5-1674

NA

 

Legislation Title:

AN ORDINANCE related to land use and zoning, amending Sections 23.40.002, 23.42.052, 23.43.006, 23.43.040, 23.44.006, 23.44.040, 23.45.504, 23.45.506, 23.45.508, 23.45.514, 23.45.545, 23.47A.004, 23.47A.011, 23.47A.012, 23.48.010, 23.49.008, 23.50.012, 23.50.020, 23.54.015, 23.84A.002, 23.84A.014, and 23.84A.036; adding new sections to Chapters 23.42 and 23.44; and amending the title of subchapter II of Chapter 23.44, to support urban agriculture, to modify restrictions on greenhouses and solariums and on the keeping of domestic fowl, to clarify and modify definitions for key terms related to urban agriculture and to make technical corrections. 

 

 

·         Summary of the Legislation: The City Council, in conjunction with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD), is proposing to amend the Land Use Code to remove code barriers to urban agriculture, encourage the inclusion of farmers markets in Commercial Zones, and develop incentives to encourage food gardens to be included in new multifamily development.

 

The proposed legislation includes recommendations to add and/or clarify  definitions for key agricultural terms; add farmers’ markets to the definition of a “multipurpose retail sales” use; expand opportunities for community gardens and urban farms in all zones; allow rooftop greenhouses dedicated to food production to extend 15 feet above  height limits in Midrise, Highrise, Commercial, Industrial and certain Downtown zones; increase the number of domestic fowl allowed on a lot from three to eight; and, allow existing urban horse farms greater than ten acres to operate as a permitted use in single-family zones.  While DPD's original proposal included an amendment that would prohibit roosters in residential zones, Council's version does not include this prohibition.

 

·         Background:  This legislation was requested of DPD by the City Council in Resolution 31019, the Local Food Action Initiative.  DPD published a SEPA determination on this legislation

 

·         Please check one of the following:

 

__x__  This legislation does not have any financial implications.  (Stop here and delete the remainder of this document prior to saving and printing.)