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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 14, 2011)
S eptem ber 14, 2011 Mississippi Alberta North Portland 'JJortlanò (ftbscruer Page 13 1 METRO Vancouver East: County J Beaverton Residential Farming From goats to food-buying clubs, new rules considered by L ee P erlman T he P ortland O bserver A growing demand for raising livestock on residential properties and growing urban gardens for food buying clubs and farmers markets has the city of Portland considering new rules to make urban farming in the city more viable. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is looking at chang ing city codes relating to market gardens, community gardens, food buying clubs, farmers markets and urban livestock. As planner Julia Gisler explained to the bureau’s com m ission last month, there’s photos by L ee P erlman /T he P ortland O bserver strong support that these activities Dan Lerch Walter steps through his northeast Portland backyard with his two goats following behind are essentially positive. However, him. The city is considering new rules to allow more livestock and urban farming in the city. city officials are also considering the potential negative impacts they may have on neighbors, and the degree to which regulation may be necessary. Market gardens produce food intended to be sold. Examples in clude the Fargo Farm Forest at North Williams Avenue and Fargo Street and Ariadne’s Garden in the adja cent Boise Neighborhood. Currently, the codes governing the produc tion of food for sale are generally considered large-scale agriculture enterprises and are the rules are restrictive. But such operations are allowed by right on parcels desig nated as open, space, in employ ment and industrial zones, and in the large lots in residential zones such as Forest Park. A conditional use permit that re quires a public review is required in some commercial and residential zones. But the farming is generally prohibited in single family and multi- continued 'W ' on page 23 Cully to Celebrate Fresh and Healthy Foods ‘Slow Food’ potluck on Saturday by M indy C(X) per T he P ortland O bserver Rejecting the fast food diets of today as unhealthy, a Slow Food National Day of Ac tion is coming to a northeast Portland neigh borhood where activists invite residents to celebrate efforts to increase access to fresh healthy and affordable food by sharing a healthy meal together. Slow Food Portland, part of an Interna tional anti-fast food movement, will host a community potluck event in the Cully neigh borhood on Saturday, Sept. 17, in an effort to bring individuals and organizations through out the community together to eat good food and discuss how to achieve food justice on a local level. The non-profit Slow Foods movement, which was founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini and supporters, came about when McDonalds wanted to open a restaurant around the Span ish Steps in Rome. Today, the organization, which believes everyone has a right to good, clean and fair food, has a Slow Food USA office in New York and networks throughout the country, in cluding more than 250,000 supporters, 25,000 members and 225 local chapters— determined to transform the nation’s food system. By reaching out to local neighborhoods, Amanda Peden, board chair for Slow Food Portland, said they hope to bring awareness and education on how to best eliminate the barriers to affordable and healthy food. “We really believe it should be a right to have access to fresh healthy food,” said Peden. “Not the privilege it often is now.” In the past the Slow Food movement has been criticized for its less inclusive policies, which critics say have overlooked the rising prices of healthy food and differentiahaccess many populations within the country face when selecting what to put on the dinner table. Peden said, however, this is one challenge Slow Food Portland is determined to address. At the core of the movement, she said, the goal is to create a food system that truly serves everyone within it. When deciding where to hold the community potluck event she said. “We chose the Cully neighborhood because of the good work going on in the community, and because it is a neighborhood that still faces a lot of challenges.” “Albertsons is the only grocery option in the neighborhood,” she said. “Food often times costs more, or it is more difficult to access than unhealthy options. This is some- continued on page 23
