Editorial: Urban farm proposals can work, if care shown

Proposed ordinances before the Spokane City Council could give gardeners more reason to scratch their spring-itchy green thumbs.

One will allow market gardens up to 6,000 square feet; the second the keeping of small animals besides dogs and cats; like chickens, and small goats and swine not intended for eating. Owners would be able to sell their produce, flowers or eggs on the premises.

Any slaughtering or processing of goat milk, for example, would have to be done elsewhere.

These are modest, well-conceived proposals that have been given exceptional exposure before neighborhood committees, on Channel 5, and on the radio, notably by City Council President Ben Stuckart. They include important provisions for setbacks on placement of chicken coops or other shelters, for required training of anyone with livestock and for sun-setting either law if careless neighbors become a nuisance, not more neighborly.

That would be a shame because fostering tighter neighborhood relationships is as much an objective as creating opportunities for extra cash.

Urban farming has taken hold in Portland and Seattle because more people want to know where their food is coming from, if they cannot grow their own. You get to know your kale and your neighbor. Maybe even help out.

Spokane has many community gardens already bringing city folk back to the land. In Cleveland, urban farms are reclaiming once-residential blocks that would otherwise become blight.

Market gardens will bring customers to the sidewalks throughout the city. They will be businesses, and as such subject to city licensing. The fee for gross sales less than $18,000 would be set at $55, a bit pricey, but donors have already pledged $1,500 to help bring that cost down to something more reasonable for those not looking to compete with Green Giant or Safeway.

Except for skirmishes over the disposal of excess zucchini, the responsible keeping of livestock will be the real challenge to urban farming. To keep numbers manageable, the ordinance sets limits on the combination of chickens and animals a lot can accommodate.

But even properly fenced-in critters are going to generate noise – but no roosters allowed – odors and feathers. Raccoons, skunks and vermin will be attracted, as will insects. Owners will be required to take a course in livestock care from the Washington State University Extension so they can learn how to mitigate these aggravations.

There are a lot of dog owners who could use a class or two, as well.

If the lessons are not applied, goats and such will again find themselves on the outside of the city limits looking in.

Expanding opportunities for growing food and building neighborhoods are great objectives, and selling homegrown produce and eggs adds a mercantile incentive. It’s working in other cities. If everyone heeds the sensibilities of the folks living around them, it can work in Spokane.