Transforming Urban Vacant Land: Urban Agriculture as a Multifaceted Solution

1. Growing Power's National-International Urban & Small Farm Conference Transforming Urban Vacant Land: Urban Agriculture as a Multifaceted Solution Samuel H. Sage, Paul M. Harris & HongbinGao 09.07.2012 ATLANTIC STATES LEGAL FOUNDATION, INC.

2. About ASLF • New York based not-for-profit, headquartered in the Near Westside area in the City of Syracuse • Established in 1982 to provide legal, technical, and organizational services to individuals and organizations dealing with environmental issues • Has been taking a leading role in protection and restoration of Syracuse waterways and addressing CSO issues • Is incorporating innovative strategies to improve economic, social , and environmental sustainability in urban life

3. Urban Agriculture: Potentials for Today’s Urban Planning

4. Planning Issues for Urban America • Air & Water Pollution • Population Shifting • Crime • Food Deserts • Vacancy • Insufficient Urban Green Space • Climate Change and Basic Living • High Unemployment • Transportation

5. Urban Agriculture’s Potential Roles in Today’s Urban Life • Environmental • Reduce energy consumption for and emissions from food transportation • Preserve urban open/green space • Reduce urban heat islands • Mitigate stormwater runoff • Increase biodiversity

6. Urban Agriculture’s Potential Roles in Today’s Urban Life • Socially • Implement food justice strategies and improve food security, particularly for underserved inner city communities • Bring about social cohesiveness and create a sense of community • Reduce crime rate • Introduce healthier food and life style

7. Urban Agriculture’s Potential Roles in Today’s Urban Life • Economically • Create jobs for urban dwellers from all socioeconomic backgrounds • Create local business • Reduce transportation • Reduce energy cost

8. Urban Vacant Land: The Regenerating Point From Below Zero

9. The Impacts • Economically draining for city • Lower property values • Visual quality degradation • High rates of crime and arson • Public health issues Property Value Degradation around A Vacant Property Source: Temple University Center for Public Policy and Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project. “Blight Free Philadelphia: A Public-Private Strategy to Create and Enhance Neighborhood Value.” Philadelphia, 2001.

10. The Opportunities • Urban agriculture • Stormwater retention • Public green space • Urban infill development • Urban forestry • Habitat creation and conservation A Vegetable Garden on A Former Vacant Lot in Cleveland, OH Source: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/growing-self-sufficient-cities/

11. The Benefits of Reclaiming Urban Vacant Land • Produce fresh food • Create jobs • Beautify community • Mitigate pollution • Reduce crime • Introduce healthy life style • Increase property value • Reduce heat island effect • Create and conserve urban open space • Save municipal cost on maintenance • Revitalize inner city community

12. Greening Vacant Lots in the City of Syracuse, New York CaseStudy

13. Background: The Issue • Onondaga Lake, one of the most polluted lakes in North America

14. Background: The Issue (cont.) • Municipal Source of Pollution: Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Diagram of a Combined Sewer Overflow System. Adapted from “CSOs Explained” Official City of Bremerton Site.

15. The Process: ACJ • ASLF and the NYS-DEC 1988 lawsuit against Onondaga County under the Clean Water Act • METRO Consent Judgment • Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ, January 1998) • The key legal document • Outlined two dozen projects for the County • Extensive monitoring program

16. The Process: The 4th Stip to ACJ 2009 • The court order requires Onondaga County to use GRAY and GREEN infrastructure addressing CSOs • Gray Infrastructure: Commitment to 88.7% annual volume capture in by 2013 • Green Infrastructure (GI): Commitment to an additional 6.3% annual volume capture in Green Infrastructure commencing immediately in 2009, resulting in 95% total annual volume capture by 2018

17. The Solution: Save the Rain (STR) • A GI program created by the County • Encompasses the storm water and GI initiatives • Educates the public about issues and how they can use and benefit from GI • Initiatives • GI on public land • Green Improvement Fund: GI on private land • Rain Barrel Program • Urban Forestry Program • STR-Vacant Lot Program (VLP)

18. VLP Program Goals • Reduce minimum of 9 million gallons of CSO by 2018 with GI on publiclyowned vacant lots • Provide different forms of GREEN infrastructure projects for Save The Rain • Simultaneously reclaim greenspace in a useful way and improve value of vacant lots to community • Engage public in GI maintenance for Save The Rain

19. Syracuse Vacant Lot Inventory • 3,668 vacant parcels in the City of Syracuse (2012 data) • 1,786 vacant parcels (392 ac.) in combined sewer service area where GI projects are required for managing stormwater and CSO’s • 828 publicly owned vacant parcels which could be potentially used Vacant Lots in the City of Syracuse.

20. Syracuse Vacant Lot Inventory • 814 of 828 public vacant parcels are under City ownership

21. VLP: A Joint Venture • Between Onondaga County and City of Syracuse • Initiated in 2011 by Onondaga County • Funded by Onondaga County to built GI projects on City owned vacant lots • Developed collaboratively to fit under both governments’ immediate planning goals • Based on the agreement that defines the County’s and the City’s responsibilities in O&M of the VLP projects • Developed and coordinated by ASLF The City of Syracuse Ordinance that depicts the City-County Agreement on installing GI on the City properties

22. VLP’s Reclamation Typologies • Urban Orchard • Community Garden (Ornamental or Vegetable) • Urban Forest/Tree Planting Combined with other GI practices such as rain garden, cistern, bioswale, stormwater planter, etc. to manage stormwater runoff VLP Pilot Project Rendering: Urban Orchard at 701 Oswego Street, Syracuse, New York

23. VLP Projects: 2011 Before After VLP Pilot Project: Urban Orchard at 701 Oswego Street, Syracuse, New York

24. VLP Projects: 2012

25. Community Involvement in VLP • Outreach to general public and communities near project sites • Coordination with community in planning & design process (community meetings, design workshops) • Community participation in maintenance (organized to ensure the quality of performance) • Green job training and job creation

26. Further Needs and Challenges • Long-term ownership and O&M mechanism • Alternatives • Under public ownership • Under private ownership and operation • Land Trust model • O&M • Produce • Taxes • Utilities

27. Further Needs and Challenges • Public acceptance and involvement in projects • Safety issues related to urban farming on abandoned land • Lawn VS Native Garden • Tree(s) VS Forest • An integral planning process to incorporate all stakeholders’ interests and meet their needs, particularly for urban agriculture typologies under VLP

28. Integrate Urban Agriculture & Vacant Lot Management in Urban Planning Process Discussion

29. Legitimize the Process • Adaptation of Zoning and Land Use Policy • Adaptation of Food Policy • Guidelines for Growing Safe Food (on Potentially Contaminated Vacant Land) • Incorporation of Urban Agriculture in Urban Planning Agenda

30. Identify and Engage Key Stakeholders • Different levels of government • Relevant departments and professionals • Local leaders and councils • Private sector • Landowners • Academic organizations or research institutes • NGOs, social movements, grassroots and religious organizations

31. Develop/Adopt Appropriate Urban Agriculture Types for Vacant Lot Management • Community Garden • Allotment Garden • Urban Commercial Farm • Side-yard Garden • School Garden

32. For More Information • Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Inc. 658 West Onondaga Street, Syracuse, New York 13204 315-475-1170. atlantic.states@aslf.org http://www.aslf.org/ • Onondaga County Save The Rain Program http://savetherain.us/

33. Questions