The City of Atlanta is set to finally provide formal recognition in its zoning regulations for farmers markets.
"There have been farmers markets that have been operating in the city for many, many years — and doing so successfully — but they were really operating in this gray area, quite frankly,” said Jennifer Owens, advocacy director for the nonprofit group Georgia Organics, which advocates for sustainably produced and locally grown food.
The lack of zoning recognition was brought to the city's attention last year when a vendor filed a complaint after being denied the opportunity to set up a booth at a local market. The vendor pointed out in its complaint that farmers markets were not covered under current zoning regulations.
Following this, the city quickly set about drafting an ordinance with the help of the Office of Sustainability and interested parties such as Georgia Organics.
Among other things, the new regulations require markets to hire a police officer for security. The initial permitting fee was also lowered, as was the renewal fee, and markets must renew their permits annually as opposed to every 90 days.
"The biggest thing is that the city is going to define the term ‘farmers market,'" Owens said.
Under the new ordinance, at least 75 percent of the products sold at a farmers market must be produce or "value-added farm products" such as baked goods, jams, cheeses and meats. If a booth sells goods not produced by the vendor, the producer's name and location must be displayed in two-inch tall lettering.
"What changing the zoning ordinance will do is give us a legitimate place to [operate] within the city regulations," said Lauren Carey, the manager of the Peachtree Road Farmers Market, which operates on Saturdays in the parking lot of the Cathedral of St. Phillip in Buckhead.
Carey adds that while having to hire an off-duty officer will affect her already slim budget, lowering the permitting fee helps, as fees can account for up to 10 percent of an Atlanta market's budget.
The draft ordinance will most likely be brought before City Council for a vote later this summer or in the fall.
"There is a growing interest in urban farming and the use of locally grown foods by Atlanta-area eateries and food providers," said Atlanta City Council President Caesar Mitchell. "To the extent this proposed policy bolsters these emerging activities, I believe the City Council would favorably receive such a measure where there is community-level support."
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