City of Richmond Agricultural Viability Strategy

Topic	Sub-topic	Policy or Policy Excerpt	Document location
policy partnerships. advocacy and development;;	agricultural advisory committee; partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Establish a City Agricultural Advisory Committee of Council (AAC). a) Have the AAC play the key advisory role in implementing the AVS; b) Require all City departments to seek input from the AAC when major departmental initiatives are proposed as part of their planning strategy, where agriculture is affected;...See document for details.	1
development and productive use of agricultural land;	ALR; ALR subdivision; ALR exclusion; 'benefit to agriculture' language;	Maintain the existing ALR boundary and ALR land base in Richmond, and do not support a change to the ALR boundary or a loss of ALR land unless: • there is a substantial net benefit to agriculture; and • the agricultural stakeholders are fully consulted	2
policy partnerships. advocacy and development;;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Designate various City Staff as Agricultural Liaisons (SALs), with the Policy Planning Department Liaison as the lead SAL to ensure coordination... See document for details.	3
development and productive use of agricultural land; urban-agriculture conflict and edge planning;	agricultural impact assessment; ALR;	Introduce an Agricultural Impact Assessment process (AIA). a) Use the AIA for all proposed projects involving land use changes or development: i) Within the ALR; ii) Adjacent to the ALR; iii) Outside the ALR for projects which may have an impact on agriculture, such as transportation corridors, recreational trails, new residential developments, and others. b) Develop criteria, (e.g. drainage/irrigation implications, air quality, noise, transportation and traffic, and others), for the AIA in conjunction with BCMAFF, the ALC, the proposed AAC (see Recommendation 1), and others as appropriate	4
	research and data collection;	Maintain an Agricultural Data System. a) Update and expand the scope of the Agricultural Profile, the Agricultural Land Use Inventory, and the Geographic Information System every three years or sooner to maintain current information about the agricultural sector; ...See document for details.	5
policy partnerships. advocacy and development;	parnterships.advocacy/liaising;	Encourage regular communication among the agricultural sector and the City, provincial and federal servicing and infrastructure departments by formalizing the City Staff-Farmer Drainage Committee and by establishing terms of reference and involving the agricultural sector, Engineering and Public Works Division, and others as appropriate (e.g. Policy Planning, Environmental Programs, Transportation, etc.).	6
water management;	ALR; irrigation and drainage;	Support the City’s Master Drainage Plan. a) Identify and ensure that drainage improvements to the ALR occur in order of priority and according to ARDSA performance standards; b) Ensure that drainage improvements are considered in a comprehensive manner in consultation with the agricultural community and relevant City departments; c) Encourage sufficient notification to the agricultural sector of ditch-cleaning plans in order to achieve beneficial, effective and timely agricultural drainage; d) Encourage the agricultural sector to cooperate with ditch-cleaning practices by providing appropriate right-of-ways; e) Encourage the agricultural sector to support ditch-sidecasting activity where it does not interfere with normal farm practices and/or agricultural capability of the soils; f) Require the proposed AIA (see Recommendation 4) be completed for all servicing and infrastructure projects.	7
urban-agriculture conflict and edge planning;	signage in agricultural areas; roads in agricultural land; farm traffic; ALR;	Review and designate “farm travel” routes for travel between agricultural areas: a) Use recognizable signage to endorse these routes for farm vehicles; b) Review the wording of “Respect Slow Moving Farm Vehicles” signs and consider “Yield To Farm Vehicles”; c) Develop new road design guidelines to ensure that the outermost lane and shoulder in combination have a minimum of 4.3 meters (14 feet) in lateral clearance to accommodate the width of farm vehicles; d) Review options to minimize the impact of farm traffic on non-farm traffic by providing safe turn-offs for farm vehicles on identified agricultural corridors carrying high volumes of traffic.	9
economic development;	agrocultural advisory committee; agricultural impact aseesement; ALR;	Ensure that all proposed City policies and bylaws relating to the agricultural sector and ALR encourage agricultural viability: a) Refer proposed policies and bylaws to the proposed AAC (see Recommendation 1) for comment prior to their adoption; b) Ensure that policies and bylaws, prior to adoption, are subject to the Agricultural Impact Assessment (see Recommendation 4) where appropriate.	11
urban-agriculture conflict and edge planning;	nuisance complaints;	Encourage a cooperative and partnership approach to avoid and address nuisance complaints (e.g. spraying, noise, odour, dust, pesticide application, burning, etc.)	17
urban-agriculture conflict and edge planning;	covenants; buffer at agricultural edge; residential development; ALR;	For new development adjacent to the ALR: a) Require the preparation of an agricultural edge plan, including buffering on the urban side, at the expense of the developer; and b) Require the registration of restrictive covenants, where possible. The intent of the covenant would be to: i) Inform prospective buyers of residential properties of the occurrence of normal farm practices on adjacent farmland (e.g. spraying, noise, odours, dust, pesticide application, burning, etc.); and ii) Minimize urban-rural conflict	21
policy partnerships. advocacy and development; wildlife, environmental and pest management;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising; agricultural advisory committee;;	The Agricultural Advisory Committee, farming community, City staff and other stakeholders shall work together to study, analyze, form options and strategies to address the following issues of concern around ESAs and the environment, as well as other issues that may arise that are of interest to the farming community: • land use • drainage, irrigation and ditch maintenance • land clearing • weed control • crop loss due to wildlife and birds	24
education; wildlife, environmental and pest management;	wildlife and ecosystem mangement;	Provide information to all farmers related to best management practices and encourage them to adopt beneficial environmental guidelines.	28
education;	community food system education; signs in agricultural areas; local food culture;	Institute an information program to increase public awareness and commitment for agriculture, in consultation with the agricultural community, the Agriculture Awareness Coordinator (BC Agriculture Council), Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation, and others: a) Develop appropriate materials to share with all residents (e.g. publications, via the City website) to provide them with information about agricultural activity in their area, including...See document for details. b) Develop an agricultural signage program...See document for details. c) Encourage the ALC to develop signs to indicate the location and extent of the ALR. An example may be “You are now in the Agricultural Land Reserve. Please respect farmland.” d) Develop a brochure that celebrates the City’s agricultural tradition and history....See document for details. e) Encourage linkages and partnerships between the agricultural community and the media to facilitate public education and awareness; f) Create an agricultural business profile to provide information on agriculture as a business opportunity; g) Develop an information package for farmers about agricultural policies and bylaws, heritage policies that support the preservation of buildings, lands and methods, and make this package available to the RFI and the public and place it on the City website (see Recommendation 16); h) Explore the opportunities for holding a special event (e.g. Harvest Festival) or regular seasonal activity (e.g. summer weekend Farmer’s Market) to promote local produce and celebrate the City’s agricultural tradition and history.	30
education;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising; agricultural advisory committee;	Create opportunities for Council, City staff and others to tour the agricultural lands and learn about the role agriculture plays in the City. The proposed AAC (see Recommendation 1) may facilitate this activity.	31
urban-agriculture conflict and edge planning;	covenants; ALR;	It is recommended that the proposed AAC (see Recommendation 1) review the option of introducing a Restrictive Covenant for properties within, and adjacent to, the ALR to address issues of conflict (e.g. noise, odours) related to agricultural uses. Example: Covenant used by City of Surrey for subdivisions bordering the ALR.	32
economic development;	agricultural indistry services;	Develop a strategy to encourage agricultural support services and social infrastructure (such as agricultural research, agricultural banking and financing, industrial technologies, agricultural marketing, specialized suppliers of agricultural materials and equipment) to locate in Richmond, in cooperation with the agricultural sector, Business Liaison and Development, BCMAFF, and others as appropriate.	34
development and productive use of agricultural land; land access;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising; zoning; greenhouses; ALR; leasing of land for agriculture;	Maximize the agricultural land available for agricultural uses: a) Review the feasibility of amalgamating smaller lots to larger ones wherever possible. These parcels could then be sold as farmland or leased to farmers; b) Request the Province to review the policies on non-resident land ownership in BC and in other jurisdictions to determine how land owned by non-residents may be more fully farmed; c) Establish guidelines for parcel sizes suitable for farming, including options for smaller parcels of 2 acres or less; d) Encourage longer-term lease opportunities for farmers: i) Discourage non-farm uses of the ALR land (see Recommendation 18); ii) Develop a City-based Agricultural Land Registry to assist farmers to find agricultural land available for leasing. e) Explore the rezoning of selected non-ALR land (currently zoned for light industrial use) to “Light Industrial/Agricultural” to provide for the inclusion of greenhouses as a use and to encourage greenhouse development on non-ALR land wherever possible; f) Encourage non-ALR “multiple-use” industrial buildings that will attract partnerships such as allowing greenhouse development on the tops of some industrial buildings as a possible pilot project. g) Review the costs and benefits of selling or leasing the City-owned nursery to local farmers in order to minimize City competition with the agricultural sector.	35
economic development;	farm diversification; partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Encourage farmers to diversify their agricultural operations, by: a) Liaising with support agencies such as BCMAFF, AAFC, GVRD and the ALC to gather information and identify resources to clarify diversification opportunities (e.g. new crop production and development, value-added production, etc.); b) Encouraging partnerships between farmers and i) Other farmers that haven’t been historically involved with the RFI and the proposed AAC; ii) Local businesses and industry, such as the hospitality sector, Chamber of Commerce, and others;iii) City Departments and City agencies, such as Business Liaison and Development, Tourism Richmond, Chamber of Commerce, and others; iv) Provincial and Federal ministries and agencies for projects which may make growth and diversification opportunities more easily attainable; v) Others to carefully locate and manage allotment gardens (community gardens) on agricultural lands.	36
economic development;	local food culture;	Develop a “Buy Local” marketing initiative to increase demand for locally grown agricultural products, in cooperation with Business Liaison and Development, Tourism Richmond, Chamber of Commerce, the RFI, and others. See document for details.	37
economic development; education;	new entrants to farming;	Encourage new farmers to enter the agricultural sector by: a) Creating an agricultural business profile to provide information on agriculture as a business opportunity (see Recommendation 29 f); b) Encouraging retiring farmers to apprentice new ones; c) Investigating and publishing options for new farmers to obtain management skills training from local educational institutions and private trainers; d) Assisting local young people to find job opportunities in agriculture wherever possible,including co-operative education opportunities with area educational institutions such as Kwantlen University College, University of British Columbia, and area secondary schools.	39