Item 4. Food Plan Goal 1 Strategy 1.12 Recommendation DRAFT — original pdf

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BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Austin Travis County Food Policy Board Recommendation Number: (YYYYMMDD-XXX) (XXX is the agenda item number): Support for community agriculture on City park land WHEREAS, the Austin/Travis County Food Plan was approved by City Council in October 2024; and WHEREAS, Goal 1 of the Food Plan is to expand community food production, preserve agricultural lands, and increase the amount of farmland dedicated to regenerative food production long-term in Austin/Travis County; and WHEREAS, the John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park Vision Plan was adopted by the Austin City Council on October 15, 2020 with one of the defined values to adapt the heritage of the site by carrying the site’s productive agricultural heritage into the present and future by exploring possibilities for food production and agricultural education, and includes “The Farm” in the design of the park to to connect local food production and education with opportunities for multi-generational participation; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin already has a Community Gardens Program (started in 2009 when the Austin City Council passed the Urban Farm Ordinance) to establish a single point of contact and streamline the process for establishing community gardens on city land; and WHEREAS, the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board’s Recommendation Number 20240318-7 urged the City of Austin to allocate funds and create a full-time equivalent (FTE) position to support the implementation of the Food Plan; and WHEREAS, the Austin Climate Equity Plan aims to protect 500,000 acres of farmland across the five- county region through legal conservation or regenerative agriculture programs by 2030; and WHEREAS, community agriculture on City park land provides vital opportunities for community-based food access, culturally-relevant food production, community-led food access solutions, emergency preparedness, climate resilience. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Austin Travis County Food Policy Board encourages the Austin City Council to fully fund City park plans that include strategies to support community agriculture and include financial support for staff or an external entity to implement community agriculture programs in these locations and distribute food grown to surrounding communities, including full funding for the implementation of the Vision Plan at John Treviño Jr Metropolitan Park Commented [1]: Was 2009 the first time that Parks dedicated staff/time to community gardens? BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board encourages the Austin City Council to allocate funds and explore all available means in order to establish a dedicated management mechanism, such as a dedicated city department or full-time equivalent staff (FTE), to oversee and coordinate urban agriculture efforts. Date of Approval: _____________________________ Record of the vote: Attest: _____________________________________________ (Staff or board member can sign)