Food Policy Council (FPC) Meeting on Mon, September 21, 2015 - 7:00 PM

1. Administrative items – 7:00 PM

   1. Determine quorum of members, agenda approval

   2. Approval of August meeting minutes

   3. FPC Retreat Recap

      1. Subcommittee workplans due for October 19 meeting

   4. Remaining FPC budget ($1,836.91)

      1. Vote to spend: Incubator Kitchen Photography ($375)

      2. Vote to spend: Conferences ($800)

   5. Member openings:

      1. Vote: Jen Humphrey for Vice Chair (through December 2015)

      2. Food Security, City Appointment (for Emily Hampton)

         1. Consider/vote to recommend Aundrea Shafer, Just Food (bio attached)

      3. Ag Producer, City Appointment (for Teresa Flory)

         1. Remains open

             

2. Urban Agriculture Policy Draft – (7:30 PM)

   Review draft prepared by Mary Miller, Planning Department

   Discuss community meeting on September 28, 6pm-8pm, Depot in North Lawrence

    

3. FPC Process for Food System Assessment & Food Plan (Eileen Horn & Helen Schnoes; 8:15PM)

    

4. Market Match Update (Eileen Horn; 8:20PM)

    

5. Northeast Kansas Food Hub Update – 8:25PM(Marlin Bates)

    

6. Subcommittee progress reports – 8:30 PM

   • City

     1. Urban Ag, above

   • County

     1. Branding for incubator kitchen

   • Community

     1. Farm Fresh Challenge Update

         

7. Public comments – 8:40 PM

8. FPC member updates – 8:50 PM

(if time allows) Final Farmers Market Homework Presentations (8:15 PM)

Louisville, KY

Brenna Wulfkuhle

Madison, WI

T.K. Peterson

1. Adjourn full council meeting – 9:00 PMBottom of Form

Present : Jill Elmers, Russell Mullin, Daniel Poull, Crystal Hammerschmit, Carol Gilmore, Pattie Johnson, Jen Humphrey, Elizabeth Stewart, Jennifer Kongs

Absent:  T.K. Peterson, Jan Hornberger, Ashley Jones-Wisner, Sandra Lawson, Kim Criner, Marlin Bates, Chris Tilden, Brady Pollington, Dennis "Boog" Highberger, Tyra Kalman-Crouch, Brenna Wulfkuhle

Staff: Helen Schnoes, Eileen Horn, Amy Miller

Public: Aundrea Shafer, Michael Almon, Rebekah Gaston, Emily Ryan

1. Administrative items – 7:00 PM <Skipped>

   No quorum at 7:15; meeting began at Item III, then moved to item II

   1. Determine quorum of members, agenda approval

   2. Approval of August meeting minutes

   3. FPC Retreat Recap

      1. Subcommittee workplans due for October 19 meeting

   4. Remaining FPC budget ($1,836.91)

      1. Vote to spend: Incubator Kitchen Photography ($375)

      2. Vote to spend: Conferences ($800)

   5. Member openings:

      1. Vote: Jen Humphrey for Vice Chair (through December 2015)

      2. Food Security, City Appointment (for Emily Hampton)

         1. Consider/vote to recommend Aundrea Shafer, Just Food (bio attached)

      3. Ag Producer, City Appointment (for Teresa Flory)

         1. Remains open

             

2. Urban Agriculture Policy Draft – (7:30 PM)

   The group reviewed the policy text amendment draft prepared by Mary Miller, Planning Department, and discussed community meeting on September 28, 6pm-8pm, Depot in North Lawrence.

    

   Helen gave an update of the public outreach so far. The survey received 160 responses and a handout summarized key findings/input from the public. We will use this as a starting point for the Monday meeting.

    

   Logistics: The proposal will be brought to the Planning Commission on October 19, meeting begins at 6:35; two items on the agenda—urban ag and rezoning of site for Sunrise (usually rezoning before text amendment): both probably of interest to Food Policy Council.

    

   Group agreed to change the regular FPC meeting to begin at 5:30pm on Monday the 19th and conduct a shortened meeting within the hour. Then, members can go to the Planning Commission. Helen will reserve Public Works conference room for FPC so everything is in City Hall.

    

   Helen and Eileen asked for volunteers for the public meeting to be held Monday, September 28: Jill, Crystal, Russell, Elizabeth—others should let Helen know ASAP if they can volunteer.

    

   Amy clarified that, with the current draft, Mary put together a short document of what the changes could be. Structure of the code is not usually referenced. IF recommended for approval by Planning Commission, then the draft goes to the City Commission for adoption. This means that there are a minimum of two public hearings in addition to the forum on Monday night.

    

   There are four sections of draft:

3. Definitions

4. Standards / Uses

   • Elements here often cross definitions

5. Parking requirements

6. Use location (by zone)

Discussion of the current draft included an acknowledgement that we will have to balance desire to not have regulations, clarify what is already legal—this can be a key value add from FPC. Will FPC’s opinion help?

Processing: No meat. What is the balance? Is it actually illegal now to slaughter chickens? Could not allowing slaughter be a compromise with community members against animal agriculture.

Pesticide issues from neighbors? Amy: wouldn’t fit in development code—it would potentially be in a different part of the code (Amy could look into this). Eileen: SAB was looking at Neonics and their impact on pollinators—what can the local level do? Difficult to enforce? What can parks and rec do? This could also be an educational role of FPC.

Point 6, crop ag: Maintain site…what does this mean? How can it be clarified? City weed ordinance—plants are listed. Helen will bring list of this for the public meeting—have for facilitators. “Weed ordinance doesn’t apply to crop ag” – resolving this would be part of the implementation process, when planning staff look for conflicts within code. Would just need to add a line in the weed ordinance. Currently says “trees, shurbs, and proper lawns.”

Amy informed the group that planning is at an impasse with the Maintenance Code, trying to not engage with this. There’s been direction to not enforce property maintenance code on “urban ag” lands, but still a lack of clarity about direction.

Keeping of Bees, animal ag, letter D: Where does sign need to be? Letter is wanted for others crossing into the yard… Amy shared that they are also under considering of having beekeepers take a letter to adjacent properties to inform them about the hive. Group clarified that there should be a sign needed at both residence and other locations.

Who enforces about the aggressive behavior of bees? Code enforcement officer, if outside of expertise, they could look to an expert (suggestion that this could be tge NE Beekeepers Association?); could also do trainings of staff.

Bee hotels: How to make the distinction? Hotels are declared as beekeeping by city lawyer, but it could be a specified as a separate standard. Exempt from license requirement. Amy has ideas of restructuring code with the hotels in mind.

A shared desire was expressed to have the policy as least prescriptive as possible.

E under goats: clarify language. Jen will look at goat language. All goats must be dehorned – could be inhumane…Jen’s goats respire through their horns. Depends upon the species.

On-site sales (definition and standard), change “plants” to “produce,” and add eggs. More clearly distinguish from urban farm, don’t forbid current agricultural sales on farms. What about multi-farm CSA or community garden?

Urban farming needs some defining… size or intensity of use to define. Amy will talk with Mary about adding this to the use table at the back. When does it rise out of home occupation, then it becomes an urban farm.

1. FPC Process for Food System Assessment & Food Plan (Eileen Horn & Helen Schnoes; 8:15PM)

   Helen reported that the FPC work with Barb LeClair, formerly of the Kansas Health Institute, who’s currently focusing on food systems assessments for other KS communities. Eileen is looking for additional funding with LiveWell, to link assessment with Community Health Plan, to more fully invest in a quality assessment and graphic design. Carol mentioned that it will be important to think about framing of Food Plan to not sound like a diet, perhaps “Food Systems Plan.”

    

   Eileen and Helen will have more to present at the October meeting. Members interested in participating with the food system assessment should let Helen know.

    

2. Market Match Update (Eileen Horn; 8:20PM)

   Eileen reminded the group that Market Match began with 2 markets last summer, now up to 6. Eileen and Tresa have mapped out a plant to be in 12 markets next summer, drawing on regional and national funding grant request, looking at a budget around $60,000 to support matching programs. This seems the most popular idea in the food system now with funders. USDA has new Food Incentive Nutrition grant that offers multi-year funding. Fair Food Network (launched early Double Up Food Bucks, based in Michigan) has just expanded into matching at KC grocery stores (only F&V, to get at health out comes and stimulate local sourcing) with KC Healthy Kids and MARC. Cultivate KC has their own program, Beans & Greens. Eileen is talking with them about a multi-year $5 million grant to make a Double Up Kansas program to go to all FM and expand into grocery stores with Rural Grocer Initiative at K-State. Need $2.5 matching funds. Menorah Legacy Foundation and Greater KC Health Care Foundation are on board. Talking about subsuming the Market Match brand under Double Up (they have great brand/collateral/etc.). Eileen explained that this could be really interesting—but funding is for F&V-only matching, can still match all SNAP eligible, but would need a separate token for tracking. Or, for simpler logistics, this would mean excluding meat producers and bakers. From a health funder’s stand point, there is a big question re: health and what folks can actually buy at the market for a healthy diet.

    

   Eileen shared that this is a really unique opportunity to adapt in Kansas for rural grocers. Grant application is due in December. Additional funders could be used for protein matching.

    

    

3. Northeast Kansas Food Hub Update – 8:25PM(Eileen, Helen, Jill)

   Five candidates have been interviewed (9-10 applications), three very competitive. Meeting again this Thursday to decide and discuss other topics. Marketing team is working on logo, website. The group is now meeting every week because there is so much to do. Calling references this week, hopefully can choose on Thursday.

    

   The business entity is being reconsidered. Looking at Co-op vs. LLC vs. non-profit. In Kansas, a co-op needs 5 people. Helen reminded that a non-profit is what the SCALE NE KS study recommended.

    

4. Subcommittee progress reports – 8:30 PM <Skipped>

   • City

     1. Urban Ag, above

   • County

     1. Branding for incubator kitchen

   • Community

     1. Farm Fresh Challenge Update

         

5. Public comments – 8:40 PM

   Michael Almon: Is home occupation too limiting? Some urban gardeners use “apprentices,” “interns,” “crop mobs” – would the new language make these arrangements in violation? (Amy described that employee is defined as paid.)

    

   Processing and distribution: Do we want to go here? Complicates the issues of production.

    

   Debris is a broad item in the Property Maintenance Code. Should implements allowed by right be included? Exterior storage… The issue isn’t what you’re allowed to have, it’s where it can be on your lot. Storage can be screened when not in use. Can urban ag be made too neat and tidy?

    

   Group discussed the need to strike a balance between supporting and expanding food production and having a level of consideration for aesthetics.

    

   Emily Ryan reiterated the need to keep hotels and hives different. (Amy suggested that with “keeping of bees” it could say that Hotels are permitted, then delve into the standards for hives.)

    

   Could the front yard be prohibitive on some lawns based on the dimension and placement of the house?

    

   Amy noted that use standards are exemptible through Board Standard Reviews, and this could be an option for some urban agriculture processes.

    

   Rebekah Gaston: Kansas Appleseed is hosting a meeting on October 7 about summer feeding. She invited everyone to attend (an email was sent to FPC about this on Friday, September 18). Rebekah reminded the group that Kansas ranks 50th in US for summer feeding. She clarified that this is federal funding.

    

6. FPC member updates – 8:50 PM

1. Adjourn full council meeting – 9:00 PMBottom of Form