Madison’s Food Policy Council approved an ordinance Tuesday that will allow members of the public to garden on city-owned land, effectively sending it to Common Council for final approval.
MFPC took public input into account when amending the original draft to address major concerns, mostly about the permitting process and enforcement of possible problems with the practice, before unanimously approving it.
Madison Food and Alcohol Policy Coordinator Mark Woulf said residents will have to apply for a permit to garden on a specific parcel of city land. MFPD worried the application process could become a burden to residents unfamiliar with the city process, but Woulf said he hopes an online, user-friendly format will facilitate the process.
As stipulated in the ordinance, members will have to notify the alder of the Dictrict in which they intend to garden as well as the appropriate neighborhood associations, although neither will have authority to affirm or negate applications.
The permits will be either accepted or denied by the governing body presiding over the respective planting area. For instance, the city Parks Commission will review applications for public gardening in Madison’s parks.
Each applicant will have to present a ‘planting plan’ outlining how they intend to use the land, and MFPC unanimously agreed it will be the responsibility of the the respective presiding city entity to enforce the plans if community members complain the gardens are not being properly maintained.
Woulf will now draw up an official policy and an application template that he said could be presented to Common Council for final approval as early as April 16.
