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September 27, 2012

Some of my readers may know that the Arlington County Board appointed me to the Urban Agriculture Task Force (UATF). The purpose of the group is to “promote agriculture in an urban community.” The goal of the UATF is to: develop an inventory of existing programs and identify gaps; propose a food action plan that includes urban agriculture practices; and identify partners (public and private sector).

Do you have ideas about what topics the Urban Agriculture Task Force should address? If so, you may want to participate in our on-line forum. It is very easy! Just visit the county's Urban Agriculture web page and click on the link to “Task Force Priorities.”

Recently, I spent two Sundays walking around the Farmer’s Market on Columbia Pike and soliciting views on Arlington’s urban agriculture initiative. Folks have told me that they are interested in a variety of programs, such as more community gardens and demonstration farms in Arlington (such as Reevesland). Roof top gardens are also mentioned by quite a few folks.

Of course, many people do mention one part of the charge to the UATF that has received a lot of publicity --- the keeping of backyard hens. As for myself, I have an open-mind on the subject. Several members of the UATF have done research on this topic and I am looking forward to our discussion about this matter. How do you feel about backyard hens? It is never too early to submit your views!

The Task Force is scheduled to submit its report to the County Board in March 2013. Between now and then, however, there will be many opportunities to learn more about this subject. For example, the Committee of 100 will be holding a special forum on December 12, 2012 at 7:00pm at Marymount University. I urge you to become involved in the process.

The county's urban agriculture page: http://www.arlingtonva.us/portals/topics/UrbanAg.aspx

Mike Nardolilli serves as President of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, President of the Arlington Outdoor Lab, and as a Member of the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

Comments (9)

Comment Feed

Additional Information

Thank you for your comments. According to the County, 21 properties have enough land to raise chickens under the current County code. These landowners are not required to get a permit for this activitiy so there is no way of tracking this use in order to determine whether any of them are raising chickens at the present time. Does anyone know if any of these landowners are raising chickens now or plan to do so in he near future?

Mike Nardolilli 258 days ago

Not a Rational Policy

It is simply not rational to infill neighborhoods with large homes on small lots and allow backyard animals. How did we reach the point where such proposals are considered, much less debated?

J. Anderson 261 days ago

Urban Agriculture Committee ??

Is this another citizens committee packed with citizens who will vote for what County Board members want? We have had enough of that nonsense. I will not vote for any incumbent again, our county is being run and ruined by special interests and developers.

As for chickens, there is a place for them, named "Delaware".

John Thompson 263 days ago

Backyards Are Too Small

Too many teardowns and too many new large homes on small lots. It is not rational to allow backyard animals given the county will be urbanized over the next decade.

Joan Niemand 263 days ago

More Information

Currently, Arlington does allow backyard hens on certain large lots. The following is from the Arlington County website:

"In a nutshell, here's what is and isn't allowed in Arlington:
•The law: Arlington's Zoning Ordinance says that you can raise poultry on residential property inside the County lines.
•The caveat: The poultry -- chickens, ducks or geese -- must not be allowed to roam free and their enclosure must be 100 feet from the lot line.
•The bottomline -- you would need more than a half-acre of land to meet the requirement and keep poultry on your property in Arlington County."

The question is whether to change the regulations to allow some smaller lots to have chickens and if so, what should be the minimum acreage needed to allow this activitiy?

Let me know your views on this subject. Please keep in mind that I will be giving more weight to the views of folks who post under a first and a last name. There is just too much of an opportunity for one person to post under multiple phony names in an attempt to skew the debate in one direction or another.

Mike Nardolilli 264 days ago

No Backyard Hens

Arlington's typical lots are too small for backyard hens without negatively impacting neighbors who don't want to live near livestock. The impact of the hens' waste on the watershed is also a concern. Finally, rats are already a problem in Arlington, and experts tell us that simply food in birdfeeders attract rats. The scattered chicken feed and chicken waste will attract a larger rat population, and we don't have the County resources to deal with our current rat population.

Concerned Citizen 264 days ago

Re: No Backyard Animals

The entire County is in the process of being urbanized. Backyard animals are completely inappropriate in an urban environment.

Sarah 265 days ago

Backyard Animals

Thank you for your comment. Are you opposed to hens anywhere in Arlington or just in "postage stamp backyards?" If you are not opposed to hens everywhere, is there a certain minimum size parcel where you would allow them?

Mike Nardolilli 265 days ago

No Backyard Animals

My neighborhood is being transformed from small homes to McMansions. We don't need backyard animals in postage stamp backyards.

Sarah 265 days ago