Fresno Metro Ministry and the Central Ca. Regional Obesity Prevention Project celebrate the revision of our Fresno City Zoning to permit Farmers Markets in neighborhoods (City Council code revisions of 6/17/08). Unanimous support by the Fresno City Council to allow Farmers Markets is a historic affirmation of recommendations from the community, City Planning Department, and the Fresno City Planning Council. This change has the potential of making Fresno bloom with access to the bounty of our local produce, and improve the health of our community.

The CCROPP ( Central Ca. Regional Obesity Prevention Project’s) Fresno Policy Council discovered in March of 2006 at the Community Hunger and Nutrition Forum that Fresno’s zoning actually prohibited Farmers Markets in neighborhoods and commercial areas. The few Farmers Markets that exist in Fresno took at least a year to get exemptions, and had to pay large fees. Many farmers and farmers’ organizations had tried to start Farmers Markets to sell local produce, were discouraged by city rules, and were taking their excellent produce to Berkeley or L.A. to sell. Meeting Oct. 10, 2007 as a Community Hunger and Nutrition Forum, these farmers began discussing the issues with Sophia Pagoulatos, City of Fresno Planning & Dev. Dept. Sophia convened a smaller group of community members, farmers, neighborhoods, consumers and agriculture experts to begin to work on changes that might overcome this 40 year omission in the city zoning.

The passing of the Variety Pac #4 defines Farmers Markets in Fresno, and allows this ‘new’ business in residential and commercial areas through the planning Permitting process.

(TEXT Fresno city planning Commission

Approved language for farmers market

June 2008 to city council on 6/3 and 6/10

SECTION 6. Section 12-105-F of the Fresno Municipal Code is amended by adding subsection 4.5. thereto to read:

Definition

4.5. FARMER’S MARKET shall mean a commercial use with an organized display, indoors or outdoors, of agricultural products, in their natural state, for retail sale. Such agricultural products shall comprise at least 75% of the retail space available. Other products such as processed food (dried fruit, cheese or bread, for example), or artisan handiwork or art, may comprise the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of the retail space available.

SECTION 124. Section 12-304-B of the Fresno Municipal Code is amended by adding Subsection 25. thereto to read:

Uses by CUP

25. Farmer’s Market, as defined in 12-105-F-4.5, and subject to the following conditions:

a. Agricultural products shall comprise at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the retail space available.

b. The exhibition and sale of other agricultural products such as processed food (dried fruit, cheese or bread, for example), or artisan handiwork or art, shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the retail space available.

c. The sale of alcoholic products is limited to wine only, by the bottle, not to be consumed on-site, and is subject to securing a conditional use permit for the sale of alcohol.

d. The sale of second-hand, or used merchandise, is prohibited.

Central Ca. Regional Obesity Prevention Project’s Fresno Policy Council (Community, Fresno County Public Health Department, and Ca. State University Fresno) have supported Farmers Market expansion and access in Fresno, EBT/Food Stamp use, and support the new WIC Food Package available in 2009 at Farmers Markets. They realize that by permitting Farmers Markets not only will there be new businesses available for local agriculture, but also the access to healthy local food in our Fresno neighborhoods will improve the health of our community.

Fresno City, with the passing of this ordinance, begins addressing the chasm between the two food systems in Fresno- the one for the poor and the one for everyone else, and creating a healthy local foodshed for all of Fresno.

Edie Jessup
Fresno Metro Ministry
Hunger & Nutrition Project
1055 N. Van Ness, Suite H
Fresno, Ca 93728
559-485-1416
Fax: 559-485-9109
edie@fresnometmin.org
www.fresnometroministry.org