Integration with Planning and Design Process

In order for urban agriculture to be effective and successful in the long run, it must be acknowledged and integrated into the town planning and design process. Not only can urban agriculture provide benefits to the overall urban environment, it can achieve planning goals, such as orderly and sustainable city form and function, environmental management, and community development (Quon, 1999). Recognizing these potentials, recommendations are made for the integration of urban agriculture with the planning and design process through the role of the PlanD, TDS, land use and zoning, and through urban design.

87 a. Planning Department

PlanD can have a significant impact on urban agriculture through the alteration of land use and planning policies to recognize, permit and favor local food production. They can work as a partner with the interdepartmental working group in providing a holistic understanding of the food system and the linkages between various issues. Through PlanD, contributions could be made through identifying the appropriate zones within OZPs that could allow for food production, encourage infrastructure developments that would be needed to facilitate it, and to implement measures to ensure land security.

Throughout the planning process, PlanD can work as the facilitator for public consultation to incorporate the view of the farmers and general public. It is important that the public is aware and involved in urban issues and participates in the plan making process. The increase in public participation in the planning process can elevate the importance of urban agriculture in planning policy and generate attention to the issues.

b. Territorial Development Strategy

The HK 2030, Hong Kong’s Territorial Development Strategy, acts as a planning vision strategy recommending how the spatial environment should respond to various social, economic and environmental needs, with an overarching goal of sustainable development. Firstly, the HK 2030 must recognize and support healthy and sustainable food system. By incorporating local food production into the TDS, it is possible to provide a

88 long term planning strategy that considers the linkages between other planning policies.

In the overseas case study of Chicago, after the development of the Food Systems Report, The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning adopted GO TO 2040, a regional plan that addresses wide range of topics of concern. The HK 2030 can follow suit and develop a section to promote a sustainable local food system. Consideration on how to position agriculture into planning and community development can strengthen the goal for sustainable development through the influences of local food production on the economy, environment, health, and quality of life.

The GO TO 2040 recognizes three implementation action areas that could provide a starting point for Hong Kong to future explore: Facilitate Sustainable Local Food Production, Increase Access to Safe, Fresh, Affordable, and Healthy Foods, Increase Data, Research, Training, and Information Sharing.

c. Land Use and Zoning

One of the greatest modifications to the planning process would be the revision of land use zoning and integration of urban agriculture into OZPs.

By revising zoning, it can offer land uses legitimacy and permanency (Guberman, 1995). Giving it formal recognition in planning control can enhance the viability of urban agriculture. There are two ways that this could be done: urban agriculture could be recognized as its on land use, similarly to the current “AGR” use, or permitted under traditional zone classification (Quon, 1999).

89 Since “AGR” zones are not common within the urban area, it would be unwise to modify the application of the “AGR” zone. As previously mentioned, the TPB has seen numerous applications for the rezoning or planning permission within “AGR” zones. A relook at the current planning intention of “AGR” zones is needed. The current planning intention is that the zone is “intended primarily to retain and safeguard good quality agricultural land/farm/fish ponds for agricultural purposes. It is also intended to retain fallow arable land with good potential for rehabilitation for cultivation and other agricultural purposes.” (Town Planning Board, 2008b). In order to reposition local food production in Hong Kong, not just as an economic factor, but also its roles in social and environment benefits, the planning intention should be modified to reflect that change.

“AGR” zones should be acknowledged as part of the rural landscape and urban fringe. It could be used for the production of high valued produce or organic crops, but can also be used for educational and leisure purposes related to food production. By permanently protecting and support agriculture lands, it can avoid competition from other more economically beneficial land uses. Where lands that have been zoned “AGR”

but are left fallow, the modified intention should recognize that there would be protection from incompatible surrounding land uses.

In addition to having a distinct agricultural zone, agricultural uses could also be permitted in other land use zones. Currently, Hobby Farming is the only type of food production permitted within statutory plans, under

‘Place of Recreation, Sports or Culture’. It is recommended that in order to

90 better facilitate leisure farming within the built area, that leisure farming be recognized as its own type of use within the statutory plan.

Similar to Chicago and Seattle, amendments should be proposed to incorporating farming within the urban area by recognizing Community Gardens and Urban Farms.

Various aspects of community gardens should be acknowledged when creating a definition: it is a neighborhood-based development for members of the community (Chicago); its main purpose is to provide space for growing plants and harvest food or ornamental crops (Seattle) for beautification, education, recreation, community distribution or personal use (Chicago); and It is often managed by a public or nonprofit organization, or a group of individuals (Seattle).

Community gardens should be generally permitted within most zones, such as Residential, Commercial, Comprehensive Development Area (CDA), Open Space, Government, Institution or Community, etc. Recognizing that compatibility with surrounding uses may be an issue, application to the TPB could be stipulated on industrial or manufacturing zones. In order to maximize the potentials of local food production, community gardens could be allowed in old industrial buildings that have been rezoned to

‘Other Specified Uses (Business)’ (OU(B)) where heavy industrial production have been phased out. Restrictions could limit community gardens on rooftops or sides of buildings, depending on the specific zone.

91 Urban farms should be recognized as a use that: grow, wash, package, and store plants or their products (Chicago); products which can be sold at the lot where they are grown or off site, or both (Seattle); and can be operated indoor, outdoor or on rooftops (Chicago).

Urban farms would mainly be for commercial purposes and may include growing beds, hoop houses, greenhouses, vertical farms, rooftop farms and hydroponic systems. The type of operation will be depending on the location on where it is located.

Seattle restricts urban farms as only an accessory use when located in residential use, but can be permitted as a principal or accessory use, including top and sides of buildings when located within industrial zones.

Chicago allows indoor operation only in every planned manufacturing district, and outdoor operations in commercial and certain business and manufacturing districts. Similarly, they should be restricted to Commercial, CDA, industrial, or OU(B), etc, as not to take away from community oriented space. When necessary, it could be stipulated that application to the TPB be required.

d. Use of Vacant Land

In order to make better use of vacant lands or land that are waiting for development, urban agriculture could be promoted as a temporal use. In addition, lands that have been deemed not suitable for development, such as roadside and right-of-ways could also be allocated for food production.

The Government, as a major landowner, can facilitate the provision of vacant public or private lands in the urban area to NGOs or community

92 groups. A possible method would be to set up an inventory of vacant lands that could be secured for local food production for short-term cultivation.

While land supply is strained, possible large tracts of land under the sale of land by tender or land awaiting sale within the Land Sale Programme could be allocated for short term cultivation.