Cleveland Abuzz Over Chicken and Bee Legislation
There is an agrarian revolution coming to roost in Cleveland that is part of a comprehensive effort to increase access to fresh, healthy, affordable food in Cuyahoga County and to leverage local dollars to support a growing regional food economy. One aspect of this movement focuses on revising city zoning regulations on keeping farm animals and bees on private property. City council is now reviewing its policy on raising lifestock including chickens, bees and rabbits. Approximately 10 contiguous lots or one acre are now required to accommodate the 100-foot setbacks from nearby residences and the street specified in the city’s zoning code.
Cleveland is part of a growing national effort by several cities across the country that is working to permit chickens and bees in urban neighborhoods. Detroit, Toledo, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Madison and Youngstown currently allow residents to keep chickens in their backyards. Chicago has several beehives on top of city hall that produce honey that Mayor Richard J. Daley offers to visiting dignitaries. Raising chickens and bees can have an impact on household food economies by providing fresh food at a lower cost. Small scale commercial production can contribute to the local food economy by claiming a percentage of the approximately $43.2 million spent on eggs and $7.6 million spent on honey annually by Cuyahoga County residents.
Cleveland’s efforts to adopt this type of zoning, under the leadership of Councilman Joe Cimperman, has been underway since last March. Urban farmers, city planners, health department officials, citizens, policymakers and members of the Land Use Working Group of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Food Policy Coalition have been working together to revise the ordinance and balance the interests of city departments, neighbors and urban gardeners. The proposed ordinance would allow residents to keep six hens and two beehives on an average residential lot. A final vote in city council is expected in February.
For more information, email Morgan at taggart.32@cfaes.osu.edu. or visit www.cccfoodpolicy.org.