[BCFSN] #ALR for FOOD: Farmland needs your help!

[Anita Georgy]

Richmond Food Security is inspiring a robust Richmond food system through
education, advocacy, and community building initiatives.  We are committed
to ensuring food security through preserving farming land in the City of
Richmond.

There are bylaws currently under consideration in Richmond that will allow
homes to be built on agricultural land that are over twice as large as
Ministry of Agriculture maximum guidelines for the city's Agricultural Land
Reserve (ALR) land. This will weaken Richmond's agricultural land base and
weaken our city's commitment to food security. The bylaw currently under
consideration will also be precedent setting in neighbouring communities by
weakening our regional ALR land base as it will allow more residential
development on agricultural lands.

The City of Richmond recently unanimously endorsed the Richmond Food Charter
<http://richmondfoodsecurity.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=12f60ca3b2da1b7cf0563149c&id=5b3fd3449e&e=c337dd1e88>,
which states that as a community we will use policy and regulations to
strengthen the city's food security, preserve and strengthen land and water
resources that support food production and work with all members of our
community to ensure a food secure future.

Please join us in asking Richmond's mayor and council to reconsider bylaw
9717 that will allow homes on the ALR that are more than two times the
maximum recommended by Ministry of Agriculture guidelines, as set out in
the Ministry of Agriculture's Guide for Bylaw Development in Farming Areas,
to ensure food security for Richmond, the Lower Mainland and British
Columbia.

You can send a letter by using the link below to add your comments. Below
you will find a letter that you can cut and paste and add your own input
before sending.

Here is some background info:
http://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/dispbofhr46462.pdf
<http://richmondfoodsecurity.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=12f60ca3b2da1b7cf0563149c&id=d203878cd6&e=c337dd1e88>

Thank you for supporting food security in British Columbia by taking a
moment to send an email specifically asking Council to follow ministry
bylaw guidelines on home sizes for the ALR in order to preserve farmland
and reduce residential uses on the ALR.

*If you can attend the Public Hearing on Monday, May 15th at 7 pm at
Richmond Council Chambers, please come, speak to the issue, or just show
your support of #ALRforfood*.
*Please share widely.*

Thank you.

**************************************************************

*SUBMISSION PAGE: http://cms.richmond.ca/Page1793.aspx?PageMode=Hybrid
<http://richmondfoodsecurity.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=12f60ca3b2da1b7cf0563149c&id=fa936d7eaa&e=c337dd1e88>*

* BYLAW 9717*

**************************************************************

*SAMPLE LETTER:*

Dear Mayor and Councillors,

I am writing in regards to the Public Hearing on Monday, May 15th that will
consider amendment bylaws that would allow homes up to 1000 square metres
(or 10,764 square feet) on parcels in the Agricultural Land Reserve located
within Richmond and significantly increase farm home plates.

The bylaws currently under consideration will allow homes to be built on
agricultural land that are nearly twice as large as Ministry of Agriculture
maximum guidelines for the city's Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) land,
which are set at 500 square metres (or 5,382 square feet).

This will weaken Richmond's agricultural land base and our city's
commitment to food security. The bylaw currently under consideration will
also be precedent setting in neighbouring communities by weakening B.C.'s
ALR land base as it will allow more residential development on agricultural
lands.

Agricultural lands should be kept for farming and not for residential uses.
I am writing to ask you to follow Ministry of Agriculture guidelines, as
set out in the Guide for Bylaw Development in Farming Areas, and ensure
long term food security for Richmond, the Lower Mainland, and British
Columbia.

Sincerely,
(Name, city)
Anita Georgy, Executive Director

 rfoods
 Richmondfood
​604-244-7377
richmondfoodsecurity.org <http://www.richmondfoodsecurity.org/>

We've moved!  Our new office is in Paulik Park, 7611 Ash Street.  Please
follow the mulched park path to the door on the right (north) of the house.

Full contact details and a map are here.
<https://www.richmondfoodsecurity.org/contact-us/>
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