HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Sustainable Agriculture Subcommittee - 06/03/2014
South Burlington Sustainable Agriculture
Subcommittee
Subcommittee of the Planning Commission
575 Dorset Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
(802) 846-4131
www.sburl.com
Meeting Date: June 3, 2014
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Healthy Living Market (Upstairs Conference Room), 222 Dorset St
Present: Rosanne Greco, Sarah Dopp, Allan Strong, Will Raap, Betty Goldberg, Sophie Quest
Addition to Agenda: proposed contract between City of South Burlington and Robert Mack, farmer, for
the Underwood property. Mr. Mack first to plow approximately 40 acres, then plant sunflowers as his
harvest, then harvest, then in October to plow and plant a winter cover crop, seeds and work to be
provided by Robert Mack at no cost to the city. Sustainable Agriculture Subcommittee passed a motion
to recommend this to a special meeting of the City Council before June 12. Sophie will work with Tom
Hubbard and Meaghan Emery to make this happen before June 12.
Letter to landowners re; a meeting: Because the group has not yet read the latest draft and because
this meeting will probably not take place until September, or whenever the Form Based Code has
completely gone through its process, this item will be tabled for now.
Prioritization of 32 Tasks from the City Council:
I. Community Gardens. #15, 16, 17, 18, 20. To be worked on with South Burlington Community
Gardens group and the state community gardens organization.
II. Regulations: #11, 14, 16, 21, 23, 24. To be worked on from the consultants' recommendations
to the Planning Commission. By Sophie with the Planning Commission and by Sus/Ag
attendance and participation at Planning Commission meetings.
III. Relationships with other related state and city groups: #3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 26, 27, 30. Ongoing
work to be continued. Sophie will produce a list of names and addresses. All will contribute to
this.
IV. School Food programs: #12, 13, 25, 30. Common Roots is taking the lead here. We will see how
we can contribute if necessary.
V. Edible gardening for the entire community: #19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27. This is Sophie's main
interest and she has begun presenting it to the community.
VI. Tasks # 1 and 2. Broad group work
Specific plans for work from Sus/Ag Subcommittee:
I. Preserving good agricultural land for farming and enabling young farmers to farm there. #1, 2,
3, 8, 11. Will Raap, Rosanne Greco, Betty Goldberg.
II. Increasing the amount and availability of Community Gardens. Mapping the city to see where
this might happen. (This mapping to include potential agricultural land, pickups for vegetables,
private gardens, access to buying local food.) Sarah Dopp, Allan Strong, Jess Hyman, Sophie
Quest (for mapping)
South Burlington Sustainable Agriculture
Subcommittee
Subcommittee of the Planning Commission
575 Dorset Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
(802) 846-4131
www.sburl.com
III. Education and action for edible food plantings in So Burlington. Sophie Quest, Common Roots,
(Reese Baker?)
Comprehensive plan: Sophie will send the recommendations from the consultant.
Next Meeting: No meeting in July. Next meeting, August 5, Tuesday, 7pm, Healthy Living Conference
Rm.
Respectfully submitted,
Sophie Quest