This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It's about time.
That's what Salt Lake City officials heard from urban agriculture aficionados who "illegally" farm their front yards about Mayor Ralph Becker's push to liberalize regulations on neighborhood gardens, greenhouses, solar panels and even wind turbines.
"I've kind of been breaking the rules," Jim French, a five-year front-yard gardener told the City Council on Tuesday. "I'm sort of sorry about that, but not really."
The council is poised to pass on April 26 the first of three sustainability ordinance rewrites that loosen restrictions on urban agriculture and renewable energy. More than a dozen residents praised the move in a public hearing.
"We'd like to do it right once," said Councilman Luke Garrott, calling the chances of it getting voted down "pretty low."
That's good news for teacher Anna Christiansen, who says many of her students cannot recognize an artichoke or eggplant. The city is full of "artists and engineers of farming" she said, who should be able to begin their artistry immediately.
Derek P. Jensen