In 2006, the Bellingham City Council enacted an ordinance that prohibits stores over 90,000 square feet and imposes design standards on those over 60,000 square feet. Continue reading
Residents of Palm Beach, an island off the coast of Florida, have converted their main commercial district into a "town-serving zone," which caps its stores at 2,000 square feet and impels them to serve primarily "town persons:" those living, or working in Palm Beach. Businesses larger than 2,000 square feet can apply for a special exception use permit provided they have an auditing firm document that more than 50 percent of receipts come from a local zip code. Continue reading
In March of 2008, members of the Longfellow Community Council (LCC), a South Minneapolis neighborhood, signed a Community Benefits Agreement with a developer looking to redevelop an old feed mill. The site comprises four blocks next to a city light rail station. Continue reading
One way communities can ensure that redevelopment projects and new retail centers include locally owned businesses is to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with the developer that stipulates how much of the project’s retail space must be set aside for local businesses. Continue reading
Whereas, the City of Northampton has a long and distinguished history of protecting and expanding civil rights and civil liberties, often being a beacon for our country’s citizens when liberties are threatened; Continue reading
Santa Monica, California, became the first city in the nation to ban ATM surcharges in 1999. Wells Fargo and Bank of America filed suit and, with the support of the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), succeeded in getting the law overturned by the courts. Continue reading
Wells Fargo and Bank of America filed suit and, with the support of the federal Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), succeeded in getting San Francisco’s ATM surcharge ban overturned by the courts. Continue reading
This Iowa county has a two-pronged policy approach to encourage the production and use of locally grown organic food. First, there is a property tax rebate for farmers who convert from conventional to organic farming practices. The second approach is a mandate that the County purchase locally grown organic food through its food service contractor. Continue reading
Farmers’ markets are for farmers directly selling what they produce. However, as the markets have proliferated, some retailers have been allowed to set up their own stands to sell produce from out of the state and the country. Some cities such as Dallas, Texas, have set up their code to clearly delimit how a farmers’ market is to be organized, and who will be allowed to sell at it. The code keeps the markets true to their name.
Community Supported Agriculture(CSA) began in over 30 years ago in Japan – where it is known as"teikei", meaning "putting the farmers’ face on food". In the CSA model, citizens buy seasonal shares in a local farm, receiving weekly deliveries of vegetables and other produce. As shareholders, members often form a close relationship with the farmer(s), directly sharing the uncertainties and rewards of the season, often helping with planting and harvesting. Farmers benefit by having a stable, predetermined market to grow for, reduced marketing costs, and financial stability from pre-season "seed money" paid up front. Nearly all CSA’s in the US use sustainable, organic methods of cultivation, are small in size, and serve local customers. Lacking supportive laws, CSA’s have nonetheless seen tremendous growth in the US and now number over 2,500. Continue reading
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