On July 1, 2024, the City of Pomona, California adopted Ordinance No. 4345, which approved a comprehensive update to the City of Pomona Zoning and Development Code. The zoning code had previously not been updated since the 1950s. The comprehensive updates removed many barriers to siting and carrying out community composting as part of urban agriculture operations.
Removal of Barriers for Composting on an Urban Farm
The updates to Pomona’s zoning code allow community composting as part of urban agriculture activity and designate urban agricultural activities as permitted by rule everywhere at a small scale (using under 3 acres). At a large scale (using between 3-10 acres), urban agriculture is allowed everywhere with a conditional use permit. There is no longer a special zone for urban agriculture.
- Small urban farms (less than 3 acres in area) are permitted as a land use in all zones, with relevant use standards
- Large urban farms (using between 3-10 acres in area) are conditionally permitted as a land use in all zones, with relevant use standards
“Food Waste Facilities” are only permitted in one of Pomona’s 15 land use zones. However, the definition for “Food Waste Facility” in the updated zoning code specifically excludes food scrap composting at an urban farm or garden, allowing for community composting at a widespread scale.
“Food Waste Facility
- A facility that accepts food waste to reprocess into compost, or other products, including the use of power-driven processing equipment. Facilities which receive food waste for shipment to another facility for reprocessing or composting are not included in this type of facility.
- “Food waste” means residuals, scraps, expired or discarded food originating from sale, storage, processing, preparation or dining practices, including but not limited to vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy products, meats, and the compostable packaging that may be commingled. Does not include the sustainable composting of food waste in conjunction with an established urban farm or urban garden”
— Pomona, CA Zoning and Development Code page 5.39 to 5.40
Composting Use Standards
The standards for composting on an urban farm (page 5.72) were updated as follows:
“Active compost and compost receptacles must be located at least 15 feet from any interior property line, and must not be located within any designated setback area of the zoning district in which the urban farm is located.”
This provision confines the property line setback rule to only “active” compost, removing a common space restriction that community composters face in locating mature piles of compost as well as carbon-rich compost feedstocks. This allows for more efficient use of small spaces.
“Composting activities must be conducted in a manner that does not create a nuisance (generation of noise, odors, insects, etc.) nor impact the public health, safety, or welfare of persons within the area surrounding the urban farm, or its participants, employees, or staff.”
The broad, performance-based standard of not creating nuisances relies on the site’s implementation of best management practices that align with their needs, rather than assigning prescriptive standards on size, equipment, or processes in the law.
“The scale of the composting activity must be consistent with the fertilizer requirements for the related urban farm the composting activity is intended to serve.”
By directly tying the allowable scale of the composting operation to the needs of the urban farm, this provision avoids prescriptive and potentially arbitrary thresholds for the size and scale of composting activity. This gives community composters flexibility to meet the needs of the urban farm and an opportunity to educate city officials if the need to justify composting operations presents itself.
“Feedstock inputs may only be imported to the site for purposes of maintaining the health of compost as a soil resource for the urban farm.”
Many compost sites, especially at farms, require off-site material to achieve the proper ratio of carbon-rich to nitrogen-rich material needed to make good compost. This standard avoids allotting specific amounts of feedstock that can be brought into the compost system from off-site. Rather, it allows composters and urban farmers to determine and adjust their addition of off-site material to meet the needs of the urban farm.
Conditional Use Permit Requirements
For a large urban farm (using between 3-10 acres in area), there are several requirements in order to meet the conditions for a permit:
- “Any urban farms must obtain a business license and land use permit with the City of Pomona.
- The urban farm operator must submit a maintenance plan and animal care plan, if applicable, including the maintenance schedule of the site and animals, the removal of animal waste, weeds, and debris.
- The urban farm operator must submit a composting plan for any active composting proposed on-site.”
— Pomona, CA Zoning and Development Code (page 5.71)
Submitting a composting plan is a requirement that ensures composting operations meet the best-management-practice-based standards for composting in the zoning ordinance. Composting plans are received and reviewed by the City’s Planning Division.
Community Composter Advocacy and Relationship Building
These updates to the zoning code were realized through close involvement and relationship building of community composting and urban agriculture advocates with the City, led by Elinor Crescenzi of Food Cycle Collective, a project of the Pomona-based nonprofit, Integrative Development Initiative. Food Cycle Collective is a collaborative initiative rooted in Pomona that centers composting, bikes, food, and community-building.
Following years-long involvement with the City of Pomona through public participation at City Council meetings and collaboration with the Planning Division on a land use framework for community composting, Crescenzi was invited by the Planning Division to give input on the planned zoning code updates from the perspective of community composters.1 The feedback process, facilitated by allies in the Planning Division, involved review of policies, giving input on draft language, reviewing changes, many discussions back and forth, and formal advocacy to the Planning Commission via public comment. The whole process spanned upwards of 18 months.2
The input process relied heavily on consistent relationship building and finding alignment on values and goals with City planning staff. The hands-on effort and endurance on behalf of the advocates to present their needs and work to find common ground resulted in an outcome that removes barriers and bolsters the operations of community composting sites on urban farms in the City.
More Information
- Pomona Zoning and Development Code – City of Pomona, CA
- “Through Pedal-Power, Community Composters Cultivate Deeper Connections with their Community” featuring Elinor Crescenzi – Composting for Community Podcast
- Zoning Code Model for Promoting Composting and Organic Waste Diversion through Sustainable Urban Agriculture – Ohio EPA
- Model Municipal Zoning Ordinance on Community Composting – Natural Resources Defense Council and Environmental Law Institute
—————————————
Original post from May 9, 2025