{"id":21676,"date":"2024-08-21T14:42:11","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T18:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/?post_type=article&p=21676"},"modified":"2025-05-09T14:22:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T18:22:35","slug":"ohio-toledo-urban-ag-zoning","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/ilsr.org\/es\/article\/composting-for-community\/ohio-toledo-urban-ag-zoning","title":{"rendered":"Toledo, Ohio \u2013 Zonificaci\u00f3n para Compostaje de Agricultura Urbana"},"template":"","class_list":["post-21676","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_type-local-policy","initiatives-composting-for-community","topics-on-farm-composting","topics-planning-and-zoning","impact_areas-climate-and-environmental-justice","impact_areas-food-security","authors-julia-spector"],"acf":{"details":{"featured_image":"","background_color":"tan","article_type":[37],"initiative":15,"display_event_fields":false,"start_date":null,"end_date":null,"start_time":null,"end_time":null,"time_zone":"America\/New_York","virtual_event":false,"location":"","topics":[99,103],"impact_areas":[18,16],"abstract":"In 2018, Toledo, Ohio updated its municipal planning and zoning code (Subsection 1104.2400) to clarify definitions of agriculture and urban gardens and apply additional land use regulations for agricultural activities, such as composting. Toledo Municipal Ordinance 158-18 establishes minor urban agriculture as a permitted use in all zoning districts, major urban agriculture as a permitted use in commercial, industrial, and special purpose districts, and major urban agriculture as a special use in residential districts.","authors_tax":[624]},"sidebar":{"title":"\u00cdndice"},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"In 2018, Toledo, Ohio, updated its municipal planning and zoning code (<\/span>Subsection 1104.2400<\/span><\/a>) to clarify definitions of agriculture and urban gardens and apply additional land use regulations for agricultural activities, such as composting. <\/span>Toledo Municipal Ordinance 158-18<\/span><\/a> establishes minor urban agriculture as a permitted use in all zoning districts, major urban agriculture as a permitted use in commercial, industrial, and special purpose districts, and major urban agriculture as a <\/span>special use<\/span><\/a> in residential districts. It also allows backyard and community growers to sell their produce in residential areas without a special use permit.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe ordinance revised Toldeo\u2019s Municipal Planning & Zoning Code Chapter 1104: Use Regulations, adding <\/span>Subsection 1104.2400 Urban Agriculture<\/span><\/a>, which includes <\/span>1104.2405 Composting<\/span><\/a>. For the first time, definitions for <\/span>urban agriculture<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>community garden<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>compost<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>composting<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>farm stand<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>greenhouse<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>hoop house<\/span><\/i> were added to use categories in Chapter 1116: Terminology (<\/span>Section 1116.0202<\/span><\/a>). Urban agriculture, composting, and related activities were not previously clearly defined or regulated. Adding urban agriculture and composting explicitly to the zoning code ensured their status as permissible land uses.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nOrdinance 158-18, passed in April 2018, was declared an emergency measure for the immediate preservation of public peace, health, safety, and property and, therefore, went into immediate effect at the time of passage. <\/span>\r\n

Urban Agriculture as a Defined Land Use<\/b><\/h2>\r\nThe ordinance updated land use regulations (Chapter 1104) for urban agriculture to clarify and define the applicable zoning districts and regulations pertaining to urban agriculture activities. Use regulations were adapted from a <\/span>zoning code model<\/span><\/a> provided by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe new regulations specify composting as a permitted accessory use, include standards for property line proximity (setbacks), and regulate agricultural structures, composting activities, and sale of produce on site.<\/span>\r\n
1104.2405 Composting\u00a0<\/b>\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. As defined in Sec. 1116.0119.3, composting is permitted as an accessory use in residential zoning districts. Composting activities within residential zoning districts shall adhere to all of the following standards:<\/span>\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. No compost pile or total composting area shall exceed three-hundred cubic feet (300ft<\/span>3<\/span>) in size and\/or five feet (5') in height.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Any compost pile or area shall comply with the setbacks of Sec. <\/span>1105.0201<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
    3. A compost pile or total composting area shall be located as far away from adjacent residential areas as possible and properly screened.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
    4. Unless generated at the site, the following materials shall not be accepted from off-site sources for composting: animal manures and food scraps consisting of, or containing meats, bones, and dairy products.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
    5. Composting areas and structures shall be maintained in a manner that protects adjacent properties from nuisance odors and the attraction of rodents or other pests.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n \t
    6. Composting as a principal use is defined under the Construction Sales and Services use category.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

      Land Use Categories<\/b><\/h2>\r\nThe previous zoning code organized <\/span>Agriculture<\/span><\/i> into two separate land use categories: (1) Nurseries and Greenhouses, and (2) Other Agriculture. Ordinance 158-18 revised the use categories (Planning and Zoning <\/span>Subsection 1116.0202<\/span><\/a>) to (1) Major Urban Agriculture and (2) Minor Urban Agriculture, as follows: <\/span>\r\n
      1116.0202 <\/b>Urban Agriculture:\u00a0<\/b>Activities that primarily involve raising or producing field crops or other plants.<\/span>\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. Major Urban Agriculture: <\/b>Land, nurseries, agriculture buildings, greenhouses or community gardens, as defined in Sec. 1116.0100, used to raise flowers, shrubs, and plants for sale on-site.\u00a0 This includes the use of structure(s) greater than four-hundred square feet (400 ft2) in total area.<\/li>\r\n \t
      2. Minor Urban<\/b> Agriculture: <\/b>Land, farming, truck gardening, forestry, tree farming or community gardens, as defined in Sec. 1116.0100, used to raise flowers, shrubs, and plants for sale subject to Section 1104.2406 Sales.\u00a0 <\/i>Structure(s) may be used for growing but shall not exceed four-hundred square feet (400 ft2) in total area.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\nAs described in <\/span>Ordinance 158-18<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>\u201cthe main difference in the two use categories is the ability to sell produce in a residential zoning district, and\/or if the project includes the use of structures exceeding a certain size.\u201d For example, a hoop house, greenhouse, or other structure larger than 400 square feet will require a special-use permit in residential areas. <\/span>\r\n

        Additional Definitions<\/b><\/h2>\r\nCertain definitions were also added to Planning and Zoning <\/span>Subsection 1116.0100<\/span><\/a>, including:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n