Siting Urban Agriculture as a Green Infrastructure Strategy for Land Use Planning in Austin, TX

Abstract

Abstract:Green infrastructure refers to a type of land use design that mimics the natural water cycle by using the infiltration capacities of vegetation, soils, and other natural processes to mitigate stormwater runoff. As a multifunctional landscape, urban agriculture should be seen as a highly beneficial tool for urban planning not only because of its ability to function as a green stormwater management strategy, but also due to the multiple social and environmental benefits it provides. In 2012, the city of Austin adopted a major planning approach titled the "Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan" (IACP) outlining the city's vision for future growth and land use up to 2039. The plan explicitly addresses the adoption of green infrastructure as a target for future land use with urban agriculture as a central component. Addressing this area of land use planning will require tools that can locate suitable areas within the city ideal for the development of green infrastructure. In this study, a process was developed to create a spatially explicit method of siting urban agriculture as a green infrastructure tool in hydrologically sensitive areas, or areas prone to runoff, in east Austin. The method uses geospatial software to spatially analyze open access datasets that include land use, a digital elevation model, and prime farmland soils. Through this method a spatial relationship can be made between areas of high surface runoff and where the priority placement of urban farms should be sited as a useful component of green infrastructure. Planners or geospatial analysts could use such information, along with other significant factors and community input, to aid decision makers in the placement of urban agriculture. This spatially explicit approach for siting potential urban farms, will support the integration of urban agriculture as part of the land use planning of Austin.

The role of ecosystem services in urban agriculture and planning in Austin, Texas

“…The re-emergence of farming within the city in the United States is often tied to a growing interest in the sustainability of the global food system and a desire to localize production (Rangarajan, Riordan, & Schaffstall, 2019). Along with this renewed interest, most urban farms or gardens follow sustainable or organic farming methods such as reducing inputs, recycling nutrients through composting and including rotations of diverse crops (Rogers & Hiner, 2016). Due to land availability and costs in these areas, production is often significantly lower and more varied than that of traditional agricultural systems.…”

“…Several reports have emerged from the Food Policy Board to help address challenges in urban farming and propose potential solutions. UA is currently allowed under all zoning codes, but there are distinctions between market gardens (less than one acre) and urban farms (more than one acre) (Rogers & Hiner, 2016). At present, the city has 67 community gardens, 212 school gardens, and 34 urban farms in the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area (Office of Sustainability, 2018).…”

“…Evidence in several sections of the "Imagine Austin" Comprehensive Plan indicates that planners see UA as a potential policy area that can contribute to ecological goals, as UA is often listed alongside other green infrastructure methods such as parks and greenbelts (Rogers & Hiner, 2016). However, there are few specifics about how farms and gardens will be supported by the city in order to better integrate them into communities around the city.…”

“…The city has a unique, progressive political culture when compared to other areas of the state. This is observed in the area of sustainability which is a point of focus in several plans such as the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan (City of Austin, 2012;Rogers & Hiner, 2016). Austin provides a unique setting due to its history of fostering UA, as well as mirroring larger trends in other rapidly growing urban areas in the US.…”

“…Finally, Austin has also been known as an area with a commitment to environmental sustainability and a vibrant food system (Rogers & Hiner, 2016). The combination of a wellestablished urban farm and community garden network, combined with a commitment to preserve and restore green spaces make Austin an ideal site for research focusing on the environmental benefits of UA.…”