Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford Agricultural Industry & Stakeholder Workshop April 19, 2016 Å 604-864-5510 AgRefresh@abbotsford.ca www.abbotsford.ca/AgRefresh
Agenda Welcome & Introductions AgRefresh Overview Context Discussion Summary & Next Steps Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Context Mission Township of Langley ~75% of land base in ALR Chilliwack ~4,700 ALR parcels 389km 2 total City area
Project Overview Process WHY? COMMUNITY PLANNING Agriculture Strategy (2011) Abbotsforward OCP WE ARE HERE Update (2016) 1 2 3 4 DEVELOPMENT PLANNING BACKGROUND NEW ADOPT NEW Zoning Bylaw Update IMPLEMENT - Phase 2 (2016-2017) RESEARCH DIRECTIONS POLICY NEW POLICY January 2016 June 2017 inventory & themes bylaws & approvals on-going strategy BYLAW SERVICES trends develop new 1. OCP policy managing complaints policy & regulation Background & non-compliance 2. Zoning Bylaw Research Report (on-going) New Directions regulation Report 3. Bylaw Compliance Strategy Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Project Overview Deliverables Updated 1 OCP Policy Updated Zoning 2 Bylaw Regulation Bylaw Compliance 3 Strategy Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Project Overview Guiding Principles 1. Use an understandable and transparent process inclusive of the City’s agricultural community and citizens. 2. Ensure Abbotsford is surrounded and sustained by a thriving and diverse agricultural sector in the future. 3. Clarify and define the City’s role with respect to agriculture. 4. Enhance agricultural integrity by preserving, protecting and sustaining agriculture and food within the context of broader City objectives. 5. Develop clear and concise bylaws and policies that are practical, workable and consistent. Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Context Mission Township of Langley ~75% of land base in ALR Chilliwack ~4,700 ALR parcels 389km 2 total City area
Context Agricultural Snapshot: 2011 Crops Top Fruits Produced (ha) $639,780,251 Total farms Total gross farm receipts 2,594 ha 1,312 ha 111 ha 1,282 (blueberries) (raspberries) (cranberries) 7,005 Hay & Field Crops (ha) Total # of farm employees Hay & fodder 34.0% Fruits, berries, & nuts 29.6% Corn 17.5% Vegetables 9.0% Alfalfa 4.6% 5,000 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Context Agricultural Snapshot: 2011 Livestock & Poultry Supply management Producers % of Provincial % of Provincial producers production Registered chicken growers 129 39% 34% Registered milk producers 103 21% $639,780,251 22% Registered egg producers 66 53% 55% Total gross farm receipts Registered turkey growers 23 33% 50% Registered hatching egg 21 40% 46% Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Context Agricultural Snapshot: 2011 Food Processing 15 berry processors 3 egg processors & graders 7 hatcheries 3 milk processors 3 poultry processors Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Farming today Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Context Legislative Framework AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE • ALC Act • Right to Farm Act • ALR Use, Subdivision & Procedure • Minister’s Bylaw Standards Regulation Official Community Plan Zoning Bylaw • Local Government Act Regulated communities: Abbotsford, Delta, Kelowna, Township of Langley EVOLVING REGULATION Agricultural Land Commission • May 2015: ALC regulation amended to permit federally licensed medical marihuana production facilities • June 2015: ALC regulation to support co-op owned processing facilities and allow breweries, distilleries and meaderies (with the 50% rule) Ag Refresh Ministry of Agriculture • May 2015: Bylaw Standard for medical marihuana production facilities adopted Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford • September 2015: Proposed Bylaw Standards for Agri-tourism & Farm Retail Sales
Context Current Official Community Plan AGRICULTURAL LAND USE The Agricultural category includes land that is reserved for farming and for agri-industrial uses that serve and support agriculture. The vast majority of land in this category is within the Agricultural Land Reserve. While some existing non-agricultural uses can be found in this category (such as gravel extraction, or rural residences) the intention of this category is to provide a stable, long-term land base for agriculture.
Context Current Zoning Bylaw Legend Rural Centres Urban Development Boundary Agricultural Zone A1 (min 8 ha lot) Agricultural Zone A2 (min 16 ha lot) All other Argicultural Zones Fraser River Unorganized Territory Electoral Area G (FVRD) Mt Lehman Matsqui Village Bradner City of Chilliwack Township of Langley Clayburn Aberdeen South Poplar Arnold Whatcom County, Washington USA
Context Current Zoning Bylaw ACCESSORY PROCESSING USE means a use accessory to an agricultural use providing for, and specifically limited to, the cleaning, grading and packing for marketing as fresh produce of the crops grown on that and other farm operations. AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION ACT ZONING BYLAW Section 2 (2) The following activities are An Accessory Processing Use shall only be designated as farm use for the purposes of permitted: the Act and may be regulated but must not a. where approved by the Provincial Agricultural be prohibited by any local government bylaw Land Commission; except a bylaw under Section 917 of the Local b. where the buildings and structures housing Government Act: such use together do not exceed 2,000 m² in c. storage, packing, product preparation or floor area; and processing of farm products, if at least 50% c. where associated unenclosed storage, of the farm product being stored, packed, including storage of drums, flats, and prepared or processed is produced on the other containers, does not cover a lot area farm or is feed required for farm production exceeding the floor area of the buildings and purposes on the farm. structures housing the accessory processing use. Section 1 (1) “farm product” means a commodity that is produced from a farm use as defined in the Act or designated by this regulation.
Context Bylaw Compliance GOAL: develop a strategic and systematic approach to existing and future bylaw compliance issues 2 1 3 Inventory Prioritization Compliance IDENTIFY WHAT WE HAVE OUTLINE PRIORITIES DEVELOP A STRATEGIC & TODAY BASED ON NEW SYSTEMATIC APPROACH DIRECTIONS • 2015 air photo scan (in- • establish systematic • theme & map progress & based on approach to achieve contraventions criteria) compliance • prioritize compliance with • identify & quantify • outline opportunities for new directions magnitude of potential process improvements to contraventions mitigate future compliance matters
Discussion What do you think? Part 1 What are the opportunities and challenges for the use of agricultural land in Abbotsford? Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Opportunities & Challenges farm worker housing agri-industrial home occupation food processors floodplain Mission commercial truck dyking & drainage MMPF parking Chilliwack urban/rural interface Township of Langley servicing taxation soil deposit/removal farm retail agri-tourism 2 nd dwellings rural centres business licence farm gate breweries commercial weddings/banquets
Opportunities & Challenges farm worker housing agri-industrial home occupation food processors floodplain Mission commercial truck dyking & drainage MMPF parking Chilliwack Context urban/rural interface Agricultural Uses Township of Langley Accessory Agricultural Uses servicing taxation Supportive Agricultural Uses soil deposit/removal farm retail agri-tourism 2 nd dwellings Non-Agricultural Uses rural centres business licence farm gate breweries commercial weddings/banquets
Opportunities & Challenges Agricultural Uses • Farming such as dairy, poultry, and berry - important to agriculture in Abbotsford • Agricultural industry is evolving from traditional forms to a wider range of uses such as: • food processing • breweries • medical marihuana production Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Opportunities & Challenges Accessory Agricultural Uses • Economic viability of farms being enhanced by increasing access for the public to buy products and through activities such as: • pumpkin patches • corn mazes • u-pick Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Opportunities & Challenges Supportive Agricultural Uses • Farm workers need permanent or seasonal accommodation on farm properties • Growing need to facilitate home occupations on farms • Need to identify and establish rural centres to support the rural community Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
Opportunities & Challenges Non-Agricultural Uses • A wide variety of non-agricultural uses currently occur within the ALR such as: • commercial truck parking • RV storage • warehousing • gravel extraction • soil removal and deposit • commercial weddings and banquets Ag Refresh Enhancing Agriculture in Abbotsford
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