One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
'Fruit & Flowers Freedom Act' Set to Become City Law
Photo by Lucyrk in LA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
Photo by Lucyrk in LA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
Today marks a big step for the homegrown revolution. The L.A. City Council unanimously approved a motion that instructs the city attorney to amend an old and ambiguous city ordinance to allow for the on-site use and off-site sale of flowers and fruit grown within city limits. Currently, the simple act of growing them in your backyard with the purpose of selling them is a citable offense. However, vegetables are okay.
Before the vote, Council President Eric Garetti stood up and pointed to the City Seal. It features "grapes, oranges and olives, which refer to the agricultural roots that made Los Angeles great," he said. "In fact... we were the number one wine producing county in America until we outlawed grape growing in the early, I think, 20th century and kind of never went back. Although it is now legal to grow grapes and make wine again, in case you're wondering and you're in Los Angeles."
Garcetti says last year he grew 80% of his own produce at his Echo Park home. "There was no better feeling," he said. "Everything tastes better when you pull it from the ground and you didn't have go to the market to find something. You just go out to the garden to see what's growing and blossoming."
The law will good for green space, carbon reduction and local farmers markets, he said. "It has the potential to really create economic benefits for local sustainable jobs."
The ordinance should take about a week to be written. It will then come back to the Council for approval.
Previously on LAist:
- Urban Farming Advocates Working to Change Growth-Stunting Antiquated City Ordinance
- Fruit & Flowers Go Legit: Ordinance on Urban Farming Approved by Planning Commission
- 'Food & Flowers Freedom Act' Expected to Get One Step Closer to Law Tomorrow
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
