D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10-A, § 617
617.1 With more than 60 percent of District residents living in multi-family housing with limited access to private open space, community gardens provide an important opportunity for green community space and for residents to supplement their food budget. There are more than 34 such gardens in Washington, DC, each independently operated. Community gardens not only provide a place to grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers, they also provide an environmental, recreational, cultural, and educational asset in the neighborhoods they serve. In addition, urban farms are small businesses that contribute to their surrounding communities by growing fruits, vegetables, and other products and offer environmental, cultural, and educational opportunities. The Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) plays an integral part in promoting urban food production and community gardening in the District. It helps to manage all 34 community gardens and works with six partner urban farms across Washington, DC, which are all 501(c)(3) organizations that manage farms on DPR properties, focusing on offering gardening and nutrition programs while increasing access to healthy and affordable food to District communities.
617.2 Additionally, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), through the College of Agriculture and Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) and its Land Grant University status, expands academic and public knowledge of sustainable farming techniques that improve food and water security, health, and wellness by providing research, education, and gardening techniques to residents and organizations in Washington, DC.
Continue to encourage and support the development of community gardens, urban farms, rooftop farms, and educational growing spaces on public and private land across Washington, DC, with the Sustainable DC 2.0 plan, by identifying public and private land suitable for urban agriculture and streamlining the permitting process for gardeners and farmers.
Enhance the capacity of private, public, and nonprofit community gardening organizations to develop and operate community gardens. This should include working with the private sector and local foundations to mobilize financial support.
Provide technical and educational support to District residents who wish to plant backyard and rooftop gardens or start urban farming businesses. This could
include measures such as partnerships with local gardening groups; education through conferences, websites, and publications; tool lending programs; integrated pest management; and information on composting and best practices in gardening.
617.6 Policy E-4.3.4: Use of Fertilizer Educate District homeowners, businesses, and commercial applicators on the proper use of fertilizer, and encourage native species plants and landscaping that do not require fertilizer.
617.7 Policy E-4.3.5: Schoolyard Greening Work with DCPS and public charter schools to make appropriate portions of buildings and grounds, including rooftops, available for GI and community and school gardens, and to use buildings and grounds for instructional programs in environmental science, urban farming, and gardening classes. Encourage private schools to do likewise.
617.8 Policy E-4.3.6: Produce and Farmers Markets Support the creation, maintenance of, and outreach for farmers markets in all quadrants of the District to provide outlets for urban farms and community gardens to sell healthy, locally grown produce to District residents.
617.9 Policy E-4.3.7: Composting Programs and Community Gardens Support composting programs at community gardens (through the DPR Compost Cooperatives), food waste drop-off locations at farmers markets (through the DPW Food Waste Drop-Off Program), composting in schoolyard gardening programs, and residential composting. Residents composting in common spaces and at their homes should be properly trained, as required in the Residential Composting Incentives Amendment Act of 2018.
617.10 Action E-4.3.A: Community Gardens and Urban Farms in Wards 7 and 8 To activate community spaces, increase sustainability, and help address the lack of healthy food retail options in Wards 7 and 8, work with community leaders and gardening advocates to identify and establish property for new gardens or urban farms in this area. The District should assist in this effort by providing an inventory of publicly and privately owned tracts of land that are suitable for community gardens and urban farms, and then work with local advocacy groups to make such sites available. This action should supplement, but not replace, efforts to increase retail options in this part of the District.
617.11 Action E-4.3.B: Support for UDC Cooperative Extension Enhance the capability of the Cooperative Extension of the UDC to provide technical assistance and research, including educational materials and programs to support resident gardening, tree planting efforts, urban farming, food
entrepreneurship, and nutrition education.
Continue to support sustainable agriculture with the goal of producing healthy, abundant crops, preserving environmental services, improving neighborhood health, and creating new entrepreneurial opportunities. Implement the Urban Farming and Food Security Act and expedite the process to make public and private lands available for a variety of urban agriculture uses.
SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).