Check Out Our Passport Courses
Passport is your ticket to the training, experiences, and connections that will take you where you want to go in your planning career. Subscribe for unlimited access for one year to APA's extensive learning library of solution-oriented content facilitated by planners, for planners.
-
Preserving Rural Character Through Agriculture: A Resource Kit for Planners
December 2000by: Nada HaddadThis guide focuses on the preservation of rural character through a thriving agricultural sector. -
Peoria, IL, Code of Ordinances
Updated November 2021These regulations belong to the Complete Streets, Form-Based Zoning, Urban Agriculture, and Zoning Reform and Code Writing collections. -
Chattanooga, TN, Code of Ordinances
Updated October 2021These regulations belong to the Complete Streets, Food Systems, and Urban Agriculture collections. -
Austin, TX, Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan
Updated June 2018This city's comprehensive plan belongs to the Age-Friendly Communities, Biophilic Planning, Built Environment and Health, Creative Placemaking, Community Visioning, Comprehensive Planning, Food Systems, and Solar Energy collections. -
Municipal Strategies to Support Local Food Systems: Including Local Food in Comprehensive Plans and Urban Agriculture Ordinance Toolkit
September 2012This report is a two-part document that belongs to both the Food Systems and the Urban Agriculture collection. -
The Suburban Cook County, IL, Food System: An Assessment and Recommendations
2012This report gives a snapshot of the current food system and lays the groundwork for broader regional planning around local food. -
Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, Code of Ordinances
Updated August 2021This consolidated city’s codified ordinance belongs to the Complete Streets, Shared Mobility, Food Systems, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Harvesting Opportunity: The Power of Regional Food System Investments to Transform Communities
2017This report focuses on regional food systems as a means for enhancing economic opportunity. -
Community Food System Assessment: A Companion Tool for the Guide
2009by: Christina MiewaldThis companion report to the Community Food Assessment Guide provides a wide range of food systems planning indicators. -
Decatur, GA, Code of Ordinances
Updated November 2024These regulations belong to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Food Systems, Housing Supply Planning, Tree Preservation and the Urban Forest, Urban Agriculture, and Zoning Reform and Code Writing collections. -
Fort Worth, TX, Code of Ordinances
Updated 2025These regulations belong to the Food Truck, Home Occupations, and Tree Preservation and the Urban Forest collections. -
Austin, TX, City Code
Updated April 2022These regulations belong to 19 different Research KnowledgeBase collections, ranging from Active Transportation to Urban Agriculture. -
Charlotte, NC, Unified Development Ordinance
Updated June 2024This regulation belongs to the Active Transportation, Food Trucks, Group Housing, Hazard Mitigation, Housing Supply Planning, Transit-Oriented Development, Tree Preservation and the Urban Forest, and Zoning Reform and Code Writing collections. -
San Antonio, TX, Code of Ordinances
Updated July 2023These regulations belong to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Age-Friendly Communities, Food Trucks, Grayfields Reuse and Redevelopment, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Historic Preservation, Home Occupations, Housing Supply Planning, Inclusionary Housing, Scenic View Protection, Solar Energy, and Tree Preservation and Urban Forest collections. -
Seattle, WA, Municipal Code
Updated April 2025This regulation belongs to 22 different Research KnowledgeBase collections, ranging from Accessory Dwelling Units to Youth in Planning. -
A Model Township Zoning Ordinance: Raising and Keeping of Chickens
n.d.This model ordinance written for Pennsylvania townships addresses the raising and keeping of chickens on a noncommercial basis at a residential property. -
Local Governments Support for Local Food Systems
January 2012The fact sheet talks about county level plan policies, food councils, and public-private partnerships and how these can help further food systems. -
Augusta County, VA, County Code
Updated January 2024The county’s zoning ordinance addresses agritourism. -
Oneida County, ID, Development Code
Updated June 2023The county’s development code addresses farmland protection. -
Hartford, CT, Zoning Regulations
Updated June 2020These regulations belong to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Food Systems, Form-Based Zoning, Housing Supply Planning, Tiny Houses and Micro-Apartments, Transit-Oriented Development, Urban Agriculture, and Zoning Reform and Code Writing collections. -
Jacksonville, FL, Code of Ordinances
2017The city's zoning code was amended in 2015 to allow chicken keeping in certain zoning districts and addresses other livestock as well. -
Jefferson County, WI, Agricultural Preservation and Land Use Plan
Updated March 2024This functional plan addresses farmland protection for the county through several policies, tools, and programs. -
Community Food Assessment Guide
March 2008by: Sue Ross, Zena SimcesThis guide was written to help health authorities and community organizations undertake a community food assessment. -
Multnomah County, OR, Multnomah Food Action Plan
December 2010This food action plan was one of the first in the country. -
Berkeley, CA, General Plan
Adopted April 2002The city’s general plan includes several policy recommendations that support community gardens and urban farms. -
Batavia, IL, City Code
2017The city's animal control ordinance allows up to 8 hens on single-family residential and school properties. -
Philadelphia, PA, Land Bank’s Acquisition and Disposition Policies
Updated January 2020These standalone policies support community gardens in Philadelphia, PA, and govern the majority of transactions involving publicly-owned property. -
Salt Lake City, UT, City Code
Updated March 2024The city's code belongs to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Active Transportation, Affordable Housing Programs, Food Trucks, Group Housing, Home Occupations, Housing Supply Planning, Residential Infill Development, Rethinking Off-Street Parking Requirements, Solar Energy, Transit-Oriented Development, Urban Agriculture, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Washington, DC, Code of Ordinances
Updated July 2025This regulation belongs to the Affordable Housing Programs, Food Systems, Food Trucks, Historic Preservation, Housing Supply Planning, and Urban Agriculture collections. -
Madison, WI, Comprehensive Plan
Adopted September 2024This comprehensive plan belongs to the Autonomous Vehicles, Built Environment and Health, Smart Cities, Social Equity, and Urban Agriculture collections. -
Longmont, CO, Envision Longmont Multimodal and Comprehensive Plan
Adopted June 2016This city's comprehensive plan achieved Silver-level recognition in APA's Comprehensive Plan Standards for Sustaining Places Recognition Program Pilot in 2016, and addresses food systems issues. -
Davidson, NC, Comprehensive Plan
Adopted August 2010by: Davidson, NCThis comprehensive plan belongs to the Age-Friendly Communities, Food Systems, and Scenic View Protection collections. -
Agricultural Buffers at the Rural-Urban Fringe: An Examination of Approval by Farmers, Residents, and Academics in the Midwestern United States
Landscape and Urban Planning 69: 299–313, 2004by: William Sullivan, Olin Anderson, Sarah LovellThis article explores whether agricultural buffers can help mediate conflicts between farmlands and residential areas on the rural-urban fringe. -
British Columbia Guide to Edge Planning: Promoting Compatibility Along Agricultural–Urban Edges
2015This guide offers guidelines for maximizing compatibility between uses in Edge Planning Areas or agricultural and urban lands near Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) boundaries. -
The Economic Contributions of Agritourism in New Jersey
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Bulletin E333, 2014by: Brian Schilling, Kevin Sullivan, Stephen KomarThis bulletin examines the economic contributions of agritourism in the state of New Jersey. -
Larimer County, CO, A Right to Farm and Ranch Policy
BCC Policy #18A, Adopted September 1998This standalone policy protects farms and ranches from nuisance complaints as long as they are compliant with county regulations. -
Farmland & Open Space Preservation Tools Report
June 2005This study discusses a wide range of preservation tools representing existing and potential strategies for farmland protection within the county. -
Agritourism: Ideas and Resources
Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication 310-004, 2009by: Martha WalkerThough written for farmers, this briefing paper provides helpful background information on agritourism. -
Pittsburgh, PA, Code of Ordinances
Updated July 2024This regulation belongs to the Active Transportation, Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Green Building, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Rethinking Off-Street Parking Requirements, Scenic View Protection, Urban Agriculture, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Hailey, ID, Municipal Code
Updated December 2024This regulation belongs to the Accessory Dwelling Units, Green Building, Housing Supply Planning, Outdoor Lighting, Solar Energy, Tiny Homes and Micro Apartments, and Urban Livestock collections. -
Hammond, IN, Zoning Ordinance
Updated October 2020The city's zoning code addresses urban agriculture. -
Establishing Land Use Protections for Community Gardens
March 2009This model document provides comprehensive plan and zoning language to help cities protect and expand community gardens. -
Community Food System Assessments
PAS Memo — November/December 2015A community food system assessment provides a clear picture of the food system resources, assets, challenges, and opportunities in a community. An assessment provides a solid grounding in the existing conditions of food access, food production and consumption, and food-related industry and employment. -
Local Food Systems Key to Healthy, Resilient, Equitable Communities
From the economy and environment to health and food access, local and regional food systems can help address a wide range of community concerns.by: Mary Hammon, Cynthia Currie February 01, 2021As pressures on the U.S. agriculture and food businesses grow, governments across the country are experimenting with local and regional food systems models to better need their communities' needs. -
Eliminating Food Insecurity With Aquaponics
by: Dina WaltersEquity in Practice: East Oakland partners to address food insecurity. -
Examining Food Systems and Sovereignty In Conflict Cities
by: Jessica ShakesprereUncovering JAPA: Future planners should be prepared for the politics of planning, especially the challenging role of planning in conflict cities aiming to protect food systems. -
It’s Not Necessarily Solar vs. Agriculture
by: Alexsandra GomezThe topic of large-scale solar development in rural communities doesn't have to be controversial. Learn how local officials and developers can work together to clear up the misconception that these two land uses cannot co-exist. -
Rogers, AR, Code of Ordinances
Updated August 2018These regulations belong to the Tiny Houses and Micro-Apartments and Urban Livestock collections. -
Preventing the Extinction of Small Farms
Zoning Practice — December 2024This issue of Zoning Practice explores zoning techniques that can help prevent the extinction of small farms. By examining successful case studies and innovative policies, it highlights how strategic zoning can foster communities where small farms in rural and peri-urban contexts thrive and contribute to local food security and agricultural heritage. -
Food For the People: Planning For Equitable Regional Food Systems
by: Nina SaylesUncovering JAPA: Understand the work that remains in regional food systems planning to make them more equitable.