Louisville Metro Government has Land Development Codes that regulate what can and cannot happen on all property within Louisville. These codes have often come in conflict with residents’ ability and interest to practice agriculture in an urban environment. Starting in December of 2020, Metro Government office of Louisville Forward began an equity review of these codes. Jefferson Co Horticulture Agent worked with members of the Louisville Urban Agriculture Coalition (UAC) to review and provide suggested changes to the Land Development Code in order to increase the ability of citizens to practice agriculture in an urban environment.

Over the course of seven months, the Hort Agent coordinated various ways for members of the UAC to review and then write suggested changes to the Land Development Code to increase options for citizens of Jefferson Co. to engage in urban agriculture. Opportunities to review the code included: polling of UAC members about certain sections of the previous code; focus groups with various citizens currently engaged in urban ag; one on one conversations with urban agriculturalists and collaborative draft editing sessions with a core group of interested urban agriculturalists. 

Once a draft was developed, the Hort Agent helped arrange a series of meetings between members of the UAC and the review team in Louisville Forward. After several private and four public meetings, all changes suggested by the UAC were passed by Louisville Metro Council on June 10, 2021. Some highlights of the changes drafted under the facilitation of the Jefferson Co. Hort Agent are:

• Allow agricultural activity on any size property in all zones.
  • Previously, community gardens and market gardens were the only allowable agricultural activities and they were only permitted in certain zoning districts.
• Created a definition of Urban Agriculture to be utilized in the Land Development Code; Urban Agriculture: "Agricultural activities that are not otherwise permitted or regulated by KRS. This may include any size tract of land, in any form district." 
  • This definition expands upon the previous code definition of agriculture to include KRS defined agricultural activities on any size parcel rather than only on parcels greater than or equal to 5 acres.
• Permit Agricultural Structures on agricultural Sites. “Greenhouses, hoop houses, chicken coops, cold frames, garden sheds, rainwater catchment, seasonal farm stands, raised beds & more should all be considered permitted agricultural structures.”
  • Previously, any of the above structures required special permits and reviews before they could be installed on a site.
• Allow Animals to be kept on property in accordance with federal and state laws. “Animals may be kept on properties as long as owners follow all state & federal laws. Animals may be sold in accordance with state, local & federal laws. Animals may be processed for personal use.”
  • Louisville’s international community regularly engaged in the home slaughter of animals for personal and religious use. This change in ordnance allows folks to freely practice important cultural practices without fear of prosecution.
  • Louisville is seeing an increase in the presence of small backyard livestock such as miniature pigs, goats, horses and ponies. This ordinance allows persons to continue to own such animals so long as they also meet any federal/state laws for each species.

The above changes will allow citizens in Louisville greater ability to practice agriculture within the urban environment without fear of reprisal from city government.