Bayside City Council Urban Agriculture Policy Snapshot

City of Bayside Policy Snapshot

Background and Overview

The City of Bayside is located 8km from the Melbourne CBD, with the coastline of Port Phillip Bay forming the western boundary, and the Nepean Highway and the Frankston railway line forming most of the eastern boundary. The City of Bayside does not currently have a holistic food security or urban agriculture strategy or policy. Food growing is mentioned in several key council documents that include the Bayside Community Plan (2020), Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Council Plan and Open Spaces Strategy (2012).

Review of Policies, Plans and Procedures Addressing Urban Agriculture and Related Areas

Name of Document Reference to Urban Agriculture and Related Areas
Community Garden Policy (2013)

 

 

 The City of Bayside’s Community Garden Policy (2013) outlines Council’s role as an enabler and support resource for the establishment of community gardens in the municipality. The document articulates the role community gardens can play as a valuable recreation activity that may contribute to health and wellbeing, social connectedness and interaction, environmental education and sustainable living practices. The document is closely tied to the objectives and goals of the Bayside Community Plan (2020), Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Council Plan and Open Spaces Strategy (2012). The scope of the policy is limited to; community gardens established on council owned or managed land, private land, and land owned by other public authorities, the nature of which will dictate councils role in the gardens establishment and ongoing support. The objectives of this Policy are to:

  1. Articulate Council’s role in the establishment of community gardens in the municipality.
  2. Establish criteria for Council’s role in supporting and enabling the development of community gardens, in particular on Council owned and/or managed land.
  3. Develop a clear process and allocate appropriate resources (i.e. human resources and funding as appropriate through Council’s grant program).
  4. Identify responsibilities of community gardening groups.
  5. Support community gardens to be self-governed and managed to increase community ownership.
  6. Identify a process for community garden proposals, as supported by the following documents: a. Ideas to Consider before Starting a Community Garden (Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network). b. Bayside City Council Community Garden Proposal-Site Assessment and Planning Tool.

(City of Bayside, 2013a)
Open Spaces Strategy (2012) Section 5.16 (Community Gardens and Harvesting) of the Open Spaces Strategy recognizes the many benefits to the community and the environment that comes with the allocation of space for community gardens and edible plants that the community are able to harvest.

The adoption of the Community Garden Policy in 2013 saw the achievement Action 4.1 of the Open Spaces Strategy; which was to identify suitable locations within the municipality for the creation of community gardens. The second action; to investigate the planting of edible plants in Council owned land which are accessible for harvest by the community (for example fruit trees and herbs), has not yet been achieved.

(City of Bayside, 2012)
Home Harvest Booklet Holistic best practice document for growing food at home. In addition to outlining the environmental, social, economic and health benefits of home produce gardens, the document provides tips and resources relating to;

  • Planning your produce garden
  • Planting techniques for your produce garden
  • Other tips for a successful produce garden
  • Seasonal planting
  • Beyond the garden

(City of Bayside, 2013)

 

Review of Existing or Developing Food Systems and Urban Agriculture Strategies  

Snapshot & Summary  
Strategy / Framework / NA Framework
Does the Strategy or Framework integrate existing policy documents that explicitly address or make reference to urban agriculture and related area? NA
Does the Strategy or Framework make reference to the Council Plan and appear to be integrated into the achievement of the Plan’s major objectives? NA
Does the Strategy or Framework make reference to and integrate the objectives of The Municipal Health and Wellbeing Act (2008) into its framework? NA
Does the Strategy or Framework recognise and address the ecological, economic, environmental, social welfare, cultural, and social benefits of urban agriculture and local food systems? NA
Does the Strategy or Framework recognise the interconnectedness of urban food systems (from production, processing, distribution, access, consumption, nutrient/waste capturing, and recycling)? NA
Does the Strategy or Framework have an action or implementation plan, a set of indicators, or feedback mechanisms that will allow it to evaluate its development, achievements, successes, obstacles, barriers and lessons. NA
Is there an educational component of the Strategy or Framework? NA
Is the Strategy being overseen by a dedicated Food Policy Liaison Officer? NA

 

References:

  1. 2012, City of Bayside, Open Spaces Strategy, Available From; http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/documents/Bayside_Open_Space_Strategy_-_FINAL_10_April_Ord_Meeting.pdf
  2. 2013, City of Bayside, Home Harvest Booklet, Available From; https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/documents/Home_Harvest_Bayside_Web.pdf
  3. 2013a, City of Bayside, Community Garden Policy, Available From; https://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/documents/Bayside_Community_Garden_Policy_adopted_2_September_2013.PDF

Henry Crawford, Sustain: The Australian Food Network, 2016.

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