EXISTING AGRICULTURE
Existing on-site agriculture within the Project Area can count toward Imperative requirements as long as it meets all other Imperatives pursued by the project. Additionality is not required unless the project team is Scale Jumping (see Scale Jumping).
IRRIGATION SOURCES
Water sources for irrigation must be non-potable to minimize unnecessary energy for purification, unless there is a health concern or code-related requirement stating that potable water must be used for on-site agriculture (see Imperative 05, Responsible Water Use (C3)).
LAND ACCESS AGREEMENTS
It is acceptable for the agricultural production on the project site to be undertaken by outside parties other than the project owners or occupants. Such agreements could include the project owner leasing the land to a local commercial grower or allowing a community organization or community members to cultivate the land for personal use. If an outside party will be maintaining the agricultural area, the project owner or project team must secure a minimum 15-year contract.
PROJECT AREA
For details on defining the Project Area, see Early Project Guidance.
SUPPORT AREAS
Spaces that support agricultural planting, cultivation, and harvest may be included in the agricultural area, but those spaces that are used for processing the harvested crops cannot be included. For example, root cellars and areas devoted to the storage of seeds, supplies, and equipment may be counted toward the agricultural area. A processing kitchen or solar oven may not be counted (see figure 2-1).
SOIL CONTAMINATION
Each project team is responsible for determining appropriate urban agriculture solutions for the particular site. It is recommended that project teams take into account soil conditions, whether contamination of any kind is present, and possible exposure pathways for people using the site and/or consuming its agricultural products. Project teams with a reasonable suspicion that their project site is contaminated should conduct testing and/or consult with appropriate agencies to ensure that soil conditions are safe for any agricultural use being considered, and/or to determine how to clean up contaminated soil and address ongoing sources of contamination, such as that from adjacent roadways.
