Title
Approval of Development Code Update Recommendations to Support Urban Agriculture
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Move to recommend approval of the proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code to allow urban agriculture as a permissible use in additional zoning districts, as well as amendments clarifying household pets not considered under agricultural use.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend approval of the draft proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code to allow urban agriculture as a permissible use in additional zoning districts, as well as amendments clarifying household pets not considered under agricultural use and forward to the full City Council for approval.
Report
Issue:
Whether to recommend approval of the draft proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code to allow urban agriculture as a permissible use in additional zoning districts, as well as amendments clarifying household pets not considered under agricultural use and forward to the full City Council for approval.
Staff Contact:
Susan McLaughlin, AICP LEED AP, Director, Community Planning and Economic Development, 360.753.8206
Tim Smith, AICP, Deputy Director, Community Planning and Economic Development, 360.570.3915
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Economic Development, 360.753.8254
Presenter(s):
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Planning & Economic Development
Background and Analysis:
In 2020 the Olympia City Council approved a referral to the Land Use and Environment Committee (LUEC) to review the preservation or mitigation of the loss of farmland. To respond to this referral, the Committee approved convening the Olympia Farmland Work Group. The Work Group initially focused on identifying existing agricultural land within Olympia and its urban growth area. Staff from the Thurston Conservation District completed an analysis combining several data sources. It identified parcels totaling approximately 450 acres of active and potential farmland. The Work Group reported to LUEC in 2021 and 2022, with recommendations for continued work to encourage urban farming in the city.
To carry out some of those recommendations, the City contracted with the Thurston Conservation District for three primary tasks:
1. Expand community gardens,
2. Incentivize urban agriculture and remove barriers in city codes, and
3. Connect private vacant land with potential farmers.
In addition, the Parks, Arts and Recreation Department contracted with a consultant to examine the possibility of an agri-park in Olympia. The consultant’s analysis focused on the feasibility of an urban farm park maintained and operated by the City of Olympia. It concluded that “…the City of Olympia lacks the staffing and funding capacity to embark on a full-fledged effort to move [a] farm park forward…[without] increasing staffing capacity to oversee the planning, design and implementation of the project, developing capital and operating funding strategies…”
Additionally, beginning on January 1, 2023 the City of Olympia started an urban agriculture irrigation rate discount program which offers a fifty percent reduction in irrigation water rates for properties with an irrigation meter, with at least fifty percent of land coverage dedicated to agricultural and that is providing food or products for commercial sales, donation to a food bank or for local consumption. To date, five properties are enrolled in the program.
In further support of urban farming, City staff conducted a review of potential barriers to urban agriculture in city codes and presented findings to LUEC in July 2024. The draft ordinance was prepared as a next step and includes code amendments that expand the zoning districts where agriculture is an outright permissible use. This includes community gardens managed and maintained by a group of individuals or a public or not-for profit organization or association; rooftop gardens; vertical agriculture on exterior walls of a building; and hydroponics or other indoor growing methods that are small-scale. Members of LUEC requested that staff clarify concerns regarding whether land use applications would be required for agricultural activities, animal husbandry as an agricultural use, and water accessibility.
The revised proposed ordinance amendments allow agricultural uses as permissible outright and as a primary use; they previously proposed only as a secondary use. It applies the existing definition of Agriculture in OMC 18.02 to all residential zoning districts, and most commercial zoning districts (excludes Auto Services district). Land use approval would not be required unless a substantial revision to an approved site plan is required, or any new nonresidential or nonagricultural use of land is proposed. A new subsection KK to OMC 18.04 clarifies allowances and enclosures for animals, to include beekeeping, as an agricultural use. The household pet language in both OMC Chapters 18.04 and 18.06 is amended to reflect changes in keeping of animals as an agricultural practice, and to align both sections related to household pets.
In March, 2025 Planning and Public Works staff were asked to respond to water accessibility concerns raised by the LUEC during the committee’s July 2024 briefing, including the request to:
• Consider revising the current Urban Agricultural Irrigation Rate Program eligibility requirements to increase the discount rate and to decrease the land coverage requirement,
• Consider the use of fire hydrants as a source of water supply for urban agriculture uses.
Increase of the discount rate: Public Works staff are concerned that an increase to the current irrigation rate discount would have impacts on utility revenue, therefore, staff recommend keeping the discount rate at fifty percent. However, in the event an “irrigation meter grant program” is initiated by the City or an outside agency such as the Thurston Conservation District, the Drinking Water Utility would study its ability to provide limited financial support to the program. Offering such a program could increase the number of properties receiving the discount.
Decrease of the land coverage requirement: Public Works staff are concerned that revising the land coverage requirement to less than fifty percent could have impacts on utility revenue especially in cases where irrigation water use for food production represents a small portion of the overall irrigation use occurring at a property (e.g. school property with irrigated lawn and limited food production occurring). Additionally, lowering the land coverage requirement could unintentionally open the door to residential customers with large lawns and small areas devoted to food production seeking the irrigation discount. Therefore, staff recommend keeping the land coverage requirement at fifty percent.
Use of fire hydrants: Olympia Municipal code addresses the use of fire hydrants for residential and commercial building construction. Occasionally, fire hydrant use is authorized for limited purposes such as short-term irrigation use for City of Olympia construction projects. Therefore, Public Works staff is supportive of the use of fire hydrants for urban agriculture uses, in lieu of an irrigation meter, provided conditions including the following are met:
• The use must be metered and a meter deposit paid.
• Backflow prevention, including testing and ownership of the backflow device is provided by the landowner.
• The use of the fire hydrant would be considered temporary, consistent with the irrigation period of spring through fall.
Additionally, it should be noted that the location of a fire hydrant may not allow for its use as a source of irrigation water if, for example, its use would require a hose or other water conveyance system to cross a public sidewalk, or area used by pedestrians or if the fire hydrant is located across a roadway from the property requesting its use as a source of irrigation water.
Public Works staff also provided feedback related to environmental factors. Public Works manages noxious weeds regulated by Thurston County, one of which is tansy ragwort due to its high/potentially lethal toxicity to livestock. Due to its wide distribution in the area, the City of Olympia has an agreement with Thurston County to prioritize treatment of this weed within 500’ of known sites with livestock. If possible, having a registry of such properties will help City staff prioritize tansy control and keep animals safe.
Livestock is a major contributor of toxic pollution (primarily fecal coliform) in water bodies, which is regulated by Ecology per City National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater permit and Total Maximum Daily Load <https://ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-quality/Water-improvement/Total-Maximum-Daily-Load-process> (TMDL) policies. It’s imperative that urban agriculture uses are consistent with City Critical Areas ordinances to protect streams, wetlands, and other waterbodies from contamination and keep the City in compliance with state law. Understanding this code is more relevant to development, applying a 200’ buffer from critical areas for sites with livestock is highly recommended.
The Olympia Planning Commission received a briefing on proposed urban agriculture code amendments on April 7, 2025. Discussion included concerns about nuisance smells from agricultural uses to adjacent properties, setbacks for animal enclosures, and beekeeping practices. A public hearing on proposed amendments for urban agriculture was held on May 5, 2025. No written public comment was received, nor did anyone attend to provide oral testimony. Upon closing the public hearing, Planning Commissioners deliberated on the proposed amendments. Deliberations largely reflected concerns raised at the April 7 briefing. The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed changes with revisions addressing these concerns and are outlined in the attached comment letter.
Climate Analysis:
The Thurston Climate Action Plan includes a key strategy to support agricultural practices that sequester carbon. Appropriate land management practices have been shown to increase the rate of carbon stored in plants and soils. The goal of the draft ordinance is to encourage urban farming and potentially play a role in offsetting the community’s greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, growing food locally reduces the amount of transportation necessary to deliver it to local community members.
Equity Analysis:
The Olympia Urban Farmland Work Group’s report included analysis of access to local food. It showed some areas of the city that do not have equitable opportunities to access local food. The draft ordinance encourages urban farming and potentially helps increase access in these areas. While currently the number of landowners participating in the Urban Agricultural Irrigation Rate Discount Program is low, increased participation could disproportionally impact lower income water utility customers as the decrease in revenue from the discount program would need to be off-set by an increase in rates from other customers.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There is significant interest in urban agriculture in the community. This is reflected in the City of Olympia Comprehensive Plan, Sustainable Thurston Plan and the Regional Climate Adaption and Mitigation Plans.
Financial Impact:
The City’s contract with the Thurston Conservation District included staff time to conduct a review of potential barriers to urban agriculture as a matching contribution under the contract. Staff time to process the code amendments in the draft ordinance will be covered by the Department’s annual budget.
Options:
1. Move to recommend approval of the draft proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code to allow urban agriculture as a permissible use in additional zoning districts, as well as amendments clarifying household pets not considered under agricultural use and forward to the full City Council for approval.
2. Recommend approval of the proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code to allow urban agriculture as permissible use in additional zoning districts with revisions as provided.
3. Do not recommend approval of the proposed amendments to Olympia Municipal Code to allow urban agriculture as a permissible use in additional zoning districts.
Attachments:
Draft Amendments w/ Planning Commission Recommendation
OPC Recommendation Letter
Olympia Farmland Workgroup Policy Recommendations
Urban Farm Park 2024 Feasibility Study Report