• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • Pearl Sutton
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Jay Angler
  • Anne Miller
  • Nicole Alderman
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Maieshe Ljin
  • Benjamin Dinkel
  • Jeremy VanGelder

Community Food Forest Zoning Question

 
gardener
Posts: 1175
Location: Western Washington
333
duck forest garden personal care rabbit bee homestead
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I’m working with another church in my area. They’ve committed to planting bee trees and doing some food forest in town to help support bees and feed the poor and homeless in our area. Some farmers might want to donate some acreage to the community for a community food forest. The question that I have is:

How do we structure this legally? Who do I ask to get the zoning changed? Who will be responsible for the taxes? I’m assuming a lot of this is “it depends.” If anyone can point me to who I need to talk to I would appreciate it.
 
pollinator
Posts: 981
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
245
duck tiny house chicken composting toilet homestead
  • Likes 4
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If it's zoned agricultural would it need to be changed?  If the land is donated to the church it may not be taxable as it's a religious organisation and any taxes might have to be paid by donations specifically earmarked for that.  As for the legal structure, I would see if anyone in the congregation is a lawyer and, instead of running them out of town, see if they'll advise and set it up pro bono.  If not, approach lawyers until you find someone who'll do it.  You might also check with Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund to see if they will help or can point you in the right direction.
 
Never trust an airline that limits their passengers to one carry on iguana. Put this tiny ad in your shoe:
Learn Permaculture through a little hard work
https://wheaton-labs.com/bootcamp
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic