Informing Development of a Community Gardening Ordinance in Yuma. The Yuma County Public Health Services Department SNAP-Ed program (Yuma SNAP-Ed) engaged in technical assistance and policy advocacy to encourage community gardens in the county.  The effort evolved from a Health Impact Assessment that was jointly conducted with the County’s Health in Arizona Policy Initiative (HAPI) program, the ADHS, and other partners to consider the potential health impacts of establishing more community gardens.  While county zoning guidelines already allowed community gardens, the cost of special use permits was considered prohibitive for high-needs populations. 

Through ongoing advocacy with the Planning and Zoning division, the county Board members, and through a public hearing, the Yuma SNAP-Ed staff provided information about the benefits of community gardens. These included strong potential for such gardens to mitigate the high rate of food insecurity, strengthen social capital and increase self-sufficiency.  Yuma SNAP-Ed staff also described the resources in place to address food safety concerns that were raised by the Board.

Thanks in part to Yuma SNAP-Ed’s efforts, the community gardening ordinance was unanimously approved on September 6, 2016.  Another benefit of Yuma SNAP-Ed’s presence during the garden policy discussions has since emerged: the Planning and Zoning division intends to invite Yuma SNAP-Ed to provide input in 2017 on nutrition and physical activity language for the updated Comprehensive Plan.