John Gallagher investigates a growing trend of unsanctioned urban agriculture in Detroit, where residents have had to take alternative land use into their own hands.
Nearly thirty percent of Detroit's usable land area lies vacant today – not merely plots with abandoned buildings, but "empty fields from which all structures have been removed," Gallagher writes. And among the many alternative uses that residents have thought up for all that space, the most notable trend in recent years has been a surge in urban agriculture, with one farm growing as large as four acres.
"The gardens operate as small, nonprofit, volunteer-based plots on which residents grow fruits and vegetables," Gallagher reports. "In most cases, the food is donated to food banks, given away to neighborhoods or consumed by the growers themselves."
Without an official zoning classification, however, urban farmers in the Motor City have had to operate without legal sanction. There have been formal proposals to make use of the land, from large-scale agriculture to solar fields, "but city government – underfunded, understaffed and risk-averse – has hesitated to approve any of [them]."
In addition to gardens, Detroiters have been fencing in the empty lots around their own homes to create large, "suburban-size parcels" for playgrounds, parking lots, tool sheds, and the like. The practice of claiming these "blots" (a portmanteau of "block" and "lot") has slowly transformed the landscape of the city into one reminiscent of a subdivision. Margaret Dewar, professor of urban planning at the University of Michigan, claims that only 40% of "blots" in the city are on record with the city assessor's office. In Gallagher's words, "That's an indication that many owners are just taking the lot rather than buying it from the city or some other owner."
While Mayor Dave Bing is reaching out to residents to offer guidelines on how to use vacant land, community gardener Kofi Royal remains skeptical of the City's involvement. "Like I always tell people around here, we've got to do this because the cavalry might not be coming."
FULL STORY: With their city shrinking, many Detroiters use empty lots to grow gardens

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie