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City of Lowell Department of Planning and Development

 

City of Lowell Planning and Development – Sustainable Lowell 2015

Sustainable Lowell 2025 is the comprehensive master sustainability plan for the city of Lowell. The plan provides a shared vision for the on-going development and revitalization of the city, with particular emphasis placed on economic, social and environmental sustainability.

 

Many of the key sustainability objectives in the Sustainable Neighborhoods and Environmental Resilience sections of the plan have direct connections with the food system goals identified by the Lowell Food Security Coalition.

Contact: Allegra Williams, City of Lowell Neighborhood Planner: awilliams@lowellma.gov

Websites:
City of Lowell Department of Planning and Development
Sustainable Lowell 2025

Sustainable Neighborhoods Objective 9: Develop policies and programs that facilitate the production, distribution, and consumption of locally grown food in the greater Lowell region.

  • Support the establishment, management,and maintenance of community gardens throughout the City.

  • Amend zoning as required to support agricultural production or distribution as potential uses in appropriate areas of the city.

  • Encourage the establishment and maintenance of urban farms within Lowell as well as production farms in the surrounding region.

  • Support the establishment of a year round farmer’s market as well as the expansion of satellite farmer’s markets to the city’s neighborhoods.

  • Encourage more Lowell-based community supported agriculture, whereby individual consumers pledge to support local growers and share the risks and benefits of local food production.

  • Support the establishment of a food coop in Lowell.

  • Provide incentives for businesses offering food stamps for healthy produce.

  • Encourage local sourcing of ingredients and food products by restaurants, institutions, and other food establishments in the local and regional marketplace.

Environmental Resilience Objective 3: Develop programs and policies to reduce the disposal of organic wastes into the waste stream.

  • Implement a food waste program that works in tandem with the recycling program.

  • Support the establishment and expansion of composting programs for schools and other municipal facilities that serve food, restaurants, institutions, commercial cafeterias, and residences citywide.

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