Free to Garden Act
THE BIG IDEA
To make community and market gardens permissible by right in Jacksonville.
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WHY THIS MATTERS
Right now, there is no business-as-usual path for a community or market garden to legally operate in Jacksonville without rezoning, state-level agricultural exemptions, or political navigation.
That means many gardens exist in a gray area — vulnerable to shutdown despite providing clear public benefit.
The Free to Garden Act fixes that.
It creates a clear, administrative path for community-rooted food production in Jacksonville, while setting reasonable standards to ensure compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods.
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WHAT THE ACT DOES
The Free to Garden Act establishes community gardens, market gardens, and similar small-scale urban agriculture uses as permissible by right across Jacksonville.
It allows for:
• Shared community gardens for personal use, donation, and limited sales
• Market gardens operated by small, local businesses
• Farmstands and on-site sales of goods grown on-site
• Basic infrastructure like raised beds, sheds, greenhouses, and wash/pack areas
• Educational programming and limited agritourism activities
At the same time, it sets clear standards around:
• Hours of operation
• Noise, odor, and lighting
• Composting practices
• Scale of structures and site design
• Neighborhood compatibility
This is not deregulation — it is right-sized regulation.
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WHY NOW
Jacksonville’s own Comprehensive Plan calls for encouraging community gardens as important open-space resources that strengthen community cohesiveness and improve access to healthy food.
At the state level, Florida law protects the right to grow food for personal use and it protects the rights of farmers to grow food to feed our communities. The Free to Garden Act builds on that foundation by creating a clear local path for growing food with and for neighbors.
At a time when food access, public health, and supply chain resilience are top concerns, this legislation addresses a clear gap in the middle — between backyard gardening and large-scale agriculture.
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WHAT THIS MEANS FOR JACKSONVILLE
• Activates vacant and underutilized land
• Expands access to fresh, local food
• Supports small, local businesses
• Strengthens neighborhood identity and cohesion
• Aligns policy with existing community demand
Research shows that community and market gardens can also increase nearby property values and improve neighborhood outcomes.
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TAKE ACTION
Contact City Council and ask them to support the Free to Garden Act.
Then ask others to do the same: will you text two people & then post your favorite Free to Garden Act artwork along with these talking points?
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WANT TO READ THE FINE PRINT
Click here to find the full text of the proposed legislation.
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THANK YOU
This effort represents years of work by a broad coalition of community growers, neighborhood leaders, partner organizations, and public servants across Jacksonville.
Thank you to the Duval Food Policy Council for convening and facilitating community conversations around urban agriculture policy.
Thank you to the Duval Agricultural Council for helping engage the broader agricultural community and support this policy effort.
Thank you to UF/IFAS Extension Duval County and Blue Zones Project Jacksonville for contributing research, best practices, and policy insight throughout the drafting process.
Thank you to the Duval Urban Agriculture Council’s farmers and growers for continuing to cultivate food and community in Jacksonville despite unclear and inconsistent regulations.
Thank you to the Jacksonville Garden Club for hosting Garden Summits over the years, creating space for connection, learning, and surfacing shared challenges.
Thank you to SPAR and neighborhood leaders for bringing a neighborhood-first perspective and helping ensure this legislation was well crafted.
Thank you to the many organizations, partners, and individuals who reviewed drafts, provided feedback, and helped refine this legislation over time.
Thank you to the City of Jacksonville staff and leadership who have engaged in this conversation and are working toward a more resilient and community-supportive food system.
And thank you to the more than 1,300 supporters of the Petition for Permission to Grow who have helped bring this effort to this point. Feel free to add your name.
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We’re not done yet.