D.C. Act 23-100. Urban Farming Land Lease Emergency Amendment Act of 2019.

AN ACT

To amend, on an emergency basis, the Food Production and Urban Gardens Program Act of 1986 to clarify that, under the Urban Farming Land Lease Program, the District may enter into a lease agreement with a qualified applicant to create and maintain an urban farm on vacant land and to authorize the Department of Energy and Environment to waive soil testing requirements for a lessee who agrees not to plant in or use the site soil.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Urban Farming Land Lease Emergency Amendment Act of 2019".

Sec. 2. Section 3a of the Food Production and Urban Gardens Program Act of 1986, effective April 30, 2015 (D.C. Law 20-248; D.C. Official Code § 48-402.01), is amended as follows:

(a) Subsection (a) is amended by striking the phrase "Department to" and inserting the phrase "District to" in its place.

(b) Subsection (b) is amended by striking the phrase "the Office" and inserting the phrase "the Department of General Services and the Office" in its place.

(c) Subsection (d)(1) is amended by striking the word "Department" and inserting the word "District" in its place.

(d) A new subsection (d-1) is added to read as follows:

"(d-1) The Department may waive the requirements in subsection (d)(2) and (3) of this section when the lessee does not grow produce in the site soil of the leased property but instead uses, for example, raised beds, greenhouses, or hydroponic towers; provided, that the lease agreement includes a provision stating that the lessee will not plant in or use the site soil.".

Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 4. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than 90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section 412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788; D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)).