Explanation
To adopt the Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Action Plan.
Title
To adopt the Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Action Plan, accepting its recommendations as a framework for policy and program development in the area of local food systems and re-affirming the City of Columbus’ commitment to working with public, private and community stakeholders to ensure a stronger, more resilient local food system.
Body
WHEREAS, 275,641 Franklin County residents (23.69 percent) were found to have low access to grocery stores and 72,902 of those residents also identified as low income; and
WHEREAS, one in five children in our community who are food insecure are more likely to experience chronic disease; and
WHEREAS, nearly a quarter of residents had to travel two-and-a-half times farther to reach a full-service grocery store than they did to reach a fast food restaurant and that rate is as high as 40 percent in some of our neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus approved Resolution 0205X-2014 to recognize the partnership between the City of Columbus and Franklin County in the development of a food action plan; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus approved Ordinance 2462-2014 to support Columbus Public Health to work on the food plan; and
WHEREAS, the Local Food Action Plan project team, led by Columbus Public Health, the Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department, and Local Matters, has completed a multi-year planning process inclusive of community stakeholder surveys, best practices research, neighborhood food planning meetings, and a working committee comprised of 24 community partners with expertise in varying sectors of the local food system; and
WHEREAS, from these community conversations, studies and committee work emerged 27 key recommendations to help Franklin County, the City of Columbus and other partners achieve the objectives set forth in this planning process to enhance coordination and communication among existing food resources and agencies, improve access to and education about healthy, affordable and local food, increase the role of food in economic development and prevent food related waste; and
WHEREAS, Franklin County plans to adopt complementary legislation to this resolution also accepting as a framework the recommendations set forth in this Columbus & Franklin County Local Food Action Plan; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That the City of Columbus will continue efforts to strengthen the local food system in Columbus and Franklin County ensuring that these efforts align with the Local Food Action Plan recommendations.
That the City of Columbus will work with the Franklin County Commissioners to establish a governance structure to oversee, prioritize, and guide implementation of the Local Food Action Plan.