JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A small farm tucked into Jacksonville’s Springfield neighborhood is fueling a renewed push at City Hall to spell out clearer rules for urban agriculture — especially when it comes to selling what you grow.
Nathan Ballentine, who runs Overalls Farms, said growing food isn’t the hard part. The challenge, he said, has been operating without clear guidance from the city on how community and market gardens fit into Jacksonville’s zoning code.
“They said… ‘we can’t tell you you can do that… but we also can’t tell you you can’t do that,’” Ballentine said.
Supporters say that uncertainty helped launch what residents began calling the “Free to Garden Act” — a community push to create a legal framework for urban farming and neighborhood-scale gardens.
A farm model serving hundreds of families
Ballentine says his Springfield site is one of several small urban plots in his operation.
“We’re at Overalls Farm 3… which is our neighborhood farm,” Ballentine said.
Across the farms, Ballentine said they have “the capacity to serve about 200 families as we’re currently growing.”
“Jacksonville’s blessed in that we can grow through 12 months a year,” Ballentine said. “And so I see a future in which more of our produce consumption of the city is growing right here in the city.”
Ballentine said the effort to create an urban agriculture framework began years ago through the Duval Food Policy Council and an urban agriculture working group. But advocates say for a long time there wasn’t an actual ordinance for council members to debate — even as residents repeatedly showed up for public comment urging action.
Now, council members Raul Arias and Jimmy Peluso are introducing an urban agriculture ordinance Tuesday.
“I brought them into the green room… ‘Hey, what exactly do you guys need from us?’” Arias said.
What the ordinance would change
The legislation (Ordinance 2026-807) would update Jacksonville’s zoning code to formally recognize and define “community gardens” and “market gardens,” and list where those uses are permitted across multiple residential and commercial zoning districts.
It also creates standards aimed at guiding how these gardens operate — including rules involving structures, size, and on-site sales.
“I wanted to represent the small business community. Gardening is a small business. They just can’t sell. And so this enables them to actually operate and sell,” Arias said.
Supporters want changes as it moves through committees
Even supporters say the proposal is a starting point.
Under the current draft, market gardens would be limited to 12 public sales days per year. Ballentine and other advocates have argued the limit could also restrict community-focused events, such as workshops and neighborhood gatherings connected to the farm.
Arias said he expects amendments and wants to see how the rules work before expanding them further.
“You want to come in lightly to see how it works, and if it works, expand it even more,” Arias said.
Ballentine said simply seeing a proposal advance is a relief after years of uncertainty.
“In about six weeks, I’m gonna sleep better at night,” he said. “I see neighborhoods with community access to fresh healthy food. And I think that this bill is a step in that direction.”
What happens next
The bill is expected to be introduced at City Council Tuesday, then head to committees for discussion and possible edits before any full council vote later this fall.
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