TESTIMONY
Derek Pitts, Owner and Operator, Farm.One on Zoning Changes to Support Small Businesses
5:44:13
·
124 sec
Derek Pitts argues for zoning changes to support small businesses like Farm.One, an indoor vertical farm in Brooklyn.
- Derek Pitts owns and operates Farm.One, a 10,000 square foot indoor vertical farm in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
- Farm.One supports the city initiative for zoning changes, citing its benefit in fostering small business growth and enabling hyperlocal sustainable business models.
- Pitts emphasizes the need for urban farming and similar sustainability-focused businesses to be accessible in commercial and mixed-use zones, rather than limited to manufacturing zones.
- He points out that the initiative aims to modernize regulations by simplifying zoning rules, reducing ambiguity, and minimizing regulatory friction that small businesses face.
- Through this proposal, Pitts advocates for more supportive environments for sustainable and consumer-facing retail businesses within the city.
Derek Pitts
5:44:13
My name is Derek Pitts.
5:44:15
I own and operate farm 1, a relatively new ten thousand square foot indoor vertical farm located in Prospect Heights.
5:44:23
Brooklyn.
5:44:23
I'm testifying on behalf of myself and FarmOne in strong support of the initiative, especially as it relates to fostering an environment that enables the growth of small businesses.
5:44:35
We grow produce specifically leafy greens and sell direct to New York City chefs restaurants and consumers.
5:44:42
We have 18 employees.
5:44:44
We are located in a very small M1 zone that is literally surrounded by residential, commercial, and mixed use zones.
5:44:53
We are a quiet, clean manufacturing, hyperlocal sustainable business that relies heavily on local neighborhood for traffic to survive.
5:45:02
Just like any other consumer facing retail focus, business.
5:45:07
The fact that we can farm food indoors and offer it so close to the people who want and need it is largely fortuitous in our situation but it should be a dynamic that can be easily repeated in commercial and mixed use zones posted to the people and not strictly limited to manufacturing zones.
5:45:24
Which are generally much further away from the people.
5:45:27
This is generally true for most of the sustainability focused businesses that are so important for the city.
5:45:34
This proposal takes a giant step in that direction.
5:45:37
Also, while this initiative is focused on updating zoning rules, I can tell you that one app step that cannot be understated is how this proposal is intended to simplify the rules, reduce the ambiguity, friction, and issues that arise.
5:45:50
When things like unclear and outdated zoning rules intersect with the myriad, almost countless other rules and regulations, in the city that can, although it's supposed to be intended for good at various times, feel like they're constructed to strangle small businesses.
5:46:05
As opposed to foster growth.
5:46:07
We think this proposal is an extraordinary effort towards modernizing the regulations Your time was expired.
5:46:15
Thank you.
5:46:15
During the evening.
5:46:17
Thank you very much.
← Previous Chapter
Robert Press, Member of the Public on City Planning's Lack of Community Board Approval for Housing and Rezoning Proposals
Next Chapter →
Quincy Ely-Cate, Director of Industrial Business Development, Business Outreach Center Network on Economic Opportunities for New Manufacturing Districts