This document discusses a vacant lot program (VLP) in Syracuse, NY that aims to reclaim publicly owned vacant lots using green infrastructure to manage stormwater runoff and combined sewer overflows. The VLP is a joint venture between Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse that has installed various green infrastructure projects on vacant lots since 2011, engaging the community. Challenges include long-term maintenance and public acceptance, and opportunities exist to further legitimize urban agriculture and engage stakeholders in planning.

1. Growing Power's
National-International Urban & Small Farm Conference
Samuel H. Sage, Paul M. Harris & Hongbin Gao
09.07.2012
ATLANTIC STATES
LEGAL FOUNDATION, INC.

2. About ASLF
 New York based not-for-profit, headquartered in the Near
Westside area in the City of Syracuse
 Established in 1982 to provide legal, technical, and
organizational services to individuals and organizations
dealing with environmental issues
 Has been taking a leading role in protection and restoration
of Syracuse waterways and addressing CSO issues
 Is incorporating innovative strategies to improve economic,
social , and environmental sustainability in urban life

4. Planning Issues for Urban America
 Air & Water Pollution  Insufficient Urban Green
Space
 Population Shifting
 Climate Change and Basic
 Crime
Living
 High Unemployment
 Food Deserts
 Transportation
 Vacancy

5. Urban Agriculture’s Potential Roles in
Today’s Urban Life
 Environmental
 Reduce energy consumption for and emissions from food
transportation
 Preserve urban open/green space
 Reduce urban heat islands
 Mitigate stormwater runoff
 Increase biodiversity

6. Urban Agriculture’s Potential Roles in
Today’s Urban Life
 Socially
 Implement food justice strategies and improve food
security, particularly for underserved inner city
communities
 Bring about social cohesiveness and create a sense of
community
 Reduce crime rate
 Introduce healthier food and life style

7. Urban Agriculture’s Potential Roles in
Today’s Urban Life
 Economically
 Create jobs for urban dwellers from all socioeconomic
backgrounds
 Create local business
 Reduce transportation
 Reduce energy cost

9. The Impacts
 Economically draining for city
 Lower property values
 Visual quality degradation
 High rates of crime and arson
Property Value Degradation around A Vacant Property
 Public health issues
Source: Temple University Center for Public Policy and Eastern
Pennsylvania Organizing Project. “Blight Free Philadelphia: A
Public-Private Strategy to Create and Enhance Neighborhood
Value.” Philadelphia, 2001.

10. The Opportunities
 Urban agriculture
 Stormwater retention
 Public green space
 Urban infill development
 Urban forestry A Vegetable Garden on A Former Vacant Lot in Cleveland, OH
Source: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/08/growing-self-sufficient-cities/
 Habitat creation and conservation

11. The Benefits of Reclaiming Urban
Vacant Land
 Produce fresh food  Increase property value
 Create jobs  Reduce heat island effect
 Beautify community  Create and conserve urban open
space
 Mitigate pollution
 Save municipal cost on
 Reduce crime
maintenance
 Revitalize inner city community
 Introduce healthy life style

12. Case Study

13. Background: The Issue
 Onondaga Lake, one of the most polluted lakes in
North America

14. Background: The Issue (cont.)
 Municipal Source of Pollution: Combined Sewer
Overflow (CSO)
Diagram of a
Combined Sewer
Overflow System.
Adapted from
“CSOs Explained”
Official City of
Bremerton Site.

15. The Process: ACJ
 ASLF and the NYS-DEC 1988 lawsuit against
Onondaga County under the Clean Water Act
 METRO Consent Judgment
 Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ, January 1998)
 The key legal document
 Outlined two dozen projects for the County
 Extensive monitoring program

16. The Process:
The 4th Stip to ACJ 2009
 The court order requires Onondaga County to use
GRAY and GREEN infrastructure addressing CSOs
 Gray Infrastructure: Commitment to 88.7% annual
volume capture in by 2013
 Green Infrastructure (GI): Commitment to an additional
6.3% annual volume capture in Green Infrastructure
commencing immediately in 2009, resulting in 95%
total annual volume capture by 2018

17. The Solution: Save the Rain (STR)
 A GI program created by the County
 Encompasses the storm water and GI initiatives
 Educates the public about issues and how they can use
and benefit from GI
 Initiatives
 GI on public land
 Green Improvement Fund: GI on private land
 Rain Barrel Program
 Urban Forestry Program
 STR-Vacant Lot Program (VLP)

18. VLP Program Goals
 Reduce minimum of 9 million gallons of CSO by 2018
with GI on publicly owned vacant lots
 Provide different forms of GREEN infrastructure
projects for Save The Rain
 Simultaneously reclaim greenspace in a useful way and
improve value of vacant lots to community
 Engage public in GI maintenance for Save The Rain

19. Syracuse Vacant Lot Inventory
 3,668 vacant parcels in the City of
Syracuse (2012 data)
 1,786 vacant parcels (392 ac.) in
combined sewer service area
where GI projects are required for
managing stormwater and CSO’s
 828 publicly owned vacant parcels
which could be potentially used
Vacant Lots in the City of Syracuse.

20. Syracuse Vacant Lot Inventory
 814 of 828 public vacant parcels are under City ownership
City of Syracuse
Ownership NYS County City City Seizable Total
City TD
Owned Agencies Parcels
Parcels 6 8 78 120 37 579 828
Inventory Acreage
2.26 7.39 36.72 28.33 6.09 107.27 188.06
Parcels 0 0 24 60 25 332 441
Candidates
Acreage 0 0 6.92 12 5.06 80.14 104.12

21. VLP: A Joint Venture
 Between Onondaga County and City of
Syracuse
 Initiated in 2011 by Onondaga County
 Funded by Onondaga County to built GI
projects on City owned vacant lots
 Developed collaboratively to fit under both
governments’ immediate planning goals
 Based on the agreement that defines the
County’s and the City’s responsibilities in
O&M of the VLP projects
The City of Syracuse Ordinance that depicts the
City-County Agreement on installing GI on the City
 Developed and coordinated by ASLF properties

22. VLP’s Reclamation Typologies
 Urban Orchard
 Community Garden (Ornamental or Vegetable)
 Urban Forest/Tree Planting
Combined with other GI practices such as rain garden, cistern, bioswale,
stormwater planter, etc. to manage stormwater runoff
VLP Pilot Project Rendering: Urban Orchard at 701
Oswego Street, Syracuse, New York

23. VLP Projects: 2011
Before After
VLP Pilot Project: Urban Orchard at 701 Oswego Street, Syracuse, New York

24. VLP Projects: 2012
Concept Field Work 50% Design
Project Status Bid Phase Total
Phase Phase Phase
Number of
7 3 3 3 16
Projects

25. Community Involvement in VLP
 Outreach to general public and communities near project sites
 Coordination with community in planning & design process
(community meetings, design workshops)
 Community participation in maintenance (organized to
ensure the quality of performance)
 Green job training and job creation

26. Further Needs and Challenges
 Long-term ownership and O&M mechanism
 Alternatives
 Under public ownership
 Under private ownership and operation
 Land Trust model
 O&M
 Produce
 Taxes
 Utilities

27. Further Needs and Challenges
 Public acceptance and involvement in projects
 Safety issues related to urban farming on abandoned land
 Lawn VS Native Garden
 Tree(s) VS Forest
 An integral planning process to incorporate all
stakeholders’ interests and meet their needs,
particularly for urban agriculture typologies under VLP

28. Discussion

29. Legitimize the Process
 Adaptation of Zoning and Land Use Policy
 Adaptation of Food Policy
 Guidelines for Growing Safe Food (on Potentially
Contaminated Vacant Land)
 Incorporation of Urban Agriculture in Urban Planning
Agenda

30. Identify and Engage Key Stakeholders
 Different levels of government
 Relevant departments and professionals
 Local leaders and councils
 Private sector
 Landowners
 Academic organizations or research institutes
 NGOs, social movements, grassroots and religious
organizations

31. Develop/Adopt Appropriate Urban Agriculture
Types for Vacant Lot Management
 Community Garden
 Allotment Garden
 Urban Commercial Farm
 Side-yard Garden
 School Garden

32. For More Information
 Atlantic States Legal Foundation, Inc.
658 West Onondaga Street, Syracuse, New York 13204
315-475-1170. atlantic.states@aslf.org
http://www.aslf.org/
 Onondaga County Save The Rain Program
http://savetherain.us/