Urban Farm Battles Bureaucracy | Jacksonville News

When Nathan Ballentine tried to feed his community through Overalls Farm in Springfield, he hit a wall—city zoning laws demanded a pricey, over-the-top permit for a community garden. Faced with citations for everything from mulch staging to operating without approval, Ballentine fought back, rallying over 1,300 supporters. After a grueling battle, the city dropped charges and granted him a legal Certificate of Use—thanks to “Greenbelt status” recognizing his good-faith agricultural efforts. Now, Ballentine’s pushing for the Free to Garden Act to make urban farming easier across Jacksonville, so others don’t have to endure the same bureaucratic nightmare. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b65b9493e2f30921