NB New Briefs: Urban Farming Ordinance Proposed…First Week Yields 1,523 Early Votes…Iwo Jima Foundation Honors Marine Who Filmed Raising of Flag

Urban Farming: Ordinance Will Allow Reuse of Industrial and Retail Space for Indoor Growing

By John McNamara – nbpoliticus.com

Except for backyard gardening and a few greenhouses, raising crops for food and horticulture on a large scale is not an option in densely populated New Britain. But a proposed change to the city’s zoning ordinances would allow underutilized industrial and retails space for “certain agricultural uses.”

“Urban farming is an effective way to promote adaptive reuse of underutilized industrial buildings and shopping centers. Indoor urban farming is similar to a non-nuisance industrial use that would have minimal exterior impacts to a site,” according to the petition that was referred to the Council’s Planning, Zoning and Housing (PZH) for further consideration.

Under the zone change “urban farming” would be a “permitted use” or allowable “special exception” in current zones designated for industrial parks, business uses and a Transit Oriented District on the East Side of the city.

“Certain agricultureal uses” are URBAN FARM, INDOOR: A type of agriculture conducted in an urban setting involved with growing and distribution of plants that are used by people for food, for medicinal purposes, or for aesthetic purposes. May include accessory retail or wholesale sales. Examples include but are not limited to community gardens, rooftop farming, vertical farming, greenhouses and indoor hydroponic or aquaponics systems. For purposes of this definition Urban Farm, Indoor excludes the growing or distribution of cannabis related plants and products.

Urban farm indoor uses involving a minimum of one acre would be granted if they met certain conditions and safeguards:

• Adequate screening shall be provided along all boundary lines adjoining residential
  uses and may include fencing and landscaping to effectively screen uses during all
  seasons of the year.
• Parking and loading areas for the urban farm use shall be oriented to the building
  and separate from residential uses.
• Outdoor storage shall be prohibited.

Urban farming is not a new idea in New Britain.

ROOTS is the nonprofit organization established in 2013 that has developed youth programs (at every public school), community gardens and a seed library. Its crops are a ready source of healthy food at farmers’ markets. Founded by Joey Listro, now the executive director of the Connecticut Parks and Forest Association, ROOTS sprung from Urban Oaks Organic Farm. The farm, no longer in operation, was developed with the help of grants in 1999 by New Britain’s Tony Norris and Mike Kandefer who marketed their highly regarded herbal crops to restaurants throughout the state. They moved their farming venture from leased land in a rural town and turned unused Sandelli Florist’ greenhouses and open space into a place to grow their crops on Oak Street in the heart of the city. The farm gave residents access to shares in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Recently the nonprofit LEVO International has established hydroponic gardens in the Hartford area. LEVO has also teamed up with the Hospital of Central Connecticut and other hospitals to grow fresh fruits and vegetables as a source of good nutrition on hospital grounds. Patients battling diabetes and other ailments are the beneficiaries of the healthy food grown in small spaces.

Vertical farming, hydroponics and community gardens are growing rapidly as a means of planting food and horticulture in cities. Once adopted the New Britain zone change can promote and support more of the work pioneered by ROOTS and LEVO.

It also represents an economic development strategy to make urban farming as a source of small business growth, employment and as a solution to food insecurity especially in cities where “food deserts” have made access to nutritional food limited or nonexistent in many neighborhoods.

First Week Yields 1,523 Early Votes in New Britain for Nov. 3 Election

NEW BRITAIN – Early voting for the November 3 Election drew 1,523 New Britain voters in the first week, the Registrar of Voters reported as of 6 p.m. Sunday, October 25.

In Connecticut, the Secretary of the State reported that 220,859 persons had voted by October 24th, including 188,256 early voters and 63,991 by absentee ballot.

Early voting sessions at the New Britain Senior Center on Pearl Street and a trailer on Manafort Drive on the Central CT State University (CCSU) campus will continue through Sunday, November 1st. Active and enrolled voters total 32,038 for the 2026 election, including 13,602 Democrats, 4,786 Republicans, 13,241 Unaffiliated and 409 members of other political parties.

Eligible residents may register to vote at the early polling places and at New Britain City Hall on Election Day. Polling places in voting districts will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. November 3.

The New Britain ballot includes Governor and Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Congress, State Senate, State Representative (24, 25, 26 and 27), Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller, Attorney General and Judge of Probate.

Connecticut was one of the last states to enact an early voting law because of a restriction in the state Constitution that was lifted for the 2024 Presidential election. In 2024 voters also approved a referendum opening the door to “no excuse” absentee voting. In 2026 the legislature strengthened voting rights in state law amid threats of unconstitutional election interference actions by the Trump Administration.

Iwo Jima Memorial Honors Memory of U.S. Marine Who Filmed Iconic World War II Flag Raising

Members of the Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation, joined by veterans and officials from Newington and New Britain, held a remembrance on October 9th for the U.S. Marine combat cameraman who filmed the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima in February 1945.

The special ceremony was held at Iwo Jima Memorial Park on Ella Grasso Boulevard next to the CCSU campus. The Foundation added an inscribed brick at the monument in honor of Sargeant Ganault, a native of Sioux Fall, S.D. who lived in Minnesota.

A mother and daughter traveling from Illinois, who are cousins of Sargeant Ganaust, participated in the event. Attending were New Britain Mayor Bobby Sanchez, Newington Town Councilor Kathy Gonzalez. N.B. Veterans Commission Chair John Buckley. Elaine Schieffer and other leaders of the Foundation.

Sargeant William H. Ganaust captured the iconic scene in the fiercely fought Battle for Iwo Jima. National archives have preserved the 198 frames of film taken on a 16mm camera that documented the historic flag raising. Sargeant Ganault was standing next to and working alongside Associated Press Photographer Jack Rosenthal as six Marines ascended Mount Suribachi. Rosenthal’s front-page photograph of the event won a Pulitzer Prize. Nine days later, Ganaust was missing in action and killed in Iwo Jima at age 36. A plaque can be found in his memory at the Memorial atop Mount Suribachi.

The National Iwo Jima Memorial was conceived and built by the Iwo Jima Survivors Association, led by Dr. George Gentile. On Feb 23, 1995, the monument by sculptor Joseph Petrovics was dedicated in memory of the 6,821 Americans who lost their lives on Iwo Jima, 50 years after the iconic flag raising depicted by the monument. The names of the 100 Connecticut men who died are inscribed on the monument, and 100 flags are flown at the park to commemorate their sacrifice.

For more information on Iwo Jima Memorial Park\ Visit the National Iwo Jima Memorial in Connecticut

John McNamara is a Ward 4 Alderman and the Common Council Majority Leader.

NB Politicus posts and other news on New Britain appear in the New Britain Progressive.