Nathan Ballentine, the founder of Overalls Farm in Jacksonville, has been fighting for years to operate his urban farm without regulatory issues. After receiving permission to operate in June 2026, Ballentine is now pushing for regulatory shifts for other urban farms in Duval County.

Background

Ballentine started his farm in 2009 as a way to grow food for his community. He met with city officials to ask about the necessary steps to operate legally, but was told that the city couldn’t advise him due to a lack of clear regulations.

Despite the uncertainty, Ballentine started a community garden in his yard, which eventually expanded to other locations. However, when he opened his third farm location, he began to receive citations from the city for operating without a Certificate of Use (COU) or a Planned Unit Development (PUD).

Regulatory Issues

The city’s planning department director, Helena Parola, stated that the city thought Ballentine should apply for a PUD due to the farm’s multiple uses, including growing and selling food, as well as agritourism events. However, Ballentine argued that the PUD application fee was too high, and instead applied for a COU.

After receiving three citations, Ballentine started a petition and gathered over 1,350 signatures in support of his right to operate. The city eventually dropped the citations, and Overalls Farm received the COU for its third farm location in June 2026.

Future Plans

Ballentine is now working with other farms and gardens in Duval County to propose the Free to Garden Act, which would establish community gardens, market gardens, and similar small-scale urban agriculture uses as permissible by right across Jacksonville.

Original reporting: Jacksonville Today — read the source article.