The HEZ Architecture

What does a horticulture enterprise zone look like? In fact, there is no single "look" or design. Yet, even an unfamiliar observer will come to know and appreciate an HEZ by a core set of principles and practices, which can be, and often will be, extended by local needs and environmental conditions. What are some of the key features? Here are a few:

• Leadership is collaborative and funding comes from entrepreneurs for the purpose not only of promoting their personal agendas, but also to strengthen local-regional food production and food service systems in which their own business can profit.
• The HEZ has less labor intensive inputs, thereby giving growers more time to market and spend with family.
• The HEZ uses less water with an emphasis on global water harvesting and conservation practices.
• The HEZ gives increased attention to environmental health and responsibility through interaction with community gardens, local landscaping of green space, green construction, and farmer's markets.
• In an HEZ, an emphasis is on local employment and job creation, based upon daily needs of residents as well as the entrepreneurs.
• An HEZ practices global use of renewable and sustainable energies.
• In an HEZ, energy efficient transportation is the goal. Practices that are dependent on fossil fuels are eliminated or minimized.
• An HEZ promotes fair trade and fair pricing where savings in transportation costs are passed along to consumers.
• An HEZ promotes practices of cohesive economic interaction with an understanding of personal, family, and community needs.
• An HEZ promotes biodiversity and green space management.
• An HEZ seeks minimum-zero airborne carbon emissions. (The CarbonCycle)
• An HEZ promotes strong, cohesive food security networks.
• An HEZ promotes increased local inputs into innovation dialogues so as to promote shared responsibility for economic and community development, always seeking to build an even stronger foundation of community participation and the use of local knowledge.
• Most importantly, food, in all its facets will be a common focus: production, processing, distribution, allocation, and consumption. In Midtown, our annual Northeast Ohio Food Festival^© will highlight all of these.

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