Before even one seed is planted, a start-up community-sponsored agriculture program must select a location. Selecting a location involves a number of steps including checking your city’s zoning policies, access to water, and even looking at the quality of land itself. Urban areas are typically crowded and often there is little or no open space available for farming, therefore, choosing either a roof top or brownfield, defined by the EPA as a "property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant" is often the best option.

This section will provide references on how to select locations and how to deal with your city’s zoning policy. One other major issue tied to location is water. Gaining access to water can be costly, but without access to water it will be difficult to grow crops. This section also provides resources on how to access water, associated access costs, and other related factors.

The following web sites link to information on aspects of brownfields, zoning and/or water.