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Local microfarm seeks nursery permit so customers can pay with EBT; resident urges ordinance review
Summary
A small Paso Robles microgreens farmer told the council she has struggled for five years with the city permit office to have prime agricultural land recognized as an active farm and has applied for a nursery permit that would allow her to accept EBT purchases for sale of starter plants.
Lisa Seggler, who identified herself as a small microgreens and perennial herb farmer on East Highway 46, told the council during general public comment that she farms two acres of land and operates protected growing space in a converted school bus.
“I don’t have a house on my two acres of zoned agriculture. It’s just a farm,” Seggler said. She told staff she has been working with planner Cynthia (surname not provided) and at that planner’s request applied for a nursery permit to help establish the property’s primary agricultural use. Seggler said she has been in a multi‑year exchange with the permit office and is seeking council awareness that the city’s ordinances and permit practices can disproportionately affect very small specialty farmers.
Seggler said the USDA accepted her to accept EBT payments directly and that a nursery permit would allow her to sell small vegetable starter plants that customers could buy with EBT and then grow at home. “With the nursery permit, I’ll be able to sell fresh small grown vegetable plants, and folks can buy them through EBT,” she said.
Councilmembers asked Seggler to keep the planner updated on the process; no action was taken. The clerk and staff offered to follow up with her on the permitting steps.
