Planning Issues and Planning Issues and AgricultureAgriculture

Lecture 4Lecture 4

Agriculture Land and theAgriculture Land and the

State Mapping ProjectState Mapping Project

State mapping projectState mapping project

►– – designed to map California’s Landdesigned to map California’s Land-- Used to determine-- Used to determine

1 – how much Ag land is lost1 – how much Ag land is lost

2- what type of Ag land is being lost,2- what type of Ag land is being lost,

quality of soil, access to quality of soil, access to waterwater

Six categories of land:Six categories of land:

1. Prime Farm land1. Prime Farm land most productive soil (highest quality) linked to most productive soil (highest quality) linked to

higher yields and irrigation higher yields and irrigation precious commodityprecious commodity

2. Farmland of statewide importance2. Farmland of statewide importance also irrigated land – also irrigated land –

►must have been irrigated within last 4 yearsmust have been irrigated within last 4 years Soil of slightly lesser quality, minor shortcomingsSoil of slightly lesser quality, minor shortcomings

►Slope, salinity, etc.Slope, salinity, etc.

3. Unique Farmland3. Unique Farmland irrigated or non-irrigatedirrigated or non-irrigated

►Non-irrigated orchards or vineyardsNon-irrigated orchards or vineyards soil less productivesoil less productive

4. Farmland of local importance4. Farmland of local importance Importance to local economyImportance to local economy each county can determine or have power to each county can determine or have power to

designatedesignate Board of Supervisors designatesBoard of Supervisors designates

5. Grazing land5. Grazing land livestock grazinglivestock grazing non-irrigated-poorest soil qualitynon-irrigated-poorest soil quality

6. Urban6. Urban built up landbuilt up land was farmland and now is used for was farmland and now is used for

residential/commercialresidential/commercial

Six categories of land continued:Six categories of land continued:

As you recall…As you recall…► CA. Valley is losing thousands of acres of CA. Valley is losing thousands of acres of

prime farmland. prime farmland. Same trend in Stanislaus CountySame trend in Stanislaus County Look at all the subdivisionsLook at all the subdivisions Commercial developmentCommercial development RetailRetail

► Patterns of growth pose a threat in the Patterns of growth pose a threat in the Central Valley. Central Valley. Potential for urban/rural conflictPotential for urban/rural conflict

► Controlled growth?Controlled growth? County must approve new cities, growth County must approve new cities, growth

boundaries and annexationsboundaries and annexations

Zone of conflict is urban edge…Zone of conflict is urban edge…

►For Example…N. Modesto- McHenry – For Example…N. Modesto- McHenry –

car dealer alleycar dealer alley ¼ community residential¼ community residential ¼ transportation…roads¼ transportation…roads ¼ jurisdiction to point of sale…retail ¼ jurisdiction to point of sale…retail

salessales ¼ Ag land now or ???¼ Ag land now or ???

County RevenueCounty Revenue

►Revenue – County must share with Revenue – County must share with cities cities enables county to recapture revenue loss enables county to recapture revenue loss

when annexation occurswhen annexation occurs

►Control of land = control of $Control of land = control of $

►Property taxes go where?Property taxes go where?

County Ag landCounty Ag land1. Agriculture…Limited number of people or services 1. Agriculture…Limited number of people or services

– cost is low, .38 for every $ tax revenue– cost is low, .38 for every $ tax revenue

2. But cost is high for Ranchettes, more than 2. But cost is high for Ranchettes, more than revenue…$1.15 +revenue…$1.15 +

Means county govt. has limited resources to serve Means county govt. has limited resources to serve populace living in countypopulace living in county

3. Ag produces sales tax revenues -- 3. Ag produces sales tax revenues -- a source of limited costs, but also limited tax a source of limited costs, but also limited tax revenues (food is non-taxable)revenues (food is non-taxable)

Why city growth? –Why city growth? –

►Retail tradeRetail trade risk capital – will never be able to keep up risk capital – will never be able to keep up

with cost of service, (self funded)… so with cost of service, (self funded)… so subsidized subsidized

But generates jobs, and…But generates jobs, and… Generate economic activity = growth, butGenerate economic activity = growth, but converts Ag land to development converts Ag land to development

► County/City taking of land impacts Ag and County/City taking of land impacts Ag and Ag industry clustersAg industry clusters

City Growth and AgricultureCity Growth and Agriculture

►Open space preservation – Open space preservation – Ag is not perceived as an industryAg is not perceived as an industry

►At first…ambivalence – At first…ambivalence – people don’t like congestion, crimepeople don’t like congestion, crime single family detached dwellingsingle family detached dwelling are interested in quality of life and open are interested in quality of life and open

space once the issue is recognizedspace once the issue is recognized

►Marin County for instanceMarin County for instance

Public Policy encourages Public Policy encourages urbanization and growthurbanization and growth

►Giving incentives for this type of growthGiving incentives for this type of growth tax credits for businesstax credits for business low mortgageslow mortgages low cost of living in valley (comparative)low cost of living in valley (comparative)

►Environment will suffer with growth ---Environment will suffer with growth --- Air quality, water quality, open space, Air quality, water quality, open space,

congestion … does reducing farmland congestion … does reducing farmland exacerbate the problem or does it matter?exacerbate the problem or does it matter?

Survey of Central Valley Survey of Central Valley CharacteristicsCharacteristics

► Rapid growthRapid growth

► Quality of natural environment Quality of natural environment (detiorating ?)(detiorating ?) Air, water, habitatAir, water, habitat

► Gap between rich and poor … Gap between rich and poor … IncomeIncome Home ownershipHome ownership Careers and upward mobilityCareers and upward mobility

► Job opportunities … (limited upper incomes)Job opportunities … (limited upper incomes) Why?Why?

American Farmland TrustAmerican Farmland Trust

►AFT – thinks differently about growth –AFT – thinks differently about growth –

we’re at a critical tipping point-(Read we’re at a critical tipping point-(Read Article)Article)

need a different type of urbanization and need a different type of urbanization and

more interest in public transportationmore interest in public transportation

How do we know how much How do we know how much land is being lost ?land is being lost ?Farmland MappingFarmland Mapping

►Assessment of farmland loss is for urban Assessment of farmland loss is for urban or other usesor other uses 48% (half) of all state land is mapped 48% (half) of all state land is mapped 98% of farmland is mapped98% of farmland is mapped

►Have to break down – there are Have to break down – there are differencesdifferences1. Quality of soil for growing1. Quality of soil for growing2. Access to water (can land be irrigated?)2. Access to water (can land be irrigated?)3. Topography (ex. Flat or sloped)3. Topography (ex. Flat or sloped)

Prime FarmlandPrime Farmland

►Best land is prime farmlandBest land is prime farmland 50% of whole state 4.3 million acres is 50% of whole state 4.3 million acres is

prime farmland – prime farmland – Out of 8.5 to 9 million acres of total Out of 8.5 to 9 million acres of total

farmlandfarmland

► In San Joaquin Valley – 49% of this In San Joaquin Valley – 49% of this prime farmland is in our 8 counties. prime farmland is in our 8 counties. (2.1 mil)(2.1 mil)

Farmland catagories…Farmland catagories…

1- Prime farmland- 4.3 million1- Prime farmland- 4.3 million

2- Farmland of statewide Importance – 2 2- Farmland of statewide Importance – 2 millionmillion

3- Unique – 1 million3- Unique – 1 million

½ of all #1,2,3 land is in our SJ ½ of all #1,2,3 land is in our SJ Valley 8 counties!Valley 8 counties!

Why?...Soil, Water, ClimateWhy?...Soil, Water, Climate

Water access for irrigationWater access for irrigation

►Irrigation – best of best ( most Irrigation – best of best ( most useful )useful )

►? ? million irrigated acres in million irrigated acres in California California how much and what how much and what % of the total is in the Valley ? % of the total is in the Valley ? Look this up… Look this up…

How much land is being lost How much land is being lost statewide?statewide?

► 1992 – 1997…85,200 acres…Prime farmland1992 – 1997…85,200 acres…Prime farmland► Increase from the previous 5 year period…Increase from the previous 5 year period…

15%15%► 500,000 acres of total farmland lost from 500,000 acres of total farmland lost from

1988 to 19981988 to 1998► Could lose a million more by 2040Could lose a million more by 2040► Conversion of prime farmland is 30% faster Conversion of prime farmland is 30% faster

than non-prime farmlandthan non-prime farmland► AFT classifies the Central California Valley as AFT classifies the Central California Valley as

the most threatened farmland in the countrythe most threatened farmland in the country

► Urbanization could consume or indirectly Urbanization could consume or indirectly affect over affect over 3.6 million acres3.6 million acres of irrigated of irrigated land, more than half of the land, more than half of the 6.7 million 6.7 million irrigated acresirrigated acres in the 11 counties that in the 11 counties that comprise the Central Valley floor (AFT comprise the Central Valley floor (AFT survey)survey)

► Land converted to urban uses was 87,000 Land converted to urban uses was 87,000 acres over a two year period 96-98.acres over a two year period 96-98. 22% of all land converted to urbanization 22% of all land converted to urbanization

is prime farmlandis prime farmland

How much land is being lost How much land is being lost statewide?...continuedstatewide?...continued

Regional PictureRegional Picture

►Regionally – 10-11% of all prime Regionally – 10-11% of all prime farmland lost to urbanization in Valleyfarmland lost to urbanization in Valley

►Converted to urban use! (1996-98)Converted to urban use! (1996-98)

Point is:Point is:►Land is being developed at ever Land is being developed at ever

increasing rates---significant % of increasing rates---significant % of prime farmland is being destroyed prime farmland is being destroyed

Interest statewide to protect prime Interest statewide to protect prime farmland..farmland..

What are the options?What are the options?► 1. Use regulatory powers of gov. (police 1. Use regulatory powers of gov. (police

power) to conserve land available power) to conserve land available (Green (Green belts, environmental sensitive areas, Ag belts, environmental sensitive areas, Ag buffer zones)buffer zones)

► 2. Use of special regional agencies that have 2. Use of special regional agencies that have control over boundaries of communities to control over boundaries of communities to protect farmland protect farmland (Planning Commission).(Planning Commission).

► 3. Use tax incentives for landowners and 3. Use tax incentives for landowners and local govs. to conserve local land local govs. to conserve local land (Williamson (Williamson Act)Act)

More options?More options?

►4. Use of innovative non-government 4. Use of innovative non-government tools to preserve land tools to preserve land (transfer of (transfer of developers rights/purchase of developers rights/purchase of conservation easements).conservation easements). Farmland TrustFarmland Trust

►5. Linking of ag conservation to local 5. Linking of ag conservation to local economic development clusters… economic development clusters… promotes better economic value promotes better economic value (business)(business)

Even more options?Even more options?

►6. develop new ways of planning urban 6. develop new ways of planning urban areas – smart growth into less “prime” areas – smart growth into less “prime” land land (General Plan)(General Plan)

►7. Sustain environment, encourage 7. Sustain environment, encourage greater public involvementgreater public involvement…(initiatives on …(initiatives on the ballot, Ag buffer zones, Green belts)the ballot, Ag buffer zones, Green belts) best prime farmland is on boundaries of cities. best prime farmland is on boundaries of cities. It lands on the edge - “zone of conflict”It lands on the edge - “zone of conflict” keeps pushing the line keeps pushing the line (who?)(who?)