HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-07-06; City Council; 12299; Ranunculus Crop At Carlsbad RanchCITY:-3F CARLSBAD - AGENL: BILL
AB # /,?o?fâ9 TITLE: REQUEST FOR COUNCIL SUPPORT OF A
MTG. a CARLTAS GRANT APPLICATION TO REESTABLISH TEE RANUNCULUS CROP
DEPT. j?k&-
RECOMMENDED ACTION: @â ,â i3 57
Staff recommends that Council J4DGPT Resolution No. 73-/Y4 supporting Carltas' application for a grant to reestablish th; Ranunculus Crop at the Carlsbad Ranch.
Recently Carltas and Mellano & Co. applied for a Carlsbad Ag- Improvements grant of $420,000. The grant was to be in the form of a loan over two years to try to reestablish the crop at the Carltas Ranch. Apparently Mr. Frazee, the long time and only grower in the United States has decided to move production to Santa Maria, California. However, Mr. Frazee has agreed to teach Mellano & Co. the secrets of production. Because of foreign competition, high local production costs, the deterioration of the seed quality over the last several years, and other factors the venture is fairly risky. Hence the request for the grant.
On May 18, 1993 the Carlsbad Agricultural Improvement Review Board (CAIRB) denied the grant request. The CAIRB was concerned over two issues: First, Ranunculus as well as many other crops are subject to spoilage which can be postponed by spraying with methyl bromide. The problem is that EPA is considering a ban on the substance and currently there isn't a good substitute. Second, CAIRB wanted the loan to be secured by substantial collateral. Carltas besides its own investment was only offering about $25,000 as collateral.
Carltas has requested a reconsideration of the denial. Apparently there are acceptable substitutes for methyl bromide and now Carltas is willing to use the 39 acre open space parcel as collateral. Reconsideration by the CAIRB is scheduled for July 8, 1993. If CAIRB approves the grant, its recommendation will be forwarded to the California Coastal Conservancy which would then consider the grant in August. It is the City's policy and the Conservancy's desire to have Carlsbad support for any sizeable grant request. Therefore, to help ensure the continuation of the Ranunculus growing on the Carlsbad Ranch, Council support is needed.
None to the City. The Carlsbad Agricultural Improvements Fund which is administered by the Coastal Conservancy has approximately $600,000 available for grants (not including $2.2 million in encumbered grants).
EEHIBITS
1. Resolution No. E3-/.I#
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RESOLUTION NO. 93-194
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF' CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, TO SUPPORT A CARLTAS GRANT APPLICATION TO REESTABLISH THE RANUNCULUS CROP AT CARLSBAD RANCH.
/I WHEREAS, on May 18, 1993, the Carlsbad Agricultural
Improvement Review Board (CAIRB) denied the grant request to
reestablish the Ranunculus Crop at the Carlsbad Ranch; and
WHEREAS, on July 8, 1993, the CAIRB will reconsider the
grant application; and
WHEREAS, the General Plan sets forth a goal for the
preservation of the "flower fields"; and
WHEREAS, the grant would ensure continued flower
production on those subject fields.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad
does ordain as follows:
1. That the above recitals are true and correct.
2. Based on the above recitations, the City Council
finds that said request is consistent with the goals of the
General Plan and thereby requests the approval of the subject
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grant.
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PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the
City Council of the City of Carlsbad, California, on the
6th day of JULY I 1993, by the following vote, to
wit:
AYES: Council Members Lewis, Stanton, Kulchin, Nygaard, Finnila
NOES: None
ABSENT: None.
ATTEST:
(SEW
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