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HomeMy WebLinkAbout; Agriculture Committee (1980); Program Report; 1980-08-13r. MEMORANDUM 5’ DATE : TO : FROM: SUBJECT: Attached August 13, ”” - Planning Commission James Hagaman, Planning Director ,.IC/+ PROPOSED INTERIM AGRICULTURAL POLICY ~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~ ~~~~ for your review and comments is the proposed interim agricultural policy. It was first presented at the joint City Council/Planning Commission meeting on July 8. At that time it.was referred back to staff for additional information. The interim policy is interim for three reasons. First, there exists an immediate and pressing need for an agricultural policy in Carlsbad which would allay the fears of land owners regarding the future development status of their land while still encouraging temporary and productive agricultural use. Second, the recommendations of the Local Coastal Plan (LCP) for agriculture in Carlsbad have not yet been presented. When the nature and extent of these recommendations are known, it may prove necessary to revise the interim agricultural policy. Third, it was felt that if an agricultural advisory commitee was formed the members of that committee, comprised of representatives from the agricultural community, could provide the technical advice and experience needed for a successful program. They would investigate and evaluate various solutions to the agricultural problem. These solutions could include, among others, transfer of development rights, special agricultural districts, and an agricultural development council. The committee’s recommendations could form the basis for an agricultural element to the General Plan. Also attached is a brief list of the current policies, as contained in the General Plan, regarding agriculture. An article which provides background information for the overall problem of disappearing farmland is also included for your information. ATTACHMENT A PROPOSED INTERIM AGRICULTURAL POLICY It is the policy of the City Council to encourage productive management of Carlsbad's natural resources. This policy includes the temporary agricultural use of land which is not designated as agricultural in the General Plan. Such agricultural activity, whether carried on by the property owner or by a lessee, shall not in any way indicate that the property will be zoned agriculture. This policy shall not preclude the ultimate development of land used for agriculture provided that development is consistent with Carlsbad's ordinances and policies. It is also the policy of the City Council that a Site Development Permit be required for all agricultural activities conducted on previously undisturbed land. This shall assure that grading and clearing operations do not disturb potentially valuable and significant environmental resources. This interim agricultural policy also encourages active enforcement of the goals and policies now contained in different elements of the General Plan which deal specifically with agriculture (see Attachment B). As an additional part of this interim policy an agricultural advisory committee shall be formed. This committee shall be comprised of citizens from the agricultural community. The committee's purpose will be to document agriculture's problems in Carlsbad, evaluate and select various solutions, propose incentives for retaining farmland, and return a report to the Planning Commission and City Council. This report would be considered as the basis for an agricultural element to the General Plan. ATTACHMENT B The Open Space Element of the General Plan contains the most specific direction for agriculture. "It is the express policy of the City of Carlsbad...to regard agricultural land and prime soil as a natural resource and as a significant contrasting land use to the urbanized environment of the city" (page 8). To achieve that policy, the objective of preventing "the pre- mature elimination of prime agricultural land and to preserve said lands wherever feasible" (page 12) was stated. Four guidelines were set up. They include: 1. Urban development should take place in the least productive areas. 2. Agricultural use should be encouraged as a land use in designated open space: 3. The city should support and use all measures to reduce the financial burden on agricultural land; and 4. Use proper design criteria to maximize the preservation and future options of prime agricultural land. The Land Use Element states that it is a goal to "promote the economic viability of the agricultural and horticultural industries" (page 6). Master Plans were suggested to implement the Williamson Act which allows local governments to identify agricultural reserves. The Master Plan would identify land use based on agricultural production. The city and the property owner would then agree on the zoining and timing of development for that area. The Land Use Element also includes agriculture as a potential use for the lands near Palomar Airport designated as Non-residential Reserve. The Zoning Ordinance's expressed intent is to permit agricultural use in areas that are not appropriate for urban development, to protect agricultural uses, to recognize that agriculture is a necessary part of the character of Carlsbad, and to assure the continuation of a healthy agricultural economy in the appropriate areas of Carlsbad. Two zoning categories--the E-A Exclusive Agricultural Zone and the R-A Residential Agricultural Zone are now used. Also, all the lower density residential zoning categories permit agriculture as an acceptable use. END OF PREVIOUS DOCUMENT. ANOTHER DOCUMENT FOLLOWS CITY OF CARLSBAD INITIAL AGEMDA BILL NO. Dept. Hd. ' Ad# DATE : September 2, 1980 . cty . dtty . .. . SUBJECT: PROPOSED INTERIM AGRICULTURAL POLICY STATEMENT OF THE MATTER The proposed interim agricultural po'licy was first presented at the joint City Council/Planning Commission meeting on July 8th. It was referred back to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation. The Planning Commission reviewed the policy at their August 13th meeting. They made one, change in the policy which added a member of the. Planning C-ommission to the proposed agricultural Advisory Committee. They approved the policy unanimously and recommended approval to the City Council. 'Fis'cal' .Impact No adverse fiscal impact to the city is expected. However the , policies and goals to'be suggested by the Agricultural Adviscry Committee should be evaluated for their fiscal impact when they are proposed. ' EXHIBITS 2. Memo to City Manager dated, August 14, 1980 2. Proposed interim agricultural policy 3. Current agricultural policies 4. Article, "Disappearing Farmlands" RECOMMENDATION b Staff recommends that the proposed interim agricultural policy be APPROVED by the City Council. - * I) .- . MEMORANDUbl 4 . DATE : TO : . FROM: - SUBJECT: August 14, 1980 Frank Aleshire, Cjty Manager .. ,. James Hagaman, Planning girector PROPOSED INTERIM AGRICULTURAL POLICY Attached for your review is the interim agricultural policy. It was approved by the Planning Commission on August 13th. It is scheduled for the City Council's September 2, 1980, . meeting. The policy is interim for three reasons. First, there exists an immediate and pressing need for an agricultural policy in Carlsbad. This policy should allay the fears of land'owners regarding the .future development status of their land. It should also encourage temporary and productive agricultural use. . Second, the recommendations of the Local Coastal Plan (LCP) for agriculture in Carlsbad have not yet been presented. When the nature and extent of these recommendations are known, it may prove necessary to revise the interim agricul- . . tural policy. Third, it was felt that if an agricultural advisory committee was formed the members of that committee could provide the technical advice and experience needed for a successful program. They would investigate and evaluate various solutions to the agricultural problem. These solutions might include, among others, special agricultural districts or an agricultural -development council. The committee's recommendations could form the basis for an agricultural element to the General Plan. The agricultural advisory committee would be comprised of repre- sentatives from the agricultural community, the Planning Commis- sion, and the City Council. Also, attached is a brief list of the current policies, as contained in the General Plan, regarding agriculture. An article which provides background information for the overall problem of disappearing farmland is also included for your information. JC: 1s 8/14/80 I a "-. . EXHIBIT #2 .. . PROPOSEO INTERIM AGRICULTURAL POLICY ' It is the policy of the City Council to encourage productive management of Carlsbad's natural resources. This policy includes the temporary agricultural use of land which is not designated as agricultural'in the General Plan. Such agricultural activity, whether carried on by the property owner or by a lessee, shall not in any way indicate that the property will be zoned agriculture. This policy shall-not. preclude the ultimate development of land used for agriculture ordinances and policies. 'provided that development is consistent with Carlsbad's It is also the policy of the City Council that a Site Development Permit be requ'ired for all agricultural activities conducted on previously undisturbed land. This shall assure that grading and clearing operations do not disturb potentially valuable and significant environmental resources. This interim agricultural policy also encourages active enforcement of the goals and policies now contained in different elements of the General Plan whlch-deal specifically .with agriculture (see Attachment B). AS an additional part of this interim policy an agricultural advisory committee shall be formed. This committee shall be comprised of citizens from the agricultural community, Planning Commission, and City Council. The committee's purpose will be to document agriculture's problems inecarlsbad, evaluate and select various solutions, propose incentives for retaining 'farmland, and return a report to the Planning Commission and City Council. This report would be considered as the basis for an agricultural element to the General Plan. JC: ar 8/14/80 EXHIBIT # 3 .. ., The Open Space Element of the General Plan contains the most specific direction for agriculture. "It is the express policy of the City of Carlsbad ... to regard agricultural land and prime.soi1 as a natural resource and as a significant contrasting land use to the urban'ized environment of the city" (page 8). To achieve that policy, the objective 'of preventing "the premature elimination of prime'agricultural land and to preserve said lands wherever feasibleq* (page 12) was stated. . Four.guidelines were set up. They include: 1. Urban development should take place in the least productive areas. 2. Agricultural use should be encoura.ged as a land use in designated open space; .- 3. e The city should support and use a-11 measures,to reduce the financial burden on agricultural land; and 4. Use proper design criteria to maximize the preservation and future options of prime agricultural land. The Land Use Elemmt states that it is a goal to "promote the economic viability of the agricultural and horticultural industries" (page 6). blaster Plans were suggested to implement the Williamson Act which allows local governments to identify agricultural reserves. The Master Plan would identify land use based on agricultural production. The city and the property owner would then agree on the zoning and timing of development for that area. The Land Use Element also includes agriculture as a potential use for the lands near Palomar Airport designated as non-residential reserve. The Zoning Ordinance's expressed intent is to permit agricultural use in areas that are not appropriate for urban development, to protect agricultural uses, to recognize that agriculture is a necessary part of the character of Carlsbad, and to assure the continuation'of a healthy agricultural economy in the appropriate areas of Carlsbad. Two zoning. categories - the E-A Exclusive Agricultural Zone and the R-A Residential Agricultural Zone are now used. Also, all the lower density residential zoning categories permit agriculture as an acceptable use. JC:ar 8/14/80 A. Citizen's Guide to Agricu1turaI Land Preservation -. .. I National Association of Counties Research Foundation Bernard F. Hil!enbiand, Executive Director Robert C. \l'ea:-er, Associate Director Edward ThomFson, Jr., Director, Agricultural Lands FJroject December 1979 . . ""_ I. .. .. .. """."-."--."" ."" "... , .."". ... - . , . . ... . . -. , b I . Disappearing 2. Farmlands Clearly, there is a dramatic cha ,. . I. . .. .. Clearly, there is a dramatic change taking place in U.S. agriculture"tl1e graund is literally twing excavated out from under it. Ilut nobody seems to be starving. In fact, we read all the time about bumper r:rops ad agriculturrtl surpluses. \Vhy shoLlld we bc concerned about the loss of farmlantl? disq~pearing farndantl is halted, it Id1 one day deeply touch all of our lives and those of our children. As Secretary of Agriculture Rob Bergland put it, "Our land and water resources are being whipsawed between the demands for greater food and fiber production and the dcm;mtls from conmlcrce and a mass society for space and water for suburbs, roads and other develop~nents."'~ Indeml, the effects of farnllanc! conversion are already being felt in a variety of ways in local conlmunities tl~~*ooughout America. As intlivitluals and ;IS a nrttion, wcecanrwl afford to allow much nwrc of 0111' farml;mtl to tli~;~pl)~i~r-~lt)\\~iy, hit by irrep1;lccable t)it-l~efote it begins to affect ow pockc!tl~ooks, the cpdity of our livcs and, pwll;q)s, evcn out national stwwity. The answer is, simply, that unless the steady trend of 1 "I .". e A. " L Agricultural Productivity and Farmland How much longer can we continue to depend upon technology-the devdopmenr of which has relied on cheap energy-and the alwrt?.~ unpredictable weather, to keep agricultural production high while farmland disappe;lrs? Up until about a century ago; agricu!iu;ai pduction was more or less limited by the amount of I3rd under cultivation. ear more acreage, plant more crnps, itw! more people. Then came the industria! rc\ulution and, in thux-ars following World War 11, the so-called "Green Revolution," tvlic:? enabled the nation's farmers to grow progressively more fwd by substituting machir~es and energy for land. The tractor replaced the horse and, later, chcmical fertilizer (made from petroleum) replamd the manure. ueurred during rhe 19:lOs when dt.ou.ght and poor husbandry caused the ruin of 100 nlillion acres of farm:and. but generally the trend has ben a steady increase in the per acre yield of American agricu!:ure.6 Indeed, increasingly sophisticated technology, not to mention a period of benign iveather, allowed us to double crop >%Ids in the two decades after 1930." This helps to explain i\ Sy, despite the drarmtic los~es of agricultural land, our food prckx-jon capability has L? LT~ now remained. practically undir--:+xi. But how muck imp can we contir?ue :o dqend upon technology-the ?e\dopment of \vhich has i&d on cheap energv-and the :x-ea:her, always unpredictahk, to kwp agricultural pdx:inn high while fzmianci 55q~pearS? Is there, in fact, an>- substitute for good ag:ric.ul;ur$ land, ahout 17 percent of tvhic-5 lies closc to our expanding u.-!~an centers and is undc:r the hea\iest development pressure?' There hive ken some productivity sethacks, such as Energy . After decades of advancement, agriculiural technology now appears to be running up against monomic arrd ecologiz limitations. Foremost among these is the availability and cost of energy-according to one calculation, it now takes nine units of fossil fuel energy to produce each unit of food enorgv that wmes from American farmland3 The extraordinary dependence of modern agriculture on energy is not surprising, considering that farm machinery IWIS on diesel fuel, fertilizers are made from natural gas feedstocks, pticic1t:s and o:her chemicals come from petroleunl, natural gas is also used to dry enormous quantities of grain, and electricity is used to run the pumps for irr$ation. With the dependence of agriculture on energy, what are the implications of an energy shorti+gu for agricultural produ.ctivity? The use of fertilizer provides a good illustration: A studJP at the University of Illinois concluded that the amount of corn that can be groivn on 100 acres, using 120 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per acre, would require up to 300 acres to produce mithout fertilizer? shortage of natural gas feedstocks or hcause of prices that are out of reach, would limit produchy and make it cssential that more acreagc: be put into prctluction. l'hat is, ifthe farmland acreage is still available. Multiply this cxample by the ninny other ways in which agriculture USM fossil fuel enerkc, and you begin to see why scarce and increasingly costly energv supplies limit our ability to maintain agricuitural y:oductivity by reiying on energyconsuming technology to nuke up for the continuing loss of farmland. A cutback in the use of fertilizer, either 1)ecause of an absolute Soil and Water But there are other significant limitations on agricultural productivity that phce a premium on the preservation of our remainins farn~land. Our soil and water resourws, boll1 vital to agriculture, are being cltyleted and deg:rrtdecl. Since 1935, about 100 million acres of farnllanrl have been itilerl 1)ec;luse of soil Tho annual loss of soil frnnl U.S. cropland has Ijeen conservatively estinlatctl to ;1vcr-age about five tons per acre. 12 Thus, in addition to tllc tll~*cx: rnillion acres of farmlami we lose 3 each year to non;lgricuItural uses, the equivalent of another agricultural specialist put it more rlramatically: "Farmers here are losing two bushels of soil for each bushel of corn they Agricultural productivity also depends quite heavily on irrie;ation, particularly in the semi-arid western states. A federal . study showed that in the early 19iOsabout 12 percent of all harvested crop~md was irrigated, and that the production from this land represented 27 percent of the value of all US. crop production.lS In some areas the percentage is much higher: 90 percent of the value of crops from California depends on irrigation, over 80 pwcent of the crop values in Colorado, Texas and Florida, and airnost SO percent of the value of crops'from Nebraska." Competition for Iirnitcd quantities of water from growing urban areas and emrq development poses a threat to the viability of irrigated agriculture in the \Vest. Depletion of groundwater resources in the high pl;tins, stretching from Texas to Nebraska, anti in the San Joaquirl \'alley of California is reaching critical levels.L5 And the misapplication of irrigation technology on some western croplands is causing the buildup of salinity in the soil, which may eventually destroy productivity.' Climate Finally, there is the weather. Nobody pays more attention to the weather thm the farmer, for the obvious reason that crop pwluction dt!ptn!s, for better or worse, on its changing mds. Espc!rts fw stdy long-term weather trends believe that the world climate is now emerging from a relatively mild period that dates tuck to the turn of the century, and is returning to a "nonnal" pattern of greater ~nprddictrtbility.~ The drought that gripped the \\'est during 1974, and reduced crop production, is ttyxght to be symptomatic of this trend. There is evidence too that tie climate is cooling off, warningof a further drop in c?gricultur~! productivity: According to the American Association for the .Advancement of Science, the temperature of the Northern Hemisphere has cooled about three degrees since 1945." . three million acres is washed into our rivers." An 1ow;l gIX)\V."'~ .- . With the cost 0:' energv skyrocketing, the depletion uf soil and watw resources (caused in part by the sick effects of tcchnoloa), ar,d'Ixaybc even tlrc climate turning against us, 4 . .. . " __ _, , . .. .. -. . -. .. . - .. From a diplomatic vic:\r.pnint, American agricultural exports cotlfr-iln:ie to $he international reputation of this nation, perhaps wen xl~ore than its military strength. -. What are the possible cunw;clcvlces of the continuing disappearance of American a;:ricirltural land? Or, to put it another way, what are the rrasms, in ttw face of limits on agricultural productivity, wh? \vt! st~wld I)IY~SC:TC farnlland? It is self-evident that the strcllgtl1 i1Ild stxurity of the United States would be jeopardized ii ir were unable to feed its own people. Mass starvation in Arncr-ica appears highly uniikel?, 1)ut long before anything resembling it would occur, the shortage of food-caused ultimately b-y a sl~ortage of farmlanti-would begin to squeeze consumers' pcketbooks. An increase in food prices, dictated by suppli and demand, wor~lrl forcc lorv-income people to eliminate tmic nutricnts from their diets and cause the middle class to cut back on certain foocjs. Shortages of specialty crops like oranges. caused ty the conversion of citrus groves to subdivisions, just as they arc? now C;IUSC@ by frost damage, woulcl make tlwsc! CO~IIIIUII~~XC fc~otls luxury items. if all of this sotrnds falnilinr, c:unsider the fict that every time you 1.. ~ "" .." . .-. .- ""_I ---" t"~"- L . .- . &o through the checkout line at the supernlarket on a weekly shopping trip, another 60 thousand acres of American farmland has di~appear-ed.‘~ -But we should not be concerned only about our domestic food supplies, for the IJnited States can truthfully be said to be the breadbasket of the world. From a broader, global perspective the continued ability of America to produce sufficient quantities Of basic foodstuffs ism economic, diplomatic and humanitarian imperative. The value of American agricultural exports in 1978 reached $27 billion, and this sum made about 20 percent, or one fifth of U.S. exports.‘” TIW income we receive from agricultural exports is an important counterweight to help balance the payments America makes to foreign cnmtries for imported oil. Some experts belitsx that, as our nuneral resources are depleted and our older industrial plants twconx an:+ated, agricultural exports will play an even larger ~*J!P in mzintaining the future economic stability of the United StJti.s.3 From a diplomatic \.iewpoint, Anwnoan agiicultural exports contribute to the international rep::rz:icm ci &is nation, perhaps even more than its military strength. There are both practical and humanitarian dimensions to this proposition. The practical importance of U.S. agriculture is that food helps cement international fricndships and reduces tension among nations. For example, the .Soviet Union has in the past relied on the United States for sizable proportion of i:s grain and may in the future become more dcpencient, d(lI1p n-ith our neighbors in Canada, upon ASlcriciln agricultural exports if the cooling uf the global climate rtuluccs grain production in the more northern htitudes.3 Of course, n0p.e of us \vould wish for such a prospect, because we regard food as more than an in:ernational bargaining chip--It is vital to hurnnrl sunive!. America’s ability to produce food fsr export is the sir:$e rn~t important weapon in the war agains .>-orld hunger. The ppu35on of the globe is now Over four 8-:on people, a great =.erceE.r.czge of whom inhabit developL7.g nations. By the year 1Ckl. experts predict, we will add anoL5er three billion rr;ou:ts to ?mi most of whom, again, will be k.m in the countries leas: abk ;E feed themselves.” yi5xateIy, presclyins 1;s ric> Sour.?\. of agricultural !and is one of the most sipiiicm; humanitarian e;cSI~r~?c?s that r\mer!ca can make. 4 ICEREAL YIELD PER HECTARE. U.S. h .. ~ltae ~ffects of FardanalLoss At the Community Lewd Then? is no question rshntsocver that farmland loss is having-a powerful effect, right now, on the economy, social Fahric and quality of life in local conamunities all over the country. The national and global questions raised by the continuing loss of American farmland are serious. Although, barring an unforeseen climatic or pestilential disaster, it may take time for its most severe consequences.to be felt. Some people may argue that the disappearance of 12 square miles of farmland a day does not yet constitute a crisis of nationil importance, but there is no question whatsoever that it is having a powerful effect, right now, on the economy, social fabric and quality of We in local communities all over the country! Let’s look at a “typical” community to see what is happening as farmland is converted to nonagricultural uses. The leading cause of farmland loss is unplanncrl suburban development, sometilncs cxdled “leapfrog” or “scntte~*shot” development because it often skips over land close to to5v.n and sprawls out over the ccluntrysitfe in a random pnltenl. Such B b e development not on!y takes farndantl directIy out of production, butalso tends to create conditions that make it unpleasant for fanners and honleowners alike and, consequently, leads to irktion betwt:m tllenl. The odor of manure may offcnd ' honlmorvners, the noise from a tractor working hefore dawn may bother hm, and t)lonkg dust and agricultural chernjcals my cause then1 II;OI*B serious problems. Ch the other hand, dogs may chase livestock, teenage children may trample crops or vandalize fences and farm equipment, and suburban LOSSOF PRIME FARMLAND BY REGION (1987.1975). Thousands of Acw% Sourre U. Sampson. Davaloprneni on Prime Farmland. Enrlron. Comment, Jan. 1978 .. .. %' c -1 7 "-I" -""""""""--c"""-q ____. "_" .. .. .. . State and Local Approaches to Farmland Preservation ." - .. I L . """ ,""_.. "___*A """ "LL^ """" "_ ".- "- . many paints, it is c~isapproved.'"~' advantage of providing tletailetl criterie-the suitability pints-fw determining when !!IC charactcr of an area has subtantially changed from agricultural to residential, so as to dorv what is in effect a cliangu in zoning. The Tulere zoning program is based on a cornprehcnsive pian that includes an agricultural lands component, and thus far seems to have been suckessful, since its adoption in 1975, in encouraging development close toexisting urban cenlers, while preventing the premature subdivision and conversion of its large expanse of prime farmland. This system is flexible like traditionid zoning, but it has the . Black Hawk County, Iowa Black Hawk County is situirtd right in the heart of the great American Corn Belt and surrotrnds the city ot \Vaterloo which . takes up about 10 percent of its total area. Almost 60 percent of the soils in B!ack Hawk are classified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Classes I and 11, the hest that csisl for growing -. crops. In contrast, only about 20 percent of tllo land nationrvide falls into soil Classes I and Il. Hut in the early 1970s local officials in Black Hawk realized that the esccllcnt soils in the county were graving television anrennas instead of corn, and in 19i3 adopted an innovativezoning program that is rooted in the soil The Black Hawk program is bosecl on a datail~tl method of rating soils according to their agricultural pwtluctivity. The system is geared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture "corn suitability rating," and dcdicates to exclusive agricultural use those soils with a CSR of 70 and aljove, soils that pduce roughly 115 bushels or more of corn p?r acre. In those areas where the soil is less productive-abut 30 pereeni of the totnl area of the county-cfeueloprnent is guided toward hildi1ble soils that are suitable for septic systems. In agricutturnl areas that are not zoned exhsirTely for this purpose, <!evelopment can take place on lots that are a n~inimurn of tt1rz.c acres in size, if 75 percent of the lot mnsists of'huilriable soi!s. The Hack Hmvk program is athpted to its own unique .circumstances, but like 31s Tulan: countcrpnrt it seems to be working to p":serve thc best agricul~ural la~xls iilld to concentrate tlevdopulen~ nl-ound tl~e pm-inlctcr of ils principal itself* 13.34 11 """"."""" ."" ."""" " . .- c 9 , "".""."L-r~."""".~." .--"".-~.-"".C_. Y" I."""__._. "."" "."."_ -. . .I .. .." . I .* c c- ”.. _-. ”. “-I.”” .“” ,””-...”” * Soil suitability, present land usage and clevelopnlent pressure also enter into the equation used to select farntlantls from among those whose owners submit bids for purchase. To date, Suffolk has acquired the development rights to 3,200 acres of its best agricultural land, and has plans to double this figure.% Funding for the purchase of developmen1 rights has come from general revenue bonds sold by the county. county-is a relatively conservative appmch to farnlland . presentation that can get expensive where it is necessary to prottTt large areas of agricultural land. nut, tlespite.the expense involved, the purchase of development rigllts is attractive to farmers and can help obtain their cooperation and support for other multifaceted approaches to farnllancl preservation. In Suffolk County, it seems to have had an encouraging effect on the entire agricultural community, because it has dcmonstrated that local government cares about its native industry and wants to help ensure its survival. l’he Suffolk program-the first of its kind in any U.S. Howard County, Maryland Locatcd midway betwveen the metropolitan areas of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Howard County has expcrienced the sanw pressures for growth as has Suffolk, losing roughly half of its farnllanrl since 1950. The existence of the planned “new town” of Columbia in the center of the county has sometvhat mitigated the effects of sprawl development in Howard, t~ut intensive subdivision activity continues. Howard, too, has adopted a local program of purchasing dpAoprncnt rights to farmland, funded prcsently out of real estate transfer taxes. nut lvhat distinguishes this count)’ is its diligent pursuit of farmland preservaticm, using all its available policy tools, and its close cooperation with the State of hlaryli1nd, which has a dt?\,elol~nlcnt rigllts ~~~~’chasc Ill‘Ogl‘allT inspired by Howard County officials. agricultural districts under Maryland law, which qualifies farmers for sale of their clemlopment rights. The agricultural districts, once established, will become n fornlally constituted elenlent of the countyls colnpwtwnsive plan, lloiv u~~~crgoing a major wvision to achit:ve tIlis goal. Conperatinn with tllc state in whitt amounts to a joint dr:velopment righls puld1ase prngr:~n~ The county is actively encouraging the formation of Other j&isdictions have adopted farmland preservation approacht:s that are variations 011 the thenm adopted by these locat governments. Some of the more interesting are: The Blue Earth County, Minnesota zoning ordinance that calls For one dwelling unit per "quarter-quarter section" or 40 acres, but allows ;Idditional dwellings as a tmnus if they are concentrated rather than widely separated. '"* '' zoning progranl that crrates se\*eral esclusi\*t? agricultural districts and thus trcals farming as a preferred use-like other industries in their rqxactive zones-ratht:r than sinlply as something that may (xcur until devebpnlerlt is rcarly to take over.'3 The initiation in Chester County, Pennsylvania of m Agricultural Presemation Council that will take an active role in promoling agriculture nudl like the county development council promotes other businvss and ind~tstry.'~ The agricultural district prograrn in Ncw York State, and statewide purchase of dcvelopment rights programs in hlassachusetts, Ne\v Jt?rsq,, and most recently, New Hampshire. The Walworth County, \-Vi.xonsin comprehensive plan and .* I. .. .. .. 9 14 ..___.._. ."""_""."""""" ..... .. .... . .. 1. .' L" ," "-,, . _"_' " ,"""""-"--""-- --.-.- ~ . . -_ "G 1 * Conclusion: Where Do We Go - From Here? These are but a few of the growing nunher of farmland preservation approaches that are being taken by states and . counties throughout the United States. Citizens and public officials may have new ideas that are suited to the geographic, economic and political situation in your community. - Considering the consequences for your locaBty and possibly the nation itself, it is well worth trying to presen e farmland no matter what the local circumstances may be. The experiences of Ware, Black Hawk, \ikonsin, Suffo!k, Hoivard and other pioneers offer lessons to other communities that wish to preserve famland: agricultural community is essential to lhe success of any local farmland preservation program. The agricultural co!l.mmunit~~-incill~i~~ ilOt ody farmers, but also county agricultural extension age!::^. representatives of farnm organizations and agricultural bt:5i:lessn:en"has the most to gain or lose from an! local attempt 10 IlresenP farmland. The political support of agriculturalists for local ordiaances, plans or bond issues is usually critical to the adopion of these measures for farndand prest:m;ltion. Moreover, as land use specialist William Toner puts it, "Planners know how to plan, but farmers h~ow how to farm." Thcir experience on the ground puts farmers in a better position thm any other group of citizcns tc. provide common 5er~e approach% XI the related problems of presening kxdand and farming itself. Many rommunities have, as the first step in putting tof;et&r a prograrn of farmland preservation, established official agricu!tural advisory committees to document the agricultural problems in their . - ldty and to prope solutions to farmland 10~s."~~~ The early parricipatinn and cooperation of the.' Careful techhical analysis of the local iarmland situation, inclueing surveys of soil QF and land usage, is the bask ior a reasoned choice about how much and which kinds of farmland should be preserved b- a community. . Very few state cr ha1 progranls h;rve set fer t3emselves the illusory goal cf Fyxw'c'ing all their agrir~k~:~. ~.nds. The choice of which lands ts 7resen.e as a priori;? :hcs &comes an .. important question. Good technical information about the value and productivity of local farmland, and the uses to which it is being put, is the cornerstone of a responsible farmland preservation program. federal government agencies, notably the US. Ikpat-tltwnt of Agriculture, whose Soil Conservation Service providcs indispensable help with soil surveys. Some communities have, as part of their technical analysis, reviewed ihe statistics that demonstrate the economic contribution that agriculture makes to their locality; the publication of this kirld of information has helped gain public acceptance for their farmland preservation pmgr"l1ls. Local farmland pmrvation works beet whcn all the tools available to government arc usocl in a coordinated way, so that policieo do not work at cross purposee. Any one approach to farmland preservation is not likely to be effective, if other government programs or policies arc inconsistent with it. For example, agricultural zoning can be undercut, if the local capital irrlprovement plan calls for the extension of water and sewer lines into prime farihing areas, or if property taxes are not resmlctured so as to prevent the premature sale of farnlland for development. Similarly, agricultural districting and he purchase of development rights can help preserve farmland, but may not succeed in presening farming itself, if state or local policies do not support agriculture as an ongoing enterprise. And state and local initiatives themselves may be rendered ineffective if federal actions are not consistent "ith them. A coordinated farmland preservation strategy that meshes all the policy tools of government is the approach that is most likely to succeed. Con~munitiee that provide for a flexible balance Technical assistance is sornetimes avaihblc frh1 a numbf?r of between the preservation of farmland and the 'development of homing ondinduetry are most likely to succeed. '4 'i Farmland preserwation is a sophisticated process that seeks to :1 meet community residential and industrial dixelopnlent goals by directing such development onto lands where it is most ,: ,! appropriate, thus saving tlle most valuable farmlands and 'i sustaining native agricultural industry. Communities cannot afford to ignore t1w"other side of the coin" in tryiltg to preserve i :. .. IG : : ._ .. .. . i! .. !I ""l"" - ." . .. ""^ - - "-~".""""..._"""~~.-.." ...- -,. ...- "....... " .. " END OF PREVIOUS DOCUMENT. ANOTHER DOCUMENT FOLLOWS MEMORANDUM 'f DATE : September 9, TO : Frank A1esh.i-re, City Manager SUBJECT: Aqricul.tural _" ~ Advisory Committee ___- At the September 2nd City COI~Z~L~ xweting the iterim agri- cultural policy was adopted, The policy called for, among other thing:;, the fornution o€ an Agri.cu.ltura1 Advisory Committee. The Planning DepartInerit suggt:sts that the Com- mittee be organized at this t.irne. It is also suggested that the Cormittee biz conprised of five members; one from the City Counci 1, one from the Planning Commission, and three from the nr;Jr:icul.tural community. The following people may be corrr;idered among many others as potentia:l Committee members due to their experience or interest: Eric Larson, Peter MacKauf, Dr. .Gordon Kubota, or Guy Mooxe. None of these peo;)Ie have been contacted regard- ing the Ayricultural. Advisoi"\r Committee; the Planning Depart- ment is only recommending t.hem as potential Committee members. The first meeting OE the Cornmittc?e would be used for two purposes: to set procedures :for future meetings; and, to comment on the recomrnendations made in the Local Coastal Plan. The end product of the Committee would be a report on the problem o.E agriculture in Carl.sbad with suggestions Sor solutions. This report wou1.d be the basis for an agri- cultural element to the General Plan. JC: jt potent-ial. Agricultural Advisory rJomrn:i 1: tee P4cmhers END OF PREVIOUS DOCUMENT. ANOTHER DOCUMENT FOLLOWS Agricultural n Lands Project \ December 16, 1980 RECEIVED Joyce Crosthwaite DEC 22 1980 City of Carlsbad Planning Department 1200 Elm Avenue Cm OF CARLSBAD Carl sbad, Cal ifornia 92008 f!krIning Department Dear Ms. Crosthwai te: In response to our conversation today, I am enclosing various materials you requested, and have placed you on our mailing list for Aglands Exchange. Thank you for your interest. Feel free to get in touch with me if I can further assist you. Sinceply, Carol i ne G. Hemenwad Project Assistant Enclosures NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES RESEARCH FOUNDATION, 1735 NEW YORK AVE., NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006.202/785-9577