City of Chico

PO Box 3420

Chico, CA 95927                                                                                                                      October 14, 2009

 

Dear Councilors and Commissioners,

 

Thank you for the City’s conscientious efforts to protect Chico area farmland. As we all know, agriculture is deeply rooted in our local heritage and is a significant part of our local economy because Chico is situated on, and adjacent to, some of the world’s finest, most productive soils.

 

The Grange, as a national farmers’ movement, has advocated for family farmers since 1867. The Chico Grange actively supports local agriculture, environmental stewardship, and conservative use of land and resources, guided by the needs of future generations - in short, sustainability.

 

On behalf of Chico Grange #486 and others joining with us, we encourage you expand upon the important work of preserving local agriculture and the sustainable economic and food security it provides. Please see our attached proposals and supportive analysis. We especially urge you to:

 

✓    Strengthen General Plan policies and the Zoning Ordinance to prevent further urban sprawl onto orchard, crop and grazing land and to avoid conflicts at the urban-agricultural interface; and

✓    Embrace a concept that more broadly emphasizes the word “local” - local family farms, mini-farms, CSAs (community supported agriculture), food products, farmers markets, and small-scale urban agriculture, including community, neighborhood, and school gardens.

 

From May through June, the Grange hosted six Farming Roundtables, featuring more than 20 experts in the fields of local agriculture and food, presenting research, data, issues and solutions. These recommendations grew out of those shared learning and problem-solving sessions. We strongly advocate inclusion of these policies in the Chico 2030 General Plan to clearly state the City’s long-term commitment to protecting Chico’s agricultural heritage and ensuring a healthy, sustainable local food system for present and future generations.

 

We conclude by observing that we are a culture in transition—moving away from irresponsible overuse of essential resources and toward more sustainable, healthy living.  Protecting farmland and supporting local farmers and urban growers will slow urban sprawl, support our economy, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and feed our community into the distant future.

 

Please consider and support the attached proposals.  Thank you for your careful consideration.

 

Yours sincerely,

Chico Grange #486                          

Butte Environmental Council              

Chico Food Network

Harpos Organics                          

GRUB                                           

Slow Food Shasta Cascade - Chico

CHICO GENERAL PLAN POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

CHICO GRANGE #486, October, 2009

 

 

PROTECTING AGRICULTURAL LAND AND LOCAL FOOD SECURITY

(General Plan Land Use, Open Space and Conservation, Economic, and Sustainability Elements)

 

Introduction: Long-term sustainability planning necessitates consideration of rising fuel costs, climate changes, diminishing water supplies, and their effects on Chico’s economic and food security. A transition to predominantly local sources of food and other necessities may become essential for community resilience and economic stability. Cautious planning therefore requires that productive and potentially productive agricultural crop and grazing lands be preserved within and around Chico to provide for most of the long-term food needs of future residents.

 

No Net Loss Policies

1)      The City adopts a “no net loss” policy for land with significant potential for future food production and will protect such land from activities that would diminish that potential.

2)      The City will continue to work with Butte County to maintain the Green Line and prevent further urban encroachment into traditional agricultural crop and grazing areas.

3)      The City will establish an Agricultural Preserve program to assure long-term preservation of sufficient  land within and around Chico to provide food security for future residents.

4)      The City will allow and promote urban agricultural uses, mini-farms, community gardens, private gardens, and food marketing throughout the community and future growth areas.

5)      General Plan policies will be interpreted to avoid creeping sprawl onto agricultural land.

 

 

Agricultural Land Development and Mitigation Policies

 

1)      Parcels larger than one acre in areas traditionally dominated by agricultural crops or grazing will be designated Open Space Resource Management for agricultural uses, including mini-farms, grazing, community gardens, home gardens, and food stands.

2)      Development of such parcels within 100 feet of street frontages may be considered only in locations with significant existing development, subject to dedication of the remainder of such parcels to a permanent Agricultural Preserve as a condition of approval.

3)      Parcels no larger than one acre in traditionally agricultural areas may be further divided, subject to buffers adjacent to agricultural uses and agricultural mitigation fees.

4)      Large parcel ranchette development on traditionally agricultural land is an unacceptable waste of agricultural potential, except where developed so as to provide a permanent urban growth boundary, with a sufficient buffer to separate urban and agricultural uses.

5)      Any development of land in traditionally agricultural areas that reduces open space, future potential for food production, or carbon sequestration benefits shall fully mitigate such losses by dedicating comparable land on the urban edge as an Agricultural Preserve and permanent urban boundary, or shall pay in lieu fees sufficient to acquire such land.

6)      A nexus study will establish more specific dedication requirements and mitigation fees to fully offset losses of open space, food production potential, and carbon sequestration.

7)      Agricultural mitigation fees, land dedication, assessment districts, and other available means will be used to acquire and manage Agricultural Preserves on the urban edge, in agricultural buffer areas, and within the community for long-term food production. Agricultural Preserves will be managed by an appropriate public entity or land trust.

8)      Title 19 will be amended to specify practices and procedures to implement these policies.

 

Agricultural Buffer Policies

 

1)      Minimize conflicts between agricultural and urban uses by consistently applying Butte County’s scientifically based 300 foot open space buffer requirement, to be located on developing parcels as a condition of development approval, or utilizing roads, creeks, or intervening parcels to separate urban and agricultural uses by at least 300 feet.

2)      Buffer areas will be credited to development as open space if required, as a condition of development approval, to be used for small scale farming, grazing, community gardens, parks, trails, environmental protection or restoration, aquifer recharge, or other publicly beneficial open space uses. Dedication of buffer areas to an Agricultural Preserve also may be required and credited toward mitigation requirements and impact fees. Where dedication is required, maintenance fees will be assessed to developed portions of the parcel and the buffer area will be managed by an appropriate public entity or land trust.

3)      If a 300 foot buffer would prevent all beneficial uses of a parcel, the City will cooperate with the landowner to facilitate private or public use of the parcel for small scale farming, community gardens, or other beneficial uses appropriate to agricultural areas.

4)      The Zoning Ordinance will be amended to provide for buffer requirements and uses, open space and mitigation credits, and dedication and maintenance procedures.

 

 

Local Food System Policies and Programs