|
SACRAMENTO –
Low-density rural development occupies a
larger area than previously documented
in Sonoma County, according to a new map
released by the California Department of
Conservation, while urbanization and
vineyard development rates slowed.
Urban land increased
by more than 2,700 acres between 2000
and 2002, while irrigated farmland
increased by slightly more than 1,000
acres. Grazing and rangeland experienced
a net decrease of more than 20,000
acres, primarily due to more detailed
mapping of rural “ranchettes” throughout
the county. While some of the
low-density uses were new, a significant
portion had been developed in previous
years and is now visible using
high-resolution digital photography.
The Farmland Mapping
and Monitoring Program (FMMP), part of
DOC's Division of Land Resource
Protection, documents land-use
conversion on 45.8 million acres of
California’s private and public land
every two years. The maps and statistics
are designed to help local governments
evaluate land-use planning decisions.
The 2002 analysis is nearly complete
statewide, while 2004 mapping is
underway.
“This information
helps counties and cities see the
patterns and make informed choices about
how they want to direct growth in the
future,” Department of Conservation
Director Darryl Young said. “The
population of California will continue
to grow, and it’s vital that we ensure
there’s enough room for people and
agriculture.”
The Farmland Mapping
and Monitoring Program classifies land
as either farmland (prime being the best
of four types of farmland), grazing
land, urban land, other land or water.
The “other” category includes
low-density "ranchettes," wetlands, and
brush or timberlands unsuitable for
grazing.
In Sonoma County,
according to the most recent FMMP
report, 2,711 acres were urbanized.
Since the 1990 FMMP survey, the county
has gained 12,592 urban acres. The
irrigated farmland acreage increase of
1,052 acres in 2000-2002 – primarily due
to vineyard planting – is significantly
smaller than the increases noted in the
late 1990s. As of 2002, irrigated
acreage in Sonoma County occupied 19,632
acres more than it did in 1990.
Looking to the
future, cities within Sonoma County
reported that nearly 900 acres have been
committed to future non-agricultural use
due to the approval of subdivision maps,
the sale of bonds for infrastructure, or
other permanent commitments.
Examples of recent
urbanization in Sonoma County include
the new Vintana 2 homes and new Vintage
Oaks Park and homes, a total of about 45
acres in Windsor; the 110-acre
Fountaingrove development in Santa Rosa;
the 45-acre Broadway Business Park in
Sonoma; a 40-acre addition to the Rancho
de Amigos development in Cloverdale; and
a 25-acre driving range in Petaluma.
The agricultural land
in Sonoma County will continue to face
development pressure in the foreseeable
future. The California Department of
Finance projects that the county’s
population will increase from about
465,000 in 2000 to more than 628,000 by
2020.
According to the
California Department of Food and
Agriculture, the gross value of Sonoma
County’s agricultural production was
more than $568 million in 2002, ranking
it 16th among California’s 58 counties.
The maps have been
sent to county planning officials and
organizations such as the county Farm
Bureau, Local Agency Formation
Commission, city planners, irrigation
districts and county resource
conservation districts. Printed copies,
enlargements, or digital versions of the
maps are available to the public. Call
(916) 324-0859 or email fmmp@consrv.ca.gov
for more information.
The latest statewide
study by the FMMP, Farmland Conversion
Report 1998-2000, was released last
June. More than 91,000 acres were
urbanized throughout the state – a
30-percent increase from the 1996-98
mapping cycle – and 27 percent of that
total came from irrigated farmland.
Through the
Department of Conservation, the state
offers programs that provide financial
incentives to keep land in agricultural
use. The California Farmland Conservancy
Program makes grants
available to local governments, land
trusts or resource conservation
districts to purchase permanent
agricultural conservation easements from
willing landowners. These easements
prohibit future development. Farmland
Security Zone and Williamson Act
contracts provide potential tax benefits
to landowners who commit to keeping
their land in agricultural use for
periods of 20 or 10 years, respectively.
###
|