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After some thought, discussion and research, I would like to offer the
following comments on the Land Conservation Initiative (OpenSpace2006).<br>
<br>
To begin with we have to make a determination as to what we value
enough to take special cautions to preserve it. This is true whether
your are talking about a piece of antique furniture, a special memory
or Santa Clara County Farm Land. In the latter case, this initiative
does more than any other single action taken in recent years, and, to
the extent that it fulfills its purpose to "protect hillsides,
agricultural lands, watersheds and other valuable rural lands from
unnecessary and irreparably harmful development," I support it. <br>
<br>
There are some other considerations that we should all take into
account. <br>
<br>
The Land Conservation Initiative <a
href="http://www.openspace2006.org/">web site</a>, talks about the
effect to "Prevent urban sprawl into rural lands." Actually, it does
not do that. It only says that urban sprawl will not take place on
some particular set of land, thereby moving it to other locations, out
of site and therefore out of mind. The urban sprawl will not be in
hills above Calero Reservoir but rather along the wetland sanctuaries
of Los Banos. Urban sprawl can not be contained without effective plans
for affordable housing and mass transportation. Most of these issues
are not under the Santa Clara County General Plan, but rather under the
General Plan for the Cities of San Jose, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Los Altos
Hills, etc. <br>
<br>
What we will see is total urban sprawl as San Jose expands into Coyote
Valley. The Coyote Valley Specific Plan started out with great
enthusiasm about building a New City. What it will end up as is easy
to recognize, as each developer (commercial or residential) gets their
chance to influence it, more and more of the original thinking will
become compromised. We all have to realize that the entire purpose of
this plan, from the viewpoint of the City of San Jose, is to maximize
their revenue relative to the costs of running a city. <br>
<br>
As for Agriculture:<br>
<br>
The initiative says that:<br>
<br>
County agricultural lands are an irreplaceable resource. They are cut
up into lots for residential development, which is incompatible with
farming and ranching. Land speculation for development needs to be
discouraged, so that land is affordable for farming. Preservation of
agriculture is key to preserving open space and natural resources.<br>
<br>
Most of those who remain in agriculture will tell you that we have
passed the point where Santa Clara Country properties can be operated
profitably. The largest Agricultural revenues come from cut flowers
and mushrooms, both of which are more factory operations that open
space.<br>
<br>
In fact, the agricultural community in South San Jose, those most
affected by the Coyote Valley Plan, as well as those who are on the
outskirts of the City of Morgan Hill, all have problems with all
efforts to restrain their ability to sell the land that no longer is
profitable for agriculture. In S. San Jose, the issue was with the
large green belt area on the border between San Jose and Morgan Hill.
With the rest of Morgan Hill, this has delayed the efforts to establish
an Urban Growth Boundary. No one wants to be left just outside of that
boundary. <br>
<br>
All of this is cautionary that we should not think the problems are
solved by this initiative. It is only one step in doing what needs to
be done. <br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="80">--
"Anytime you have an opportunity to make things better and you don't, then you are wasting your time on this Earth" Roberto Clemente
Wes Rolley
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.refpub.com/">http://www.refpub.com/</a>
Tel: 408.778.3024</pre>
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