In an effort to help the long-term monetary sustainability of some massive properties zoned for agricultural use and help ranchers and farmers, the county is proposing a brand new Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance (AEO) that would develop a number of the allowed makes use of or actions on some ag parcels all through our county. The intention behind increasing makes use of would require that new actions relate to and complement the agricultural actions already happening on the land. Though agriculture is our county’s high business, with income within the billions and rating among the many high 10 % of counties nationwide, water, labor shortages, and a altering local weather, drought, and floods pose main challenges for these working the land.
Farmlands form the bucolic enchantment of our county. Our iconic orchards, vineyards, row crops, and rangelands assist outline our county’s id. Most residents take pleasure in our county’s rural character. Over 80 % of the county’s 720,000 acres in agriculture are grazing lands that present many environmental and open area advantages for all. However grazing is very susceptible to lengthy durations of drought, so I’m desirous about actions that strengthen the monetary viability of our farmlands.
The just-released Draft EIR proposes 4 completely different sorts of alternatives to develop allowable actions on farmland — and the general public is inspired to offer feedback.
The primary alternative contains permitting business revenue from actions like farmstand fruit and veggies gross sales, tree nut hulling, small-scale meals processing, aquaponics, composting, firewood chopping and gross sales, and lumber milling. Farmers may seize extra worth onsite from their uncooked supplies quite than sending crops and assets away for processing.
The second alternative offers with “farmstays” or restricted visitor lodging. Outdoors of the coastal zone, our county doesn’t enable short-term leases in residential or agricultural zones however does enable “homestays” when the proprietor or one other everlasting resident additionally lives onsite (and goes by the right allow course of). “Farmstays” would require an academic expertise for visitors associated to the agriculture that takes place on the land — suppose berry selecting, grape harvesting, or poultry egg-gathering actions. This provides guests a possibility to reconnect to the land that nourishes and sustains us.
Earlier than the pandemic, meals service was not allowed at wineries. To assist wineries safely re-open below state guidelines throughout COVID, the county handed a brief ordinance requiring meals service. As such, the third alternative below the Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance (AEO) may enable for meals service at wineries to change into everlasting. Wineries discovered that customer experiences tremendously improved when meals is served. Moreover, the state’s COVID guidelines validated that serving meals alongside alcohol is an effective public security measure. That is the one alternative that the AEO proposes for smaller AG-1 in addition to for AG-2 parcels.
The fourth set of alternatives may develop makes use of associated to business agricultural training and recreation. Instructional alternatives envisioned embrace issues like: technical agricultural coaching, chook and wildlife viewing, or wildlife pictures excursions. It may additionally allow recreation actions like horseback using, fishing, or looking. Path-based actions like bike rides, mountaineering, or working is also allowed.
Moreover, on the behest of some farmers and growers, small scale tenting and particular occasions corresponding to farm-to-table dinners, weddings, and receptions had been studied within the environmental report and may very well be permitted by the AEO. Weddings and receptions could not pertain on to agriculture or agricultural training and recreation — a key for all the opposite makes use of into account.
The Draft EIR has proven that farmstays, campgrounds, and occasions would have vital environmental impacts by rising Car Miles Traveled (VMTs), a comparatively new normal by which the state assesses visitors impacts (changing the previous Stage of Service normal that targeted on elevated congestion at intersections). A serious query for the general public and decision-makers is whether or not the advantages of those applications would outweigh the impacts to air high quality, GHG emissions, visitors, and noise.
The AEO, will quickly be adopted by the County’s Recreation Grasp Plan (a public listening to is scheduled on August 30 on the Planning Fee) and later the by our Photo voltaic Ordinance. All three ordinances may develop income-producing alternatives for our farmlands. When sited and scaled appropriately, they’ve the potential to assist hold these county lands in ag, offering further, sustainable advantages to farmers, ranchers, and the general public. The AEO will solely achieve success if appropriate with the expectations that residents have about acceptable makes use of. Due to this fact, I encourage members of the general public to weigh in on the Draft EIR of the County’s Agricultural Enterprise Ordinance.
Methods to Remark: Please submit your feedback to the mission planner, Julie Harris, by e mail to PADAgEnterprise@countyofsb.org previous to the shut of public touch upon Thursday, September 14, 2023, at 5 p.m. You may additionally remark by offering testimony on the digital public listening to. Please restrict feedback to environmental points corresponding to aesthetics, biology, agricultural assets, and so on.
Please be a part of County Planning for a digital public listening to on the Draft EIR.
Monday, August 21, 2023, at 6 p.m.
To hitch in your pc or cellular app, please observe the hyperlink under:
https://countyofsb.zoom.us/j/86998759714
Joan Hartmann is Santa Barbara County supervisor for the third District.
