BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Presentation and Discussion of the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Preservation Plan by County of Santa Clara.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Discuss the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Preservation Plan, formerly the Climate and Agricultural Preservation Program, and provide direction, as appropriate.
Body
SUMMARY:
Per a request from Chair Varela, this item will provide the Board an overview and update on the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Preservation Plan (SCVAPP), with a companion presentation by County of Santa Clara. This subject was initially shared with the Board as part of the Joint meeting with Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (Authority) on January 17, 2017. The plan is the result of a regional effort led by the County of Santa Clara (County) and the Authority to protect southern Santa Clara County's important farmland and reduce future effects of climate change.[GH1][GH2][GH3]
Background
The Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Preservation Plan, formerly identified as Santa Clara Valley Climate and Agriculture Preservation Program, is a regional effort led by the County and the Authority to protect Southern Santa Clara County's farmland from development. If approved, this 18-month effort will culminate in the implementation of an action plan to sustain agricultural lands and grow the County's farming industry. The SCVAPP is funded in part by a statewide program called the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALCP) which provides cap and trade funding to protect agricultural lands as a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to meet California's aggressive climate change goals.
The SCVAPP has a leadership team with representatives from the County and the Authority as well as technical panels that advise the process and include members from the farming community and representatives from local stakeholder agencies, including Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Jose and the District. ...
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