 Click image to see large Bay Area Lands At Risk Map |
 Click image to see large Bay Area Policy Protection Map |
At risk: SprawlThe process in which the spread of development across the landscape far outpaces population growth. The landscape sprawl creates has four characteristics: a population that is widely dispersed in low-density development; rigid separation of uses, so that homes, commerce and workplaces are segregated from one another; a network of roads laid out to separate land into huge blocks and offering poor access; and a lack of well-defined, thriving activity centers, such as downtowns and town centers. Most of the other features usually associated with sprawl – a lack of transportation choices, relative uniformity of housing options, and difficulty walking from place to place – result from these conditions. development persists, threatening valuable lands
The geography of the San Francisco Bay Area defines this region, with rising ridges and verdant valleys. The nine counties that ring the Bay total 4.5 million acres of land, with 788,500 acres of cities and towns.
The slide in the real estate market has had the side effect of easing pressure to build on open spaceAny parcelA lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open space use for the purposes of (1) the preservation of natural resources, (2) the managed production of resources, (3) outdoor recreation, or (4) public health and safety. and increasing opportunities to permanently protect these lands through acquisition. As a result of these factors, in combination with protection policies, the amount of land at high and medium risk of development is down by 20%, or 78,500 acres, since 2006.
Nonetheless, fertile valleys remain under threat from large urban expansion projects, and rural sprawlThe process in which the spread of development across the landscape far outpaces population growth. The landscape sprawl creates has four characteristics: a population that is widely dispersed in low-density development; rigid separation of uses, so that homes, commerce and workplaces are segregated from one another; a network of roads laid out to separate land into huge blocks and offering poor access; and a lack of well-defined, thriving activity centers, such as downtowns and town centers. Most of the other features usually associated with sprawl – a lack of transportation choices, relative uniformity of housing options, and difficulty walking from place to place – result from these conditions. and high-end estate homes continue to gobble up arable land and hillsides. As a result, 322,800 acres remain at risk of development in the Bay Area. Of those acres, 77,300 are at high risk (likely to be developed within 10 years) and 245,500 are at medium risk (likely to be developed in 30 years). This threat remains highest in the flat lands and agricultural valleys of Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties and on the vast acreage of unprotected land in Sonoma County. The County pages [See left sidebar menu] highlight specific places that are at risk for sprawlThe process in which the spread of development across the landscape far outpaces population growth. The landscape sprawl creates has four characteristics: a population that is widely dispersed in low-density development; rigid separation of uses, so that homes, commerce and workplaces are segregated from one another; a network of roads laid out to separate land into huge blocks and offering poor access; and a lack of well-defined, thriving activity centers, such as downtowns and town centers. Most of the other features usually associated with sprawl – a lack of transportation choices, relative uniformity of housing options, and difficulty walking from place to place – result from these conditions. development throughout the region.
Policy protection: Good measures protect lands, yet require vigilance
For a long time, buying land has not been the only way to stop sprawlThe process in which the spread of development across the landscape far outpaces population growth. The landscape sprawl creates has four characteristics: a population that is widely dispersed in low-density development; rigid separation of uses, so that homes, commerce and workplaces are segregated from one another; a network of roads laid out to separate land into huge blocks and offering poor access; and a lack of well-defined, thriving activity centers, such as downtowns and town centers. Most of the other features usually associated with sprawl – a lack of transportation choices, relative uniformity of housing options, and difficulty walking from place to place – result from these conditions.. Good growth managementA local program limiting the rate of community growth. Communities use a wide range of techniques to determine the amount, type, and rate of development desired by the community and to channel that growth into designated areas. Growth management policies can be implemented through growth rates, zoningThe division of a city or county by legislative regulations into areas, or zones, which specify allowable uses for real property and size restrictions for buildings within these areas; a program that implements policies of the general plan., capital improvement programs, public facilities ordinances, urban limit lines, standards for levels of service, and other programs. Examples include an annual cap on the number of building permits issued, tying new development intensityThe degree to which land is used. 0ften used interchangeably with densityThe amount of development per acre permitted on a parcelA lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. under the applicable zoning., intensity has a broader — though less clear — meaning, referring to levels of concentration or activity in uses such as residentialLand designated in the city or county general plan and zoning ordinance for buildings consisting only of dwelling units. May be improved, vacant, or unimproved., commercialA land use classification that permits facilities for the buying and selling of commodities and services., industrialThe manufacture, production, and processing of consumer goods. Industrial is often divided into "heavy industrial" uses (such as construction yards, quarrying, and factories) and "light industrial" uses (such as research and development and less intensive warehousing and manufacturing)., agricultural, recreation or parking. to infrastructureA general term for public (and quasi-public) services and facilities, such as sewage-disposal systems, water-supply systems, other utility systems, and roads. capacity, or limiting the location of new development. (See Congestion management plan.) measures protect almost 2 million more acres, with 998,100 of those acres at a high level of protection and 1,108,500 acres at a medium level of protection. These measures ensure that farmers can grow crops in fertile soil, ranchers can graze cattle, animals can live unthreatened in the natural world, and people can hike ridgelines.
Greenbelt Alliance and others have worked for decades to pass growth managementA local program limiting the rate of community growth. Communities use a wide range of techniques to determine the amount, type, and rate of development desired by the community and to channel that growth into designated areas. Growth management policies can be implemented through growth rates, zoningThe division of a city or county by legislative regulations into areas, or zones, which specify allowable uses for real property and size restrictions for buildings within these areas; a program that implements policies of the general plan., capital improvement programs, public facilities ordinances, urban limit lines, standards for levels of service, and other programs. Examples include an annual cap on the number of building permits issued, tying new development intensityThe degree to which land is used. 0ften used interchangeably with densityThe amount of development per acre permitted on a parcelA lot, or contiguous group of lots, in single ownership or under single control, usually considered a unit for purposes of development. under the applicable zoning., intensity has a broader — though less clear — meaning, referring to levels of concentration or activity in uses such as residentialLand designated in the city or county general plan and zoning ordinance for buildings consisting only of dwelling units. May be improved, vacant, or unimproved., commercialA land use classification that permits facilities for the buying and selling of commodities and services., industrialThe manufacture, production, and processing of consumer goods. Industrial is often divided into "heavy industrial" uses (such as construction yards, quarrying, and factories) and "light industrial" uses (such as research and development and less intensive warehousing and manufacturing)., agricultural, recreation or parking. to infrastructureA general term for public (and quasi-public) services and facilities, such as sewage-disposal systems, water-supply systems, other utility systems, and roads. capacity, or limiting the location of new development. (See Congestion management plan.) measures to protect lands. In some cases, voters approved rules such as urban growth boundaries that draw a line defining where development should and should not go. Other effective policies that have slowed sprawlThe process in which the spread of development across the landscape far outpaces population growth. The landscape sprawl creates has four characteristics: a population that is widely dispersed in low-density development; rigid separation of uses, so that homes, commerce and workplaces are segregated from one another; a network of roads laid out to separate land into huge blocks and offering poor access; and a lack of well-defined, thriving activity centers, such as downtowns and town centers. Most of the other features usually associated with sprawl – a lack of transportation choices, relative uniformity of housing options, and difficulty walking from place to place – result from these conditions. are agricultural protection measures that require voter approval to re-zoneany continuous tract or area that differs in some respect, or is distinguished for some purpose, from adjoining tracts or areas, or within which certain distinctive circumstances exist or are established. farms and ranches for development, and hillside ordinances that demand city review before a building permit is issued. Solano County’s 2008 renewal of its Orderly Growth Initiative protected 340,700 acres of agricultural lands. And Sonoma County now has urban growth boundaries around every city in the county, thanks to the adoption of Cloverdale’s boundary in 2010.
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