At Risk in Solano County

Les Barclay, a Bay Area native, once lived in Hawaii but he missed northern California’s weather, trails, 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 wildlife. “I’m an outdoor enthusiast,” he says. “The Bay Area has the most diverse land that is protected of any urban area.” A member of the Native Plant Society, he often hikes in Rockville Hills Regional Park.

He bought a 16-acrea unit of area used in land measurement and equal to 43,560 square feet. This is approximately equivalent to 4,840 square yards, 160 square rods, 0.405 hectares, and 4,047 square meters. walnut farm outside Fairfield in 2000. The nuts are harvested in October and taken to a processing facility in the central valley. The shortage of nearby processing plants is a challenge he shares with others. “The price of fuel means the driver has increased what he charges us,” Les says.

He’s seen a lot of change in Solano County, including some poorly planned growth. He credits Solano’s Orderly Growth Initiative, originally approved in 1984 and renewed by voters in 2008, for protecting agricultural land. “It’s the primary reason Solano has its beautiful, uncluttered 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. between cities,” he says.

The renewal of the initiative was a fight, and Les helped write letters to the editor and met with growers to explain the benefits of the measure. It passed with nearly 70% of the vote. The Orderly Growth Initiative is the main reason that 73% of Solano’s greenbelt lands enjoy a high level of protection.

Yet over 30,800 acres remain at high and medium risk of development in the county. The Dixon Ridge area outside the city is some of the Bay Area’s best farmland. Dixon—located along the I-80 corridor within easy commuting distance of Sacramento—lacks an urban growth boundaryAn urban growth boundary defines where development should and should not happen. The line circumscribes an entire urbanized area and is used by local governments to guide land-use decisions., leaving adjacent agricultural land vulnerable to 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..

Solano County is expanding opportunities for agri-tourism as a way to generate revenue. The only county in the Bay Area without an 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. District, Solano could add one to help protect its natural areas as well as promote its agricultural heritage.