Farmers, ranchers, landowners, home builders, and rural
residents expressed concerns about the Santa Clara Valley Habitat
Conservation Plan, which is intended to provide a framework for
promoting the protection and recovery of natural resources,
especially endangered species, while streamlining the permitting
process for planned development, infrastructure and maintenance
activities.
Farmers, ranchers, landowners, home builders, and rural residents expressed concerns about the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Conservation Plan, which is intended to provide a framework for promoting the protection and recovery of natural resources, especially endangered species, while streamlining the permitting process for planned development, infrastructure and maintenance activities.
Concerns with the plan, expressed by about 50 people, including many Farm Bureau members at a public meeting in Morgan Hill Wednesday, generally related to its costs, the impact it will have on agricultural activities and the lack of public input. The plan is estimated to cost nearly $1 billion over the 50-year term, primarily funded by development fees ranging from $19,720 an acre for ranchlands, $13,790 an acre for farmland, and $4,930 an acre in developed areas. Plan approval rests with the participating local partners: the cities of Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Jose, Santa Clara County, the Santa Clara Valley Water District and Valley Transit Authority, and will not include a vote of the public.
The Farm Bureau says it remains actively engaged in the Habitat Conservation Plan, “seeking positive changes to the plan and communicating the concerns,” according to a Farm Bureau news release.
Details: www.scv-habitatplan.org.
