Agriculture, SOAR and the General Plan Update

When the County SOAR ordinance was passed in 2016, the voters were assured through glossy mailers that the purpose was to “save agriculture” and many were convinced it would be helpful for farmers. Now that the no-growth mandate has been adopted until 2050 countywide, we are seeing less recognition and support for solutions from elected…

Read More

CoLAB-organized meeting with water users, NOAA sees results

VC CoLAB organized a highly anticipated meeting on August 8 between local water users, businesses, organized labor and managers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The meeting produced a valuable discussion over balancing competing needs for water from the Santa Clara River including water supply for cities, farms and other businesses, and protection…

Read More

County Must Clear the Way for New Farmworker Housing Projects

While the severe lack of suitable housing for farmworkers has been a subject of discussion in county meetings for decades, little progress has been made for the majority of workers. This is largely due to regulations that prevent farmworker housing complexes from being approved in unincorporated areas even though they are specifically allowed by ordinance.…

Read More