Agriculture Discussion Summary Notes: April 7, 2006
Opportunities
- Education about the Delta and its resources
- Potential tax revenue (levee maintenance)
- Wine/Ag Trail links
- Network of sites including links by car
- Transportation option
- Enhancement of existing wildlife/habitat public areas, including Stone Lakes, Sherman Island, Vic Fazio Wildlife Area, Yolo Wildlife Management area and other sites maintained by BLM, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, USFWS and F&G.
- Funding for Delta resources (mitigation, grants and bonds)
- Expansion of Bay Trail funding sources (long-term)
- Integration with county park master plans and funding sources
Concerns
- Identification of feasible and appropriate links (public/private)
- Potential impacts to ag operations (spraying, etc.)
- Public safety and liability
- Potential for concentrated population uses and intensified levee/roadway use
- Potential impacts to Williamson Act Lands
- Need to take into consideration all five county perspectives (ag, etc.); need to have one-on-one discussions
- Potential impacts to emergency maintenance activities on levees
- Ag and water interests need to be represented on Policy Committee (State Farm Bureau/State Food & Ag)
- Need to clarify roles of planning and stakeholder groups
- Maintenance funding needs to be identified
- Ag needs to be emphasized more as it appears somewhat overlooked in existing bill language
- Equestrian and bike uses don’t mix, although both should be accommodated
- Potential for incompatibility of public access over private lands with flood control/levee easements or lands owned by reclamation districts (digging and disturbance of rip-rap, fires, theft, destruction of property such as pumps, trash, disposal of toxic materials and safety)
- Increased demands on local law enforcement and emergency response agencies (especially in remote areas)
- Include Farm Bureau Executive Directors and Board Members, Ag Commissioners, and California Farm Bureau in process
- Potential eco-security issues
- Threats to wildlife • Eminent domain should be avoided
- Potential urban/boater impacts to ag land
- Trail related Infrastructure costs and maintenance costs considering there is little or no money available to maintain existing public facilities.
- Increased public access on already weak levees
Legislation
- Name of trail open to recommendations
- 2008 will be changed to 2010
- Intended links to existing (and planning stage) areas
- Policy Committee intended as structure/Advisory intended desires but both are equal (additional language needed to clarify)
- Sensitivity should reference “other private uses.”
- Anticipated funding needs of $3-6 million, including CEQA process/documentation
- Use of General Fund monies not intended
- Concept “planning” not development
Attendees/Commentors
- Dick Marshall, Northern Delta Water Agencies
- Russell Van Loben Sels, Board Member, Sacramento County Farm Bureau
- Topper Van Loben Sels, Reclamation District/DPC
- Frank Carl, Sacramento County Ag Commissioner
- Charlotte Mitchell, Executive Director, Sacramento County Farm Bureau
- Denny Lewis, Director of Government Affairs & Water Issues, Sac. County Farm Bureau
- John Herrick, South Delta Water Agencies
