Sonoma County Offers Lessons In Preserving Land

Ventura County's land conservation district is modeled on the plan for a similar district in Sonoma County. In order to succeed, Ventura officials must first establish a clear definition of what types of land will be preserved, which may include farmland,greenbelts, ecological preserves and public parks. Polls show that voters strongly support the land protections and are willing to pay for them. County officials, however, must first convince ranchers to sell their development rights. The creation of the land conservation district will augment growth controls as a method of preserving open space and shaping future development in Ventura County.

Thanks to California Policy Forum