A Feasibility Study for Urban Edge Agricultural Parks - SAGE

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seeking to develop effective collaborative agricultural enterprise and sub-leasingprograms.• Urban edge locations are particularly valued by emerging local-food systemsconnections.Challenges:• The high value of urban edge land in the Bay Area can make costs prohibitive toagriculture.• Development pressures and local politics create a climate with a lowprioritization of agricultural land use.• Length of planning process has been a consideration in site selection, as anumber of the potential sites may or may not be available after longer-termplanning and legislative considerations.• Alternately, rapid sales and development prevent the consideration of moreunconventional and innovative planning processes such as the AgPark model.• Water and resource allotment is a challenge in the Bay Area as with everywherein California.Next StepsFocus Groups to Test Producer NeedsThe research for this Study indicated that while there are numerous small farmerswith limited resources and “aspiring” farmers living in urban areas, connectingthese AgPark tenants to a specific site would require additional consumer research.Because each potential site is so unique in terms of location, farming capacity, andtiming of availability, and lease costs/terms are not certain, producers were notable to indicate strong interest sufficient to demonstrate the viability of the concept.At the same time, landowner confidentiality prevented providing specificinformation to producers in writing.To explore this issue further, it is recommended that a series of focus groups beconducted with small groups of potential tenants. The focus group format shouldcommence with a site-specific tour, presentation of the land plan and managementplan concepts, and any additional available information regarding capacity andtiming. In this format, a discussion with the producer groups can then beconducted in confidence, to obtain more concrete information regarding concerns,interest, issues, etc.Economic Analysis of Small Scale Farming atthe Urban EdgeThe producer surveys and other research for this Study indicated that there islimited information available to support the position that small-scale farming makeseconomic sense on the Central Coast and Bay Area of California. There is a realDRAFT 1.6.05 8
need for an economic study of small scale farm profitability (1-20 acres) for variouscrops and markets, perhaps in the form of a spreadsheet that shows the break evenpoint depending on the crop, acreage, diversity and access to markets.Business Plan To Detail Management andOperationsFinally, the two feasibility studies provided in this report and the Coyote ValleyGreenbelt Research report (pending) outline the issues and opportunities offered byMartial Cottle Park, Ardenwood, and Coyote Valley Greenbelt.At this point, Martial Cottle Park offers the most advantages in terms of near-termimplementation of the AgPark concept. The Santa Clara County Parks andRecreation Department will soon be undertaking an extensive master planningeffort for this site as part of a larger area, and is seeking detailed business planningto initiatiate a workable lease and management arrangement for its agriculturalholdings. A second grant from USDA to conduct the Phase II Feasibility Study andBusiness Plan will be applied to this location to set the stage for near-termimplementation.DRAFT 1.6.05 9
Page 1 and 2: DRAFTURBAN EDGEAGRICULTURAL PARKSFE
Page 3 and 4: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYOverview of AgPark
Page 5: Farmworker Housing on the Rural/Urb
Page 12: INTRODUCTIONHistory of Collective F
Page 15 and 16: Contemporary Models of Agricultural
Page 17 and 18: accommodations, value-added product
Page 19 and 20: 45%, from 5,347 in 1997 to 7,771 in
Page 21 and 22: information about each site include
Page 23 and 24: undertaken. It may be best to furth
Page 25 and 26: IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL AGPARK
Page 27 and 28: SONOMA COUNTYLaguna Farm 80-acre 3
Page 29 and 30: The above examples reflect a range
Page 31 and 32: MARTIAL COTTLE PARK FEASIBILITY STU
Page 33 and 34: Median household income in the neig
Page 35 and 36: • Relationship to surrounding nei
Page 37 and 38: • Education/Research Center: 4-H,
Page 39 and 40: Management and DevelopmentRole of S
Page 41 and 42: Beyond the capital costs for the in
Page 43 and 44: ConclusionThis property has great p
Page 45 and 46: Ardenwood Historic Farm is the rema
Page 47 and 48: • Establish Ardenwood as a vibran
Page 49 and 50: These ideas complement and build on
Page 51 and 52: • Farmer Housing: None proposed.
Page 53 and 54: ConclusionsThis project identified
Page 55 and 56: Appendix A: Overview of Ag Park Mod
Page 57 and 58: The National Trust(England, Wales,N
Page 59 and 60: Crystal Waters Village(Malaney, pop
Page 61 and 62:
McBryde AgriculturalPark (Kauai, HI
Page 63 and 64:
Farm worker Housing on Rural/Urban
Page 65 and 66:
Occidental Arts& EcologyCenter(Occi
Page 67 and 68:
The FarmSchool (Athol,MA)Privatelyo
Page 69 and 70:
To ensure conservation in perpetuit
Page 71 and 72:
King County FarmlandPreservation Pr
Page 73 and 74:
development.Economics/Sources of Fu
Page 75 and 76:
In 2001, the Trust advanced a susta
Page 77 and 78:
LandThe cooperatives have sought la
Page 79 and 80:
ALBA’s Farm Training andResearch
Page 81 and 82:
• “ALBA Organics” distributio
Page 83 and 84:
in addition to herbs, flowers, and
Page 85 and 86:
APPENDIX C: FUNDING SOURCES FOR AGP
Page 87 and 88:
Public Support for FarmlandPreserva
Page 89 and 90:
transactions. Transaction types wil
Page 91 and 92:
Affordable Rural Housing Grant andL
Page 93 and 94:
farm" program, established farmers
Page 95 and 96:
Appendix D: Producer Survey Instrum
Page 97 and 98:
12. Would you be interested and wil
Page 99 and 100:
Feasibility Study for Urban Edge Ag
Page 101:
Site BLocationFremont, adjacent to
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A Feasibility Study for Urban Edge Agricultural Parks - SAGE

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