For over a decade, claims have been made that farming on small parcels – those that are 40 acres or less – is simply not viable in Santa Clara County. To be successful, according to this argument, farming requires much larger parcel sizes. With 83% of agricultural parcels in the county below this 40-acre threshold,...
Two weeks ago we announced that we reimagined and reshaped our Community Advocates Leadership Academy. We are pleased to announce that the application period is now open for our 2020 cohort. We encourage you to learn more about this program, apply, and share this announcement with your network. The revised CALA program will bring together and...
Committee for Green Foothills is a steadfast supporter of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and has been since this landmark environmental protection and public process law was passed by the state legislature in 1970. This is because it gives the public – and organizations like ours – the right to weigh in on the...
Last week the Board of Supervisors approved a one-time reserve of almost $5 million for farmland preservation. Although this $5 million may be reduced in the coming fiscal year to pay for other financial needs, this is still an important step forward. Please thank the Supervisors for approving this one-time funding to protect our county’s...
On May 7, we asked you to speak up for farmland preservation by asking the Board of Supervisors to allocate money to help protect local farmland at risk of sprawl. Thank you to the 249 people who emailed the Board! We’re pleased to say that progress was made, and your emails mattered. During the budget workshop,...
This Action Alert is now closed. Thank you to everyone who responded. We have been championing the preservation of farmland for decades. Now we have an important opportunity to secure funding for threatened farmland. On Monday, May 13, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will begin budget discussions. This is when the Supervisors will...
What’s Happening On Wednesday February 6, the Morgan Hill City Council directed staff to postpone starting the process for development of city-owned property in the Southeast Quadrant until Council has had the opportunity to review and discuss the City’s plan for this area. Please email the City Council to thank them for deciding to reevaluate...
On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to strengthen the protection and viability of agriculture in the County, including allocating up to $20 million annually (if available) from the year-end General Fund balance to acquire agricultural conservation easements. Please email the Supervisors to thank them for acting to preserve farmland in...
As I mentioned in a blog on May 15, we have entered into a new period for Committee for Green Foothills. We are changing how we do our work. Taking a more proactive approach on critical advocacy issues is part of that change. To move definitively in this new direction, we restructured our organization. In 2017, we...
In 2012 Gilroy’s city councilmembers chose their downtown as the preferred location for a high-speed rail (HSR) station. The community strongly supported this decision, as did Committee for Green Foothills, because it avoided the alternative location—accompanied by new urban growth —in the Agricultural Preserve to the east of the shopping outlets. Locating the station in...
You are leaving the Green Foothills website to go to our Protect Coyote Valley website.
