January 12, 2006

California Wine Country Plan Receives Award

WASHINGTON, DC — Faced with the potential loss of thousands of acres of prime agricultural land in the heart of an active grape-growing and wine-producing region, the City of Livermore, California, has created an innovative conservation mechanism to curb sprawl and permanently protect the community's rural heritage. For its innovative approach to balancing preservation and development, the South Livermore Valley Specific Plan is the recipient of the American Planning Association's (APA) 2006 Outstanding Planning Award for Implementation.

"This plan ensures that land critical to the valley's future as a wine-producing region is placed under permanent conservation easements and planted with vineyards or other intensive agricultural crops at the same time it allows development to continue," said Carol Rhea, AICP, chair of the APA Awards Committee. "The guiding principle is that development in the valley should be directly related to the region's rural heritage and its future as a center of viticulture," she said.

The South Livermore Valley Specific Plan will be recognized at APA's National Planning Conference during a luncheon ceremony April 25 in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, a 30-minute video about each of APA's 2006 National Planning Award recipients will be shown at the luncheon. Accomplishments of the awardees also will be highlighted in the March issue of Planning magazine and on APA's website.

To combat sprawl, the plan sets forth a vision and regulatory framework for a 2,000-acre area along the city's southern edge. A novel conservation mechanism requires that for each residential unit and each acre of land developed under the plan, an acre must be planted in vineyards or orchards and placed under permanent agricultural easement.

To ease the transition from urban to rural, the plan establishes new patterns of development at the urban edge and relies on elements of community design. The creation of conceptual plans for each sub-area allows agriculture to flow around and through the new neighborhoods. The visual and physical integration of agriculture promotes a rural ambiance in spite of suburban densities.

Adopted in 1997, the plan provides for up to 1,571 new homes on 602 acres divided among six non-contiguous sub-areas on the city's southern border. Fifteen sites, totaling 59 acres, are designated for wineries, restaurants, and other commercial uses. Now in its eighth year of implementation, the plan has resulted in the development of six new residential neighborhoods with 1,350 homes — roughly 85 percent of what is permitted — being built. The amount of land planted in vineyards and orchards is just under 5,000 acres, more than double what existed prior to plan adoption. The number of wineries has climbed from 11 to 27, and an olive mill has begun operations. At the same time more than 550 acres of open space have been preserved, and 6.5 miles of trails for pedestrian, equestrian and bicycle use are under construction.

The South Livermore Valley Specific Plan demonstrates the viability of a Smart Growth approach to curbing sprawl in areas with high land values and hot real estate markets. "As communities nationwide continue to grapple with suburban sprawl, they now have a compelling example that can be used to frame other responses to this issue," says Rhea.

The APA National Awards for Planning are part of a proud tradition established more than 50 years ago, recognizing outstanding community plans, planning programs and initiatives, public education efforts, and individuals for their leadership on planning issues.

Contact

Roberta Rewers, APA Public Affairs, 312-786-6395; rrewers@planning.org