Rural Lands Preservation
    How many times have we thought or heard someone say......

  • Development is out of control
  • We're losing open space at an alarming rate
  • The traffic is terrible
  • Road construction is everywhere
  • Global warming is endangering the planet
  • Land taxes are becoming unbearable

    All of these things are consequences of the settlement pattern we have adopted for our communities.  It's
    called "sprawl", but it's more than just conversion of open space -- sprawl can be characterized as follows

  • Segregated land uses, requiring that people must drive someplace to do anything
  • Low density single-family homes
  • Separation of schools, workplace, shopping, and living areas
  • Lots of cars
  • Perpetual road construction
  • When land is developed, all of the open space is changed to urban uses
  • Agricultural areas are considered as reserves for future land conversion

    None of these are inevitable consequences of growth.  They are choices, which are identified and then
    written into laws.  A different outcome can be achieved simply by making different choices.  We can define
    alternatives that will significantly reduce the impacts of sprawl.
    The Alternatives:
  • Compact, mixed-use developments
  • Landscape scale planning
  • Integration of agriculture and natural systems in urban planning
  • Preservation and restoration of natural systems

    The benefits of alternative planning:

  • Less driving = lower cost of living, fewer emissions
  • Higher quality of life
  • Permanent enhancement of agriculture and natural systems at little or no cost to
    taxpayers
  • Lower land taxes

    These are short lists -- each has many more possible components.  However, the direction is
    clear -- we need to do things differently, and there are ways to move forward that lead to
    positive outcomes.

    Committee for Sustainable Treasure Coast

    The CSTC was a committee organized by Sen. Ken Pruitt to identify the ways to achieve
    sustainable development.  After meeting for almost two years, the Committee issued a report
    that can be found at SustainableTC.org.  In the report, the Rural Lands Subcommittee felt
    that three things must happen in order for agriculture to be a permanent landscape
    component.  We call them

    "The Three Things":

  • Agriculture must be profitable
  • Transfer of Development Rights programs must be successfully applied
  • The combination of expectation of future profits and the sale of
    development rights must yield an economic value to farmers that is
    equal to or greater than selling the land outright for development.

    These are discussed at length in the CSTC Report.  The challenge is to figure out how to
    achieve these three objectives. The following are a few items of interest that relate:
This?

Single family subdivisions, relatively low densities,
shopping in big boxes, and everyone has to drive
somewhere to do anything.

Local Governments must modifying their plans to
describe alternatives to Sprawl.
Or This?

Compact mixed use development pattern, with high
levels of internal trip capture, surrounded by open
space that is attached to the community.  

Agriculture is integrated with the lifestyle of the people
who live in the town.  Ag values are stacked to increase
the viability of local farms, groves, and ranches.
   "The Three Things" that are required to retain ag in the landscape:

  • Agriculture must be profitable

  • Transfer of Development Rights programs must be successfully applied

  • The combination of expectation of future profits and the sale of
    development rights must yield an economic value to farmers that is equal to
    or greater than selling the land outright for development.
    Interesting Forecast that Affects the Treasure Coast, from the 9/11/09 Kiplinger Agricultural Letter:

    It seems that there will be a "demographic bulge" as Baby Boomers leave cities over the next 10 years.   The number
    of people aged 55 to 75 in rural areas will double over that period over what would occur without the outmigration from
    cities - 30% vs 15% historically.  The Internet will allow people more mobility, so more will choose the open space,
    more affordable housing, and slower pace of the countryside.  The rise in population in rural areas will be close to 6
    million from 2000 to 2020.

    If you couple that with the trend of people moving southward, the conclusion would be that settlement in the
    countryside of sun belt states, with Florida leading the way, will increase.  It's not over because of the recession and
    housing crisis -- just delayed a bit.  Given this prediction, we have no choice but to plan accordingly.