Doesn Measure J provide permanent protection for farmland?
Land use controls, while an important tool for land protection, do not provide the permanent protection that acquisition of land or conservation easements do. Acquisition is a “third leg of the stool,” along with general plans and zoning. Measure J, a unique land use ordinance approved countywide in 1978, restricts the use of agricultural land in the unincorporated areas and ensures it cannot be converted to non-agricultural use. Measure J applies only to the unincorporated areas and once land is annexed into a city, Measure J no longer applies. Measure J does not limit the development of existing agricultural parcels for the purpose of developing single-family homes otherwise allowed by zoning. 12. Shouldn’t we spend our money on more urgent projects? In these challenging economic times, many people understandably ask whether conservation should be a priority. Our nation and state have a history of looking beyond the immediate economic conditions to invest in the protection of natural
