Livermore, California
The Sunol Valley in Alameda County is a traditional agricultural and rural area where lands have mainly resisted urban pressures. Responding to community concerns, the County wished to evaluate the zoning regulations in the Sunol Valley to determine if a policy of allowing subdivision into 20-acre agricultural/residential parcels, with permanent protection of the cultivated land, would be more successful than current policies of large lot zoning. The County was interested in replicating the successful South Livermore Valley Area Plan (SLVAP) in Sunol.
EPS evaluated the marketability of 20-acre agricultural/residential parcels and their ability to promote agricultural preservation in the Sunol Valley. EPS determined that 20-acre cultivated agricultural/residential parcels could be successful in the Sunol Valley providing the program included a strong marketing campaign, strategic siting, a mature crop, and a crop cultivating service.