Agenda

Return

C. 52

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	March 7, 2017

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

CoCo San Sustainable Farm

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/07/2017

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor

Contact:

Rich Seithel, 925-674-7869

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 7, 2017
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to execute a contract with AgLantis, a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $50,000 to assemble an Agra Tech Solar Light Greenhouse for the CoCo San Sustainable Farm project for the period March 7, 2017 through March 6, 2019, as recommended by Supervisor Federal Glover and Supervisor Karen Mitchoff.

FISCAL IMPACT:

None to the General Fund. $50,000 from the Livable Communities Trust (50% District IV; 50% District V) will be allocated toward the greenhouse assembly.

BACKGROUND:

The CoCo San Sustainable Farm (Farm) project is a collaboration between AgLantis TM and Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD). AgLantis TM is a California non-profit public benefit corporation (501 c-3 EIN 46-463443-0). The Farm is located within Contra Costa County's designated Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative (NWEDI) area. The Farm is a replicable model for healthy, fresh, sustainably produced, local produce using otherwise under-utilized public resources. The Farm will grow produce on 15 acres of under-utilized public buffer land (CCCSD) and in a high-tech AgraTech, Inc. Solar Light commercial greenhouse that was donated by AgraTech, Inc., based in Pittsburg, California. The Farm will also be utilizing recycled, agricultural-grade water that would otherwise be discharged into the Bay.

The Farm is being developed to provide low cost sustainably grown produce to schools, the Contra Costa Food Bank, and the community. The Contra Costa Food Bank, which is approximately a mile from the Farm, will pick up the produce and use existing systems to distribute it to schools and clients. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) boxes from the Farm will provide low cost produce to the community.

Another goal of the Farm is education. Many aspects of science and engineering touch a farm: physics, soil science (including carbon sequestration in soil), hydrology, meteorology, nutrition, mechanical and electrical engineering. The Farm will be working with local educators and businesses, such as Tesoro, and programs such as the city of Pittsburg's Future Build program, to integrate the farm into teaching modern methods of sustainable agriculture and food systems, as well as, science, engineering, construction, and safety.

The Farm will also be an incubator for green jobs. In addition, the Farm intends to partner with other local businesses to showcase their products and teach aspects of jobs related to those industries.

This community urban farm project is primarily financed through donations of services and funds. Contributing donors include: CCCSD; AgraTech, Inc.; Tesoro; Republic Services; County Quarry; PG&E; Davey Tree Service; EcoMulch; Discovery Homes; and, Trial Whisperer. The $50,000 from the Livable Communities Trust will provide funds for the assembly of the donated Agra Tech solar greenhouse.

The Livable Communities Trust Fund was established to implement the County's Smart Growth Action Plan. Goals of the Action Plan relevant to the Farm are the following: 1) promote innovative land use planning and design principles (greenhouse production not only produces up to forty times the volume of food at one tenth the water use, they also provide an interim, productive use of underutilized industrial land in the NWEDI area); and 2) promote economic revitalization (the Farm provides: workforce training; incubator for green jobs; jobs; and a replicable food production template for food-processing manufacturing value-chains as identified in the NWEDI report).

In reviewing the purpose of the Fund, the Board of Supervisors determined on December 3, 2013 that “the goal shall be to spend the money equally among supervisorial districts.” At build-out of the development projects contributing revenue to the Fund, deposits to the Fund will total $8,448,000. As of February 6, 2017 the fund balance is $7,532,189. The interest-bearing account has earned over $300,000 in interest to date. So far, one expenditure has been made from the Fund (a $250,000 expenditure approved on October 22, 2013 for the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative). Another expenditure was authorized on June 14, 2016 with $1,432,830 from the District I portion providing matching funds for the development of the Heritage Point affordable housing project in North Richmond. Two additional proposals to authorize expenditure of up to a total of $400,000 from the District III portion were authorized on December 20, 2016 for a feasibility study for the Marsh Creek Corridor Multi-Use Trail and to review and update land use policies related to agriculture.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If funding is not allocated, the raising of the greenhouse will be delayed, jeopardizing the timely promotional benefits of a completed collaborative green project, as well as, delaying the provision of food to the school district and Contra Costa Food Bank.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

This project will provide food to the Mt. Diablo School District, and supports the following children programs' outcomes: Children Ready for and Succeeding in School; Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood; Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.