Permissive growth policies may encourage speculative investment in farmland

Rapid urban growth throughout much of California threatens agricultural land. This study of five cities in Ventura County, east of Los Angeles, indicates that traditional land use policies such as greenbelts or buffers are not effective in protecting farmland. They do not provide consistent protection from; town to town, and can also be overridden by powerful development interests that buy farmland in advance of requirements, often in areas that are most vulnerable to land use regulation changes. Market prices for land shape the implementation of policies; the designation of greenbelts is not a guarantee against development. Policies that accommodate market forces must be developed, and may include consistent enforcing of zoning.