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Category: Agriculture

  • Check The Box, Yolo Capay’s Hungry Hollow Farms are in a Water Crises

    Check the box

    By Scott Steward

    We have a Groundwater Sustainability Agency called the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency (YSGA).  Evidently, the word "Sustainability" is optional when considering well permits in Yolo County, as Annie Main found out after a 2-year struggle to point out the obvious to the Yolo County Supervisors who voted 3 to 2 on April 8th last week to add another high capacity 350 gallons per minute corporate well to further drain Hungry Hollow's already well documented declining water table.  The Boundary Bend well could mean the end of her Good Humus third-generation farm.  What's worse, there are four more deep well applications on the way to Hungry Hollow.

    You can't see our groundwater, but according to our Groundwater Sustainability Agency there are 346,000 acre feet that can be drawn from our 540,000 acres of ag land. That's 2.6 billion bathtubs worth of water.  That's our budget; use more and our invisible mega bathtub might not re-fill as high – ever.  Consider Annie Main, the most recent canary in a long line of canaries in the water coal mine, Yolo County the aquifer of choice for corporate tree crops (olives and nuts) and our County Supervisors, for now, the court of last resort.  

    Hungry Hollow family farmers like Annie Main of Good Humus are under threat of disappearing. Her area of land is in a designated "Focus Area." Focus Areas are so named because of the historical steady Hungry Hollow drop in the water table and because it's taking forever to get decent monitoring wells into place to "understand" what locals have been saying for the last two decades (no more additional well capacity!).  

    State and local water policy that was not enforced on April 8th.

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  • Errant Water Permit Puts Good Humus Farm at Risk

    Good humus at risk

    By Scott Steward

    Boundary Bend was cited by the County in August 2023 for its non-permitted well drilling in the Hungary Hollow region of Capay Valley. So how, after two years of evidence showing that the well is out of compliance, is County staff recommending upholding Boundary Bends agricultural well permit # 23-022W?  The County and Boundary Bend know that the new well is too big and too close to Good Humus farm. 

    Good Humus and other family farms have already had to modify their wells to sustain their table crop farms. Nearly three generations of care have gone into the land craft of organic farming in Hungary Hollow. Without much help, these farms have entered our region's food markets and succeeded in producing some of the healthiest food on earth. Capay has inspired farm-to-fork land care nationally.  

    Boundary Bend (application #23-022W) took advantage of one-time replacement well criteria that the county was obliged to put in place for farms and residents short on water following the seven-year drought. Replacement well designation was allowed for existing agricultural operations and drinking water. Boundary Bend did not meet the criteria for a replacement well. Instead of reapplying as a new well, Boundary hired lawyers at Kronick to lean on the county.

    Here are some of the facts that show that Boundary Bend application #23-022W did not and does not qualify for the approved "replacement well" status. The application:

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  • Draft EIR for Village Farms released for public comment

    Screen Shot 2025-02-02 at 3.24.20 PM
    The project site is bounded by Pole Line Road to the east; East Covell Boulevard to the south; the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) mainline, F Street, and Cannery development to the west; and Davis Paintball, Blue Max Kart Club, and agricultural land to the north.


    By Roberta Millstein

    On January 7, the City of Davis released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Village Farms Davis Project for public review.  The approximately 497.6-acre project site is located north of East Covell Boulevard, east of F Street, and west of Pole Line Road in a currently unincorporated portion of Yolo County, California.  The City has invited public comment on this document for a 45-day period extending from January 7, 2025 through February 25, 2025. (Sorry for the late notice, but there is still time to submit comments).  EIRs are part of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process.

    The DEIR materials can be found within the ‘CEQA Documents and Information’ tab at: https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/community-development/development-projects/village-farms-davis

    It's a very long document, but citizens can start with:

    And then, you can peruse particular areas of interest or concern:

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  • Update on Suisun City’s Council Meeting on Expanding City Boundaries and Exploring Land Annexation

    SolanoMap

    By Nate Huntington
    Solano Together Coalition Member

    Thank you to those who showed up last week at the Suisun City Council meeting to voice your concerns about the discussion on expanding city boundaries and exploring land annexation.  

    In Short: Last Tuesday, January 21, the Suisun City Council voted 4-1 to “provide direction to staff to explore strategic opportunities for expanding Suisun City’s boundaries and advancing the goals outlined in the Resiliency Plan.”

    Right before the meeting, Solano Together sent out an action alert urging supporters to attend and voice their concern for the lack of government transparency and the intention to expand boundaries into parcels in the Sphere of Influence—defined as a boundary that shows the probable future service area and physical boundaries of a local agency. We also had representatives in attendance for public comment.

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  • Palomino Place Project receiving comments on environmental impact report until Sep 23

    By Roberta Millstein

    Screen Shot 2024-09-02 at 1.29.22 PMA Davisite reader sent me the following information.  Until that point, I hadn't realized that comments were being sought on the environmental impact report for the proposed Palomino Place Project, so I thought I would share the information with other Davisites, too.  I haven't seen anything in the Davis Enterprise or Vanguard about it (though it is possible I just missed it).

    Apparently, the draft Subsequent EIR ("subsequent" to the EIR from 2009) for the Palomino Place Project has been available since early August. Comments on the draft are due September 23. Comments would typically point out errors, inconsistencies, omissions of data or analyses, conclusions not based on evidence, or failures to provide discussion required by CEQA.

    As the post below indicates, there is also a public meeting about the project on Sep. 11.

    City link to Palomino Place documents:

    https://www.cityofdavis.org/city-hall/community-development-and-sustainability/development-projects/palomino-place

    Draft Subsequent EIR released August 2024:

    https://documents.cityofdavis.org/Media/Default/Documents/PDF/CDD/Planning/Special-Projects/Palomino-Place-2023/Supplemental%20EIR/Draft-Palomino-Place-SEIR-August%202024.pdf

    Notice of Availability (NOA) of Palomino Place Subsequent EIR:

    https://documents.cityofdavis.org/Media/Default/Documents/PDF/CDD/Planning/Special-Projects/Palomino-Place-2023/Supplemental%20EIR/NOA-20240807-Palomino-Place-SEIR.pdf

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  • Reminder: still time for citizens to give input on environmental review of “Shriner’s” project

    Location of proposed Shriners project

    Comments are due by Monday, August 12.  Details are on this earlier post:

    https://newdavisite.wordpress.com/2024/07/14/notice-of-preparation-nop-for-so-called-shriners-property-project/

    You can send your input, comments or responses (including the name for a contact person in your agency) to:

    Attn: Dara Dungworth, Principal Planner
    City of Davis Department of Community Development and Sustainability
    23 Russell Boulevard
    Davis, CA 95616
    ddungworth@cityofdavis.org

  • New Commissions are Opportunity for more public participation and Innovation

    By Alan Hirsch, Davis Lorax

    The controversial city council plan for commission consolidation and refocus is going into effect this summer. This is a rare opportunity for reform I hope is not missed. 

    Let us begin by restating the overarching goals council set forward in this reform: 

    Davis Council Resolution 24-079 May 2024

    Guiding Principle for New Commission Structure

    . City Commissions should act at all times with the understanding that guiding principles are at the core of their work.

    1. Promote and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion
    2. Prioritize environmental and social justice
    3. Make space for community engagement
    4. Balance environmental and fiscal sustainability
    5. Strive for innovation and human progress

    The first meeting of the new Climate and Environmental Justice Commission on 7/22 Monday is precedent setting as it can begin to put implementation meat on the bone of these principles by:

    1. Better Prioritize Environmental  Justice than in the past  (principal B)
    2. Change meeting practices to allow more public participation. (principle A & C)  
    3. Speed surfacing of new ideas and follow through on their implementation.  (principle E

    As a first step in embracing council principles for this reorganization,  I suggest the  commission’s pass a resolution to  establish these ground rules for operation

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  • Notice of Preparation (NOP) for so-called “Shriners Property Project”

    Location of proposed project

    Window opens for citizen input on the scope of the environmental analysis

    By Roberta Millstein

    Another step has been taken for a proposed housing project to the east of Wildhorse, near the Mace Curve, using the misleading name “Shriners Property Project” (misleading because the project has no current connection to the Shriners).  The site is approximately 232 acres and is currently being farmed.  The developers are proposing a 1,200-unit residential community.

    Because the land is zoned for agriculture and is outside of the current City limits, it will eventually be subject to a Measure J/R/D vote of Davis’s citizens.  But first, it must undergo environmental review to produce an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and before that happens, the scope of the review must be decided on. That’s the stage we’re at now – the comment period for citizens and groups to give input on the scope and content of the environmental information to be obtained opened on July 12 and will continue through August 12.  

    Further details of the project and the scope of review can be found here:

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  • Picnic in the Park returns to Davis on May 1

    PIP2023

    Patrons enjoy the first Picnic in the Park of the 2023 season. The annual Davis Farmers Market tradition returns in May, and runs every Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. through September in Central Park. (Wendy Weitzel/Courtesy photo)

    (From press release) The music, food and family fun of Picnic in the Park returns to the Davis Farmers Market on May 1.

    The popular event is every Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m., May through September. A local band plays each night. There’s children’s entertainment, loads of food vendors, and plenty of opportunity to gather as a community. October through April, there’s a traditional farmers market on Wednesdays, from 3 to 6 p.m.

    Upcoming bands on the 2024 Picnic in the Park schedule are: Cold Shot (dance party) on May 1; 5-Star Alcatraz (indie, alt rock) on May 8; Kindred Spirits (folk rock) on May 15; Penny Lane (Beatles) on May 22; According to Bazooka (indie, folk, pop) on May 29; The Teds (rock) on June 5; Island Crew (beach tunes) on June 12; and Julie and the Jukes (classic blues) on June 19. Bands are still being booked through September. Check the entertainment schedule at https://www.davisfarmersmarket.org/entertainment-schedule/.

    Tables and chairs in the Market Food Court are sponsored by A Grand Affair Party and Event Rentals. They are for use while enjoying market-purchased food. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for picnicking on the lawn.

    During operating hours, the market will have an open-container permit, allowing patrons to consume alcohol, whether it’s canned beer from one of the four Davis breweries rotating each week, a bottle of wine from Heringer Estates, or a beverage they brought from home. Check the brewery rotation schedule at https://www.davisfarmersmarket.org/2024-beer-schedule/.

    Picnic in the Park will focus on family-friendly children’s activities and music, along with a wide range of food made from market ingredients. There is a clown, face-painter and children’s activities. The Davis Schools Foundation is organizing the pedal-powered carousel.

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  • Three Davis Farmers Market vendors featured in new Food Network show

    BiteGroup

    Contestants and judges pose with Guy Fieri on Aug. 1, the day the “Best Bite in Town” was filmed in Davis’ Central Park (Courtesy photo)

    (From press release) Six Davis restaurants are featured in the premiere of Food Network’s newest series “Best Bite in Town,” which airs Sunday, April 7 at 10 p.m. Three of those restaurants are vendors at the Davis Farmers Market, and will be available at the Saturday, April 6 market in downtown Davis.

    The six restaurants are Handheld Sweet & Savory Pies, Hikari Sushi & Omakase, The Hotdogger, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Tommy J’s Grill and Zumapoke. From 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Handheld, The Hotdogger and Zumapoke will be at the Davis Farmers Market, in Central Park, 301 C St. in Davis. The park is where the competition segment of the show was filmed. The winner will not be announced before it airs.

    For the show, filmed in late July and early August, Guy Fieri sends a trio of judges, his buddy Noah Cappe and acclaimed chefs Tiffani Faison and Jet Tila, to hit the food scene in Davis. Each judge selects two restaurants, trying everything from college hangouts and local pubs to bicycle-friendly eateries and high-end sushi. After tasting a wide variety of delicious food, they select one dish each to take to a crowd-packed showcase in Central Park where a panel of Fieri judges taste and determine which restaurant has the best bite in town.

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