The Fresno City Council has rejected a proposal to move forward with an effort to preserve area farmland from development.
The council voted down the proposed grant application today to start a farmland preservation program, which is key part of the city’s newly adopted general plan.
The program would require developers to offset the loss of farmland from urbanization by agreeing to preserve farmland elsewhere.
Council member Lee Brand says he wants more public input before committing to such a program.
According to the American Farmland Trust, Fresno County has the smallest amount of farmland held under conservation easements in the valley, while the amount of farmland converted to development from 1990 to 2008 was among the highest.