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Draft 14. Subregional Planning Element As part of a settlement of litigation over the expansion of the Altamont Landfill, the parties to the litigation (Alameda County, Waste Management of Alameda County, and the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore, and various environmental groups) agreed that the County would charge Waste Management of Alameda County fees totaling $1.25 per ton of waste disposed at the landfill. Of that $0.75 must be spent on acquisition of open space either by purchasing land or a permanent easement. Twenty percent of that total money is to be spent in the Dublin-Pleasanton area, and the other eighty percent must be used to acquire property in eastern Alameda County within the Tri Valley. Under the terms of the agreement, the Altamont Landfill and Resource Recovery Open Space Advisory Committee (Committee) makes decisions about the expenditure of these funds, with ratification by the involved city. The City of Pleasanton has one voting member on this Committee. Since the Committee started accepting grant applications in 2004 it has funded the acquisition of two large parcels on the Pleasanton Ridge, to be incorporated into the East Bay Regional Park District's Pleasanton Ridge Park. Under the terms of the settlement, first priority for land acquisition should go to land having significant value for preservation of native biological diversity and/or wildlife habitat; and second priority of land acquisition should go to properties having significant value for visual character and/or non-motorized recreation. Agricultural Lands Major agricultural products in the Tri-Valley area include cattle grazing, hay production, and wine grapes. Urban development has replaced much of the area's productive croplands, which are relatively flat and possess the best agricultural soils. Considerable ]and remains in large-lot agricultural use, under Williamson Act preserves. Historically, owners of some parcels near existing urbanized areas have filed notices of non-renewal for their Williamson Act contracts. In early 2003, the South Livermore Valley Agricultural Land Trust initiated a strategic plautung process and its board recognized the need to have a greater conservation presence in the region. The Trust became the Tri Valley Conservancy with an expanded geographic area covering the cities of Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and San Ramon along with a portion of Sunol. Working with willing ]andowners, the Conservanry acquires property development rights through the legal arrangement of a conservation easement that protects the property from future development. Within the Tri-Valley area, the Alameda County Resource Conservation District is an independent, non-regulatory special district in California that works directly with local landowners and managers to implement conservation practices and to help enhance local watersheds. This District enables the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (MRCS) to provide Farm Bill cost-share programs and other technical assistance fox local landowners and users. While the District administers conservation programs for agriculture and natural resources, the NRCS provides its technical expertise. Subregional Planning 060507, cleon 14-11 City Council 6/5/2007