New Zoning Protects Cannon Road Farmland

The farmlands that stretch along Cannon Road east of Interstate 5 received an extra layer of protection with the passage of a new zone that will encourage the continuation of agriculture on the lands for as long as financially feasible. The City Council adopted the new zone, called the Cannon Road Agricultural and Open Space Zone, on Tuesday, fulfilling the intent of voters who passed the proposition, "Preserve the Flower and Strawberry Fields and Save Taxpayers Money," in November 2006. That measure, which was on the ballot as Proposition D, was written by the City Council to preserve the land as agriculture for as long as it was economically viable for the landowners. If the landowners choose to discontinue agriculture, only open space uses would be permitted on the land. The new zone applies to three pieces of property:

• 172 acres north of Cannon Road and south of Agua Hedionda Lagoon owned by San Diego Gas & Electric. Most of this property is cultivated as strawberry fields and has become closely associated with Carlsbad's identity. The zone does not include the 50 acres along I-5 that are designated for commercial tourist use.
• 46 acres south of Cannon Road and north of The Flower Fields®. This property is frequently cultivated with flowers, so is sometimes considered part of the traditional Flower Fields®. (The Flower Fields® are not part of the zone, because they are already preserved "in perpetuity" by a development agreement and deed restriction.)
• 26 acres on the southeast corner of Cannon and Legoland Drive, which is also often cultivated with flowers or crops.

 The adoption of the new zone does not recommend any development, but specifies what uses are permitted, and provides a set of “guiding principles” for the use and development of the lands. In keeping with the voters' wishes expressed in Proposition D, the new zone prohibits residential development. Only commercial development that is associated with permitted agricultural or open space uses would be allowed. After Proposition D's passage, the City Council appointed a seven-member Citizens Liaison Committee, which conducted a well-attended series of meetings where members of the public contributed ideas on ways to preserve agriculture, and what uses to permit if agriculture is no longer economically viable. The new zone adopted by the City Council is intended to fully implement Proposition D and the input received from the public.