What is LAFCO?

Governor Edmund G. Brown, Sr. appointed the "Commission on Metropolitan Area Problems" in 1959 to manage the "misuse of land resources". Brown was forced to do this because valuable agricultural land and open spaces were being destroyed by urban sprawl at disasterous rates, even back in 1959.

The Commission's recommendations on local governmental reorganization were introduced in the Legislature in 1963, resulting in the creation of "Local Agency Formation Commission", or "LAFCOs," operating in each county except San Francisco.

LAFCO's stated objectives:

TO PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LAND RESOURCES

LAFCO must consider the effect that any proposal will produce on existing agricultural lands. By guiding development toward vacant urban land and away from agricultural preserves, LAFCO assists with the preservation of our valuable agricultural resources.

TO DISCOURAGE URBAN SPRAWL

By discouraging sprawl, LAFCO limits the misuse of land resources and promotes a more efficient system of local governmental agencies.

What happened?

Despite these specific provisions to protect areas like Penngrove, current LAFCO members have voted to increase, not decrease, the amount of urban sprawl.

These people are public servants. They feed on your tax dollars. Make them preserve the open spaces and agricultural land that defines Sonoma County.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? PLENTY, CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT

Do you know who your Supervisor is?

Sonoma county is divided into Supervisorial Districts and each District is headed by a supervisor. This map gives you a rough idea which District you live in and who your Supervisor is.