THE GREEN SUBURB: AN INVESTIGATION OF HOW AGRIHOODS REDEFINE SUBURBIA MICHELLE CASTRO-PILAR | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO | URBAN STUDIES AND PLANNING | MARCH 2020
INTRODUCTION
FINDINGS
Research Question What systems allow agrihoods to operate and what factors are responsible for its sudden stream into American culture?
Branching From A Culture
Abstract Agrihoods have perked the ears of real estate developers in the United States due to its highly sought-after rural amenities. Although most agrihoods conserve farmland and mitigate environmental impacts, data suggests they reproduce the ideological tensions of class and wealth of traditional suburbs. The concern that the emergence of the agrihood resembles suburbia prompts this study to investigate the viability of Rancho Mission Viejo as a sustainable living community. This research will examine how agrihoods operate by gathering empirical data and conducting a content analysis. It will contribute to literature on sustainable living and urban agriculture by providing contextual insight on the emergence of agrihoods in Southern California, specifically its impact on its community formations, its marketing strategy, and the flexibility of its inclusivity.
Farm-to-table movement has sparked a pseudo-interest in country living. New class of individuals form the bulk of these agri-communities. A certain attachment to being "home grown" and "reclaiming" fondness for farmland preservation. In lieu of these ideals, a combination of newly constructed homes with central farm crops and live stock have created a new trendy market for real estate developers.
Life in the agrihood is more about the idea of living on a farm rather than the reality of it, leading the community to turn a blind eye to agriculture's harsh realities.
The root of sustainability is emerged as a new paradigm in marketing strategy.¹ The social and ecological issues of sustainability in consumer culture have shifted the masses to seek out spaces they perceive as environmentally-conscious. ² Urban agriculture connects residents by increasing access to fresh, organic food. Developments must come together to form a comprehensive and equitable adaption for food production, especially in urban areas. ³ Recent articles suggest that the popularity of agrihoods has been motivated by an increased interest in farm-to-table living, catered to specific individuals. ⁴ Agrihoods promise to provide its residents with green space, community amenities and a working farm, further motivating its quick development. Spatially, agrihoods have an unearthed influence to create independent cultures that limit its ability to be truly connective. ⁵ This research illustrates the stark contrast in sustainability efforts among Rancho Mission Viejo and Los Angeles Eco-Village.
Aerial shot of a neighborhood at Rancho Mission Viejo from Google
METHODOLOGY
Taken from ecovillagebook.org
LA Eco-VIllage provides permanent affordable housing to very low and moderate income households. It has a rich diversity of households: from age to ethnicity to income. It uses green infrastucture as a means of its core purpose and values instead of profit.
In some areas, agrihoods sell for 30% more than homes in comparable neighborhoods⁸, suggesting that a certain class privilege exists within the community that affects how individuals or families are allowed to experience sustainable living.
Buzzwords such as "rural", "working farm", "farm-to-table", etc. have formed a diluted discussion of a momentary trend. There are active attempts to minimize its resemblance to traditional suburbs, noting that it is replacing "old golf course communities".
The Marketing Strategy
The mere language utilized in the discussion of agrihoods communicates a telling pattern of how they must be perceived by individuals and families. In the case of Rancho Mission Viejo, there is a lack of conscious engagement with the agriculture. Brochures and pamphlets paint a vivid picture of the establishment, making bold claims about the personality of the development.
The benefits and ultimate functions of agrihoods are fluid - a wide net is cast to pertain to different types of individuals.
Water harvesting plan from LAEV blog.
Little data suggests that Rancho Mission Viejo plans community with as much careful detail as Los Angeles Eco-Village. LA Eco-Village focuses on creating a healthy environment through its strategic plan. Its plans for sustainability are represented throughout its development.
Case Selection Case 1: Rancho Mission Viejo (RMV) One of the main pioneers in emerging agrihood movement.⁶ A master-planned residential community with a central working farm. Trademarked the term "Agrihood" with Esencia Farm.
2
However, mixing agriculture and housing has long existed and is common practice among eco-villages. Agriculture is a chosen reality to facilitate environmental consciousness. Paves a way for a new vision of sustainable living. LAEV is unique in that it is ingrained in the urban core and its sustainability efforts are contained in the urban environment.
(Re)Placement of Suburbia
BACKGROUND
1
Taken from ecovillagebook.org
Site Observations
Case 2: Los Angeles Eco-Village
CONCLUSION
(LAEV)
One of the most prominent urban eco-villages in Southern California. Has decades worth of insight about creating a sustainable living environment. Operates to create meaningful connections between the environment and community.⁷
Agrihoods are part of an initiative that expands on
ideas of sustainable living. It doubles as a commercial term that describes a highly
profitable rural lifestyle
Entrance to Esencia Farm from Site Visit
that is becoming a popular trend among millennials. This profit-driven aspect of the agrihood has manifested into a fashionable trend that re-
Entrance to LAEV Apartment Complex from Google
brands traditional suburban communities. Play ground behind Visitors Center from Site Visit
Community of LAEV from Google
(Above) : Aerial View of Los Angeles Eco-Village from LAEV Blog
(Left) Aerial View of RMV from RanchoMissionViejo.com
Data insight: (1) Various amenities; (2) Size of on-site farms; and (3) Community Identity 3
Data insight: (1) Neighborhood connectivity; (2) On-site permaculture; and (3) Community Identity
Content Analysis
Taken from RanchoMissionViejo.com
Taken from RanchoMissionViejo.com
NEXT STEPS
It is important that future research draws greater attention to the ways that agrihoods operate as a hegemonic community unit. Agrihoods have the potential to fulfill the goals of sustainable living, however, developers and planners need to look towards successful models of co-operative living and modify the existing operations of agrihoods to create better, holistic communities. Due to the emerging need to create more equitable sustainable living communities, it is important to be conscious of how ideas of sustainability and agriculture shape community formations. Future research should conduct a more adequate analysis on whether agrihoods are a viable option for sustainable living and investigate ways to increase their longevity.
A total of 12 documents between both cases (e.g. online blogs, news articles, conceptual planning documents, etc.) were selected to provide contextual evidence, providing insight into the dialogues surrounding each community.
(Above) Garden Plan document provided by LAEV blog
Acknowledgments
(Above) Conceptual Design Plan for LAEV provided by Lois Arkin
This research would not be possible without support from my professor, Keith Pezzoli - thank you for introducing me to the topic of agrihoods my junior year; and my graduate TA, Davide Carpano thank you for advising me throughout the entirety of my research and introducing me to the world of co-operative living. Special thanks to staff at Rancho Mission Viejo, Los Angeles Eco-Village, and all those who have supported me throughout. FOR MORE INFORMATION contact Michelle Castro-Pilar at m7castro@ucsd.edu.
References
¹Hassan, Azizul, and Geoffrey Wall. 2017. “The Ecovillage: Concept and Applications.” Driving Agribusiness With Technology Innovations, 56–69. ²Keegan, Teresa. 2016. “Is Farm-to-Table Living in Agrihoods Just a Phase?” The Denver Post (blog). June 3, 2016. ³Kumar, Vinod, Zillur Rahman, A.A. Kazmi, and Praveen Goyal. 2012. “Evolution of Sustainability as Marketing Strategy: Beginning of New Era.” Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 37: 482–89. ⁴Loboguerrero Rodriguez, Ana María, James Birch, Philip K. Thornton, Laura Meza, Ishmael Sunga, Bui Ba Bong, Rudy Rabbinge, et al. 2018. “Feeding the World in a ⁵Changing Climate: An Adaptation Roadmap for Agriculture.” Working Paper. The Global Commission on Adaptation. ⁶Loudenback, Tanza. n.d. “Rich Millennials Are Ditching the Golf Communities of Their Parents for a New Kind of Neighborhood.” Business Insider. Accessed October 19, 2019. ⁷Young-Saver, Dashiell. 2014. “Connection to the Land Defines Rancho Mission Viejo ‘Agrihood.’” Los Angeles Times, July 14, 2014. ⁸Yale, Aly J. 2019. “Meet The Farm-Based Neighborhoods Changing The Face Of Master-Planned Communities.” Forbes. Accessed January 31, 2020.
