In a unanimous 5-0 vote, the Aliso Viejo City Council approved the construction contract for the city’s 7-acre Aliso Viejo Ranch plan, paving the way for a one-of-a-kind historic project on the last remaining parcel of the 22,000-acre Moulton Ranch.
The multi-disciplinary Aliso Viejo Ranch project at 100 Park Avenue preserves and restores historically significant buildings, artifacts and farming implements from the 1800s and highlights the importance of the agricultural past of Orange County, the state of California and Western United States while demonstrating the future of sustainable agriculture and aquaponics.
A long time in the making, this first-of-its-kind plan includes the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the existing barn and bunkhouse along with a working farm with fruit and nut tree orchards, raised-bed vegetable gardens and several fish ponds each with about 2,000 tilapia that will be harvested biannually. The locally sourced food grown on site will be donated – at no cost – to food banks and will provide farm-to-table food for school culinary programs and community classes and functions.
“This is an exciting and invaluable agricultural, historical and educational amenity for the residents of our city, county, and state of California,” said City Manager Dave Doyle. “This community benefit will be a major landmark promoting sustainability and historic preservation. I am proud of the diligent work our residents, community partners, and the City Council –in a 5-0 vote – have done to make this one-of-a-kind project a reality.”
The Aliso Viejo Ranch is a collaborative multi-agency plan including partnerships with the Capistrano Unified School District, Aliso Viejo Middle School, Soka University, Aliso Niguel High School, Saddleback College, Moulton Family Foundation, Orange County Historical Society, Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce and numerous private-sector businesses.
The site will feature hands-on community educational programs on sustainable farming operations and will provide an opportunity for onsite STEM, biological science, horticultural and urban educational classes and community programs, farm-to-table dinners and special events. It will showcase Orange County’s development – from its agricultural roots to becoming the world’s 45th largest economy – and highlights the agricultural history of the United States.
See this special Aliso Viejo Ranch video and visit cityofalisoviejo.com for more information.
