Contra Costa County Municipal Code Art. 810-2.4 Standards

Agricultural preserves shall comply with the following uniform standards as set forth in Sections 810-2.404 through 810-2.414.

(Ord. 69-76 § 1 (part), 1969: Ord. 69-49 § 1 (part), 1969).

Except as provided in subdivisions (a) and (b), no agricultural preserve shall be established having less than one hundred contiguous acres.

(a) Agricultural preserves of less than one hundred contiguous acres may be established if the Board finds that an agricultural preserve of less than one hundred acres is necessary due to the unique characteristics of the agricultural enterprise in that area and that the establishment of preserves of less than one hundred acres is consistent with the General Plan.

(b) Agricultural Preserves of thirty-five contiguous acres may be established in the areas of the East Contra Costa and Byron-Bethany Irrigation Districts, as previously established by the Board of Supervisors

(Gov. Code, § 51230, Ords 2003-12 § 4, 72-58 § 1, 69-76 § 1 (part), 69-49 § 1 (part), 68-53.)

No parcel of land of less than forty acres of non-prime agricultural land, or less than ten acres of prime agricultural land, shall be included in an agricultural preserve.

(Gov. Code, § 51222; Ords. 2003-12 § 5, 69-76 § 1 (part) 69-49 § 1 (part)).

As used in this title, prime agricultural land means any of the following:

(a) all land that qualifies for rating as class I or II in the Natural Resource Conservation Service land use capability classifications;

(b) all land that qualifies for rating eighty through one hundred in the Stone Index Rating;

(c) land which supports livestock used for the production of food and fiber and which has an annual carrying capacity equivalent to at least one animal unit per acre as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture;

(d) land planted with fruit- or nut-bearing trees, vines, bushes, or crops which have a nonbearing period of less than five years and which will normally return during the commercial bearing period on an annual basis from the production of unprocessed agricultural production not less than two hundred dollars per acre; and,

(e) land which has returned from the production of unprocessed agricultural plant products an annual gross of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) per acre for three of the previous five years.

(Gov. Code, § 51201(c); Ords. 2003-12 § 6).

"Parcel" as used in this title means a contiguous area of land under common fee ownership.

(Ord. 69-76 § 1 (part), 1969: Ord. 69-49 § 1 (part), 1969).

All land in a preserve must also be subject to a land conservation contract or agreement.

(Ord. 69-76 § 1 (part), 1969: Ord. 69-49 § 1 (part), 1969).

Land within one mile of any city may be included in an agricultural preserve and placed under contract, but not if the city files with the local agency formation commission a resolution of protest which the commission upholds in the manner provided by Government Code Section 51243.5.

(Ord. 73-93 § 1, 1973: Ord. 69-76 § 1 (part), 1969: Ord. 69-49 § 1 (part), 1969).

Agricultural preserves shall include only land primarily used for commercial agricultural production.

(Ord. 69-76 § 1 (part), 1969: Ord. 69-49 § 1 (part), 1969).