Chapter 18.70 — T-P-Z TIMBER PRODUCTION ZONE DISTRICT

The T-P-Z district is devoted to those areas dedicated to the growing, conserving, and production of timber in areas of sufficient size to be economically feasible. It is designed to protect these areas from intrusion by incompatible uses and to separate these areas from a mixture of uses which may be hazardous or unsafe.

(Ord. 467 § 71, 1984)

The regulations set out in this chapter shall apply to all T-P-Z districts and shall be subject to Chapters 18.102 through 18.108 of this title. (Ord. 467 § 71, 1984)

Uses allowed by right in a T-P-Z district shall be as follows:

• (1) Growing and harvesting of timber, including Christmas trees, and measures to protect such timber.

• (2) The following uses, except in those instances where such use would be incompatible with or significantly detract from or inhibit the use of the property for the growing and harvesting of timber as provided in the California Timberland Productivity Act of 1982 Government Code Section 51100 et seq., and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, and/or any successor legislation or regulations promulgated pursuant thereto:

  • (a) Management for watershed;

  • (b) Management for fish and wildlife habitat, and hunting and fishing;

  • (c) Uses integrally related to the growing, harvesting and processing of forest products including but not limited to roads, log landings, log storage areas, fire and erosion control, and temporary portable wood processing equipment;

  • (d) The erection, construction, alteration, or maintenance of gas, electric, water, sewage, or communication transmission facilities;

  • (e) Grazing;

  • (f) Extraction of mineral resources and geothermal resources that convert less than three acres of land to non-timberland uses; and

  • (g) Recreational facilities and uses, including but not limited to pedestrian, equestrian and mountain biking trails, skiing facilities and uses including ski lifts, and accessory uses and structures thereto. This subparagraph "g" shall only apply to lands designated as mountain resort in the general plan.

  • (h) Such other uses as may be determined by the community development director to be consistent and compatible with the foregoing uses and the Timberland Productivity Act of 1982.

• (Ord. 467 § 71, 1984; amended by the vote of the people 11-7-00)

Land to be zoned T-P-Z must meet one of the following qualifications:

• (1) Be parcels shown on List A or B as specified by the Z'berg-Warren-Keene-Collier Forest Taxation Reform Act of 1976; or

• (2) Be parcels petitioned for inclusion which satisfy all of the following criteria:

  • (A) A map shall be prepared showing the legal description and the assessor's parcel number of the property desired to be zoned,

  • (B) A plan for forest management must be prepared or approved as to content for the property by a registered professional forester. Such plan shall provide for the eventual harvest of timber within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the preparer of the plan,

  • (C) The parcel shall currently meet the timber stocking standards and the forest practice rules or the owner must sign an agreement with the board of supervisors to meet such stocking standards and forest practice rules by the fifth anniversary of the signing of such agreement. Failure to meet the terms of the agreement will be grounds for rezoning,

  • (D) The area is in one ownership of at least forty acres or quarter-quarter section. This area must be contiguous or of parcels sufficiently near to each other to be manageable as a single forest unit,

  • (E) The average timber site of IV or higher, according to the site rating system of the state Board of Forestry.

• (Ord. 467 § 71, 1984)

The following minimum areas apply for proposed divisions of parcels zoned T-P-Z:

• (1) One hundred sixty acres; or

• (2) Forty acres, provided it is a part of at least one hundred sixty acres of contiguous timberland zoned T-P-Z for which a single joint timber management plan has been prepared by a registered professional forester, and such owners enter into a binding contract with the board to manage and harvest timber on the timberland jointly.

• (Ord. 467 § 71, 1984)

This chapter shall comply with or be preempted by the provisions of Government Code Section 51100 et seq. or by any applicable amendment or revision thereof. (Ord. 467 § 71, 1984)