Sec. 19.04.020 - Findings.

It is hereby found and determined as follows:

(A)

Agricultural and other lands located within Mendocino County needed for oil processing, treatment and transportation facilities, or for supply bases for offshore oil and gas development, potentially would be transformed into the industrial staging area for offshore oil and gas developments.

(B)

Land on the coastal bluffs, as well as land throughout the County, which constitutes potential sites for onshore facilities, is exposed to seismic risk, which prevented the construction of a nuclear power plant due to the proposed site's proximity to the San Andreas and numerous other faults, and due to the instability of coastal bluffs.

(C)

Onshore facilities and use of local harbors, ports and airports as staging areas for offshore oil and gas development would require substantial modifications to existing facilities, including breakwaters, reconstruction, expansion and lengthening of existing facilities. These facilities were conceived and constructed as public-use facilities and their use as onshore facilities or in support of onshore facilities would have the effect of preempting use of these facilities by the general public.

(D)

The County is served by several State Highways (including 1, 20, 101, 128 and 253) and numerous County roads which are almost entirely two-lane, narrow, twisting and curving roads making them totally unsuitable for the addition of the intensity and type of vehicular and truck traffic that would be generated by heavy oil and gas industrial uses.

(E)

The Mendocino County coastline is made up of bluffs and coves which are not suitable for siting oil and gas support facilities.

(F)

The development of onshore facilities would have detrimental impacts on water quality and availability, road congestion and wear, air quality, and public services.

(Ord. adopted by referendum election, November 8, 1988.)