Mendocino County Municipal Code Ch. 22.08 Agricultural Preserves and Williamson Act Contracts

Footnotes:

--- (1) ---

Editor's note— Ord. No. 4345, § 1, adopted October 6, 2015, repealed ch. 22.08, §§ 22.08.010—22.08.132, in its entirety; and enacted a new ch. 22.08 to read as set out herein. Former ch. 22.08 pertained to "Resource Preserves," and was derived from Ord. No. 616, adopted 1970; Ord. No. 757, adopted 1971; Ord. No. 962, adopted 1972; Ord. No. 1512, adopted 1975; Ord. No. 1557, adopted 1975; Ord. No. 3428, adopted 1983; Ord. No. 3678 (part), adopted 1988 and Ord. No. 4006 (part), adopted 1998.

The legislature of the State of California, in enacting the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 also known as the Williamson Act and subsequent amendments, found that the preservation of a maximum amount of a limited supply of prime agricultural land is necessary to the state's economic resources; that the discouragement of premature and unnecessary conversion of prime agricultural land to urban uses is a matter of public interest; that in a rapidly urbanizing society agricultural lands have a definite public value as open space; that the preservation of a maximum amount of the limited supply of agricultural land is necessary for the maintenance of the agricultural economy of the state and for an assurance of adequate, healthful and nutritious food for future residents of this state and the nation; that the agricultural work force is vital to sustaining agricultural productivity and that land within a scenic highway corridor or wildlife habitat has a value to the state because of its scenic beauty and its location adjacent to or within the view of a state scenic highway or because it is of great importance as habitat for wildlife and contributes to the preservation or enhancement thereof.

The Board of Supervisors of the County of Mendocino concurs with the findings of the California State Legislature.

The Board of Supervisors of the County of Mendocino may adopt by resolution policies and procedures, which may be amended from time to time, establishing an orderly system whereby property within Mendocino County may be incorporated into agricultural preserves and the owners of said property may, by contract, further restrict the use of their property exclusively for agricultural, recreational or open space purposes. Prior versions of this Chapter 22.08 are hereby superseded by the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Supervisors on the date of adoption of the ordinance amending this section; which policies and procedures may be amended from time to time.

(Ord. No. 4345, § 1, 10-6-2015)