Article 17.16 — Timberland Production (TPZ) District

• A. Purpose and Intent.

  1. It is the purpose of the timberland production zone district to encourage prudent and responsible forest resource management and the continued use of timberlands for the production of timber products and compatible uses. The zone is established in conformance with the Forest Taxation Reform Act of 1976 (California Government Code Section 51100 et seq.).

  2. The TPZ district is intended to be an exclusive area for the growing and harvesting of timber and those uses that are an integral part of a timber management operation. The TPZ district replaces the use of Williamson Act contracts on timberland. Land use under a TPZ will be restricted for a minimum of 10 years to growing and harvesting timber, and to compatible uses as allowed by subsection D of this section. Such zoning generally allows land to be valued for property taxation on the basis of its use for growing and harvesting timber only, and such timber is exempt from ad valorem taxation; however, a yield tax will be imposed at such time as the timber is harvested.

• B. State Law Requirements. In addition to the provisions of this section, the requirements of California Government Code Section 51100 et seq. shall also apply to all timberland production zones.

• C. Requirements for Establishment of Timberland Production Zoning. Owners of timberland not included on state Lists A or B (California Government Code Section 51110 and Section 51110.1, respectively) may request rezoning of property to the TPZ district as follows, and as provided in Section 17.60.090 (Ordinance amendments and rezonings):

  1. Application. In addition to the application required for rezonings by Section 17.60.090 , a petition for rezoning to TPZ shall also include the following:

• a. A map showing the legal description(s) or the assessor's parcel number(s) of the property to be rezoned;

• b. A forest management plan, which shall be prepared or approved as to content by a California-registered professional forester. The forest management plan shall include discussion and recommendations on at least the following:

  • i. A history of past commercial harvesting operations and recommendations for future operations;

  • ii. Provisions for legal and physical access to the property to enable commercial operations;

  • iii. Disease or insect control work;

  • iv. Thinning, slash disposal, pruning and other appropriate silvicultural work;

  • v. A fire protection plan including a fuel management program;

  • vi. Erosion control on existing roads and skid trails and maintenance of existing roads;

  • vii. Planting of a significant portion of the under stocked areas of land;

  • viii. Whether the parcel currently meets the timber stocking standards in Public Resources Code Section 4561 and the board of forestry forest practice rules for the district where the parcel is located and, if not, whether the parcel can meet such standards within five years.

The forest management plan shall also include a map showing all parcels proposed to be within the TPZ rezoning, together with their assessor's parcel numbers, and the site quality classes (I - V, as defined in California Public Resources Code Section 4528 and Section 4551, and California Revenue and Taxation Code Section 434 et seq.) and acreage in each class.

2. Criteria for Approval of Rezoning. The board of supervisors shall not approve a rezoning to the TPZ district unless the following criteria are met, in addition to all other applicable provisions of this section:

   • a. The land to be rezoned shall be of site quality class Site V or higher.

   • b. The parcel shall currently meet the timber stocking standards and forest practice rules referenced in California Government Code Section 51113 , or the board of supervisors shall be satisfied that the parcel will meet such requirements by the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the ordinance that changes the zoning of the parcel to the TPZ zone district.

   • c. The property owner shall execute an agreement with the county that the parcel will meet the timber stocking standards and forest practice rules referenced in subsection (C)(2)(a) of this section, above, by the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the ordinance that changes the zoning of the parcel to the TPZ zone district.

   • d. The board of supervisors shall approve the forest management plan.

3. Recorded Notice. Within 10 days after the adoption of an ordinance to either rezone property to the TPZ zone district, or from the TPZ district to another zone district, the clerk of the board of supervisors shall cause a notice of adoption, including the effective date of the ordinance, a map, and assessor's parcel numbers of the affected parcels, to be recorded by the county recorder. However, failure to comply with this requirement shall not affect the validity of the ordinance nor of any proceeding taken in reliance on the ordinance.

4. Effective Date of Rezoning From TPZ. When the board of supervisors adopts a rezoning of property from TPZ to another zone district, the TPZ zoning shall remain effective and applicable to the subject property for a minimum of 10 years from the date of adoption of the ordinance rezoning the property. Except that when an ordinance is adopted pursuant to the immediate rezoning provision of California Government Code Section 51130 et seq., the effective date shall be as required by state law governing the adoption of an ordinance changing the boundaries of a zoning district.

• D. Allowable Land Uses and Permit Requirements. The following land uses are allowed in the TPZ zone as provided by Section 17.06.050 (Land use and permit tables).

• E. Minimum Parcel Size. Each parcel proposed for development or a new land use, and each new parcel proposed in a subdivision shall comply with the following provisions and Section 17.54.040 (Minimum parcel size). New parcels proposed in a subdivision shall also satisfy all applicable provisions of Chapter 16 of this code (Subdivisions).

  1. Minimum Lot Area. One hundred sixty acres, unless a -B combining district (Section 17.52.040 ) applies to the site, or a greater area is required by the Health Department, or the provisions of Subchapter 15 (Specific Use Requirements) for a particular land use.

  2. Minimum Lot Width. One-fourth of the lot length. Other minimum lot widths may be required by a -B combining district (Section 17.52.040 ) applicable to the site.

• F. Site Development Standards. The following requirements shall apply to all new development in the TPZ zone, except where otherwise provided by Article 17.54 (General Development Standards) or 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements) for a particular use or situation. Proposed buildings and structures shall be designed and constructed to satisfy the following setback, site coverage, and height limit requirements:

ment Standards. The following requirements shall apply to all new development in the TPZ zone, except where otherwise provided by Article 17.54 (General Development Standards) or 17.56 (Specific Use Requirements) for a particular use or situation. Proposed buildings and structures shall be designed and constructed to satisfy the following setback, site coverage, and height limit requirements:

Notes:

• (1) Additional requirements for setbacks from watercourses and all roads identified in the highway deficiency report and countywide capital improvement program, setbacks between structures on the same site, and setbacks in other situations are established by Section 17.54.140 (Exceptions to front, street-side, side and rear setbacks) and by Article 17.56 for certain specific land uses.

• (2) As required by the California Board of Forestry Fire Safe regulations, Section 1276.01 , Title 14, California Code of Regulations, if it is one acre or larger in size.

• (3) The percentage of total site area that may be covered by buildings or structures.

• (4) Except as otherwise provided by Section 17.54.020 (Height limits and exceptions), or by Article 17.56 for a specific use.

(Ord. 5126-B, 2001; Ord. 5459-B Exh. A, 2007; Ord. 5526-B § 6, 2008; Ord. 5692-B § 6, 2012; Ord. 5862-B § 2, 2017; Ord. 6048-B § 9, 2020)