COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

Date:

December 5, 2001

Set Time:

10:00 a.m.

Hearing Date:

December 18, 2001

To:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

Subject:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of a request to establish a Class A Agricultural Preserve on two parcels totaling 35 acres located at 271 and 320 Water Lane in the unincorporated Pescadero area of San Mateo County.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Board of Supervisors:

1.

Find that the request is consistent with the County General Plan, the Planned Agricultural/

Coastal Development Zoning District, the California Land Conservation Act, and Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 44396, relating to the implementation of the California Land Conservation Act in San Mateo County.

2.

Adopt resolutions to establish the subject property as an agricultural preserve and authorize execution of a California Land Conservation Contract regarding the subject property.

PROPOSAL

The applicant is requesting a Class A Agricultural Preserve on two parcels consisting of 35 acres in the Planned Agricultural/Coastal Development Zoning District.

PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION

On June 13, 2001, and November 28, 2001, the Planning Commission conducted public hearings and recommended unanimously to the Board of Supervisors, the establishment of the Class A Agricultural Preserve for the subject parcels.

SUMMARY

The applicant is requesting to establish a Class A Agricultural Preserve, pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, also known as the Williamson Act. A Williamson Act contract provides the land owner with a reduction in property taxes in exchange for the owner's agreement to restrict the uses of the land to agriculture, open space, or other compatible uses (see allowed uses in Attachment B). To some extent, the restrictions in this contract are already present in the County's Zoning Ordinance for allowed uses in the Planned Agricultural zoning district. The State provides some financial subventions to the County to support the Williamson Act program. There are currently 46,749 acres of County land within the Williamson Act program.

Approval of this request would reduce the landowner's yearly property taxes by about $4,648.00. The State subvention money would be about $174.75 per year ($5.00 per acre for prime land). Under this contract, the landowner would be prohibited from subdividing the property, constructing multiple-family dwellings, or constructing a hotel, motel, or restaurant, even if a future density analysis demonstrated that such development could otherwise be allowed on this property. The contract is automatically self-renewing unless the owner files a notice of non-renewal or cancellation. The contract would expire 10 years after the filing of a notice of non-renewal. Cancellation cannot be requested under this contract agreement.

This proposal is consistent with the criteria for the entry of new lands into an "agricultural preserve" and a Williamson Act contract.