DATE:
June 29, 2022 and August 17, 2022
07
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM:
SECOND CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE:
ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS TO THE GRADING, CLEARING AND WATERCOURSES ORDINANCE TO STREAMLINE THE AGRICULTURAL CLEARING PERMIT PROCESS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On June 29, 2022 (10), the Board of Supervisors took action to further consider and adopt the Ordinance on August 17, 2022.
On October 10, 2018 (2), as part of the Options to Improve Housing Affordability in the Unincorporated Area, the Board of Supervisors (Board) directed staff to streamline grading permits related to housing and additionally to update the Grading, Clearing and Watercourses Ordinance (Ordinance) to decrease time and costs associated with processing Agricultural Clearing permits. Agricultural clearing is when natural vegetation is removed from land to allow for agricultural use, such as planting of crops for cultivation. Farmers are required to apply for Agricultural Clearing permits prior to the clearing of vegetation from their land, and the permits are subject to environmental review. The Board directed staff to comprehensively update the Ordinance in two phases. The first phase was to update the Ordinance for common projects like clearing associated with the installation of a groundwater well or landscaping, followed by a comprehensive update to all the grading standards.
In response to Board direction, staff reviewed other jurisdictions' practices, legal requirements, stakeholder comments, and fiscal implications of various approaches to streamline the Agricultural Clearing process. On May 19, 2021 (6), staff presented to the Board a three-part approach to streamline the process for Agricultural Clearing Permits and address stakeholder comments that revised the options previously directed in 2018. The Board directed staff to amend the Agricultural Clearing Permits Process pursuant to Board Direction on October 10, 20...
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