Cal. Government Code - GOV 6.3. — CHAPTER 6.3. Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones [51040. - 51042.] | Government Code - GOV — California

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51040. Section 51040.

This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51040.1. Section 51040.1.

The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest to promote sustainable urban farm enterprise sectors in urban centers. The Legislature further finds and declares the small-scale, active production of marketable crops and animal husbandry, including, but not limited to, foods, flowers, and seedlings, in urban centers is consistent with, and furthers, the purposes of this act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51040.3. Section 51040.3.

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Urban” means an area within the boundaries of an urbanized area, as that term is used by the United States Census Bureau, that includes at least 250,000 people. (b) “Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone” means an area within a county or a city and county that is comprised of individual properties designated as urban agriculture preserves by the county or the city and county for farming purposes. (c) “Agricultural use” means farming in all its branches including, but not limited to, the cultivation and tillage of the soil, the production, cultivation, growing, and harvesting of any agricultural or horticultural products, the raising of livestock, bees, fur-bearing animals, dairy-producing animals, and poultry, agricultural education, the sale of produce through field retail stands or farms stands as defined by Article 5 (commencing with Section 47030) of Chapter 10.5 of Division 17 of the Food and Agricultural Code, and any practices performed by a farmer or on a farm as an incident to or in conjunction with farming operations. For purposes of this chapter, the term “agricultural use” does not include timber production.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 51042. Section 51042.

(a) (1) (A) A county or city and county may, after a public hearing, establish by ordinance an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone within its boundaries for the purpose of entering into enforceable contracts with landowners, on a voluntary basis, for the use of vacant, unimproved, or blighted lands for small-scale agricultural use. (B) A city may, after a public hearing and approval from the board of supervisors of the county in which the city is located, establish by ordinance an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone within its boundaries for the purpose of entering into enforceable contracts with landowners, on a voluntary basis, for the use of vacant, unimproved, or blighted lands for small-scale agricultural use. (2) Following the adoption of the ordinance pursuant to paragraph (1), a city, county, or city and county that has established an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone within its boundaries may adopt rules and regulations consistent with the city, county, or city and county’s zoning and other ordinances, for the implementation and administration of the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone and of contracts related to that Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone. (A) The city, county, or city and county may impose a fee upon contracting landowners for the reasonable costs of implementing and administering contracts. (B) The city, county, or city and county shall impose a fee equal to the cumulative value of the tax benefit received during the duration of the contract upon landowners for cancellation of any contract prior to the expiration of the contract, unless the city, county, or city and county makes a determination that the cancellation was caused by extenuating circumstances despite the good faith effort by the landowner. (b) Following the adoption of the ordinance as required by subdivision (a), a city, county, or a city and county may enter into a contract with a landowner to enforceably restrict the use of the land subject to the contract to uses consistent with urban agriculture. Any contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following provisions: (1) An initial term of not less than five years. (2) A restriction on property, or combination of contiguous properties, that is at least 0.1 acres, and not more than three acres. (3) A requirement that the entire property, or combination of contiguous properties, subject to the contract shall be dedicated toward commercial or noncommercial agricultural use. (4) A prohibition against any dwellings on the property while under contract. (5) A notification that if a landowner cancels a contract, a city, county, or city and county is required to assess a cancellation fee, pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a). (c) A contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall not prohibit the use of structures that support agricultural activity, including, but not limited to, toolsheds, greenhouses, produce stands, and instructional space. (d) A contract entered into pursuant to this chapter that includes a prohibition on the use of pesticide or fertilizers on properties under contract shall permit those pesticides or fertilizers allowed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. (e) A city, county, or city and county shall not enter into a new contract, or renew an existing contract pursuant to this chapter after January 1, 2029. Any contract entered into pursuant to this chapter on or before January 1, 2029, shall be valid and enforceable for the duration of the contract. (f) Property subject to a contract entered into pursuant to this chapter shall be assessed pursuant to Section 422.7 of the Revenue and Taxation Code during the term of the contract. (g) A county or a city and county shall not establish an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone within any portion of the spheres of influence of a city unless the legislative body of the city has consented to the establishment of the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone. (h) A city, county, or city and county shall not establish an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zone in any area that is currently subject to, or has been subject to within the previous three years, a contract pursuant to the Williamson Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 51200) of Chapter 7 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5).