DATE: August 6, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Resolution Dissolving the Fresno County Agricultural Land Conservation Committee
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Adopt and authorize the Chairman to execute a Resolution dissolving the County of Fresno's Agricultural Land Conservation Committee, an advisory committee to the Board of Supervisors concerning the County's Williamson Act Program.
REPORT
Since the State's elimination of Williamson Act subvention funding in 2002, and the Board of Supervisor's direction in 2009, to no longer accept new Williamson Act Contacts or Farmland Security Zone Agreements, the activity level involving the Agricultural Land Conservation Committee (ALCC) has greatly decreased.
Approval of the recommended action would dissolve the ALCC thereby creating efficiencies of staff time and resources by eliminating the need for ALCC meetings and expediting the decision-making process by the Department of Public Works and Planning coming directly to your Board for consideration and action on matters relating to the County's Williamson Act Program. This item is countywide in nature.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
You Board may choose not to dissolve the ALCC and instead, retain the ALCC in its current capacity or suspend ALCC meetings until further notice.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
The Land Conservation Act of 1965 (currently, California Government Code Sections 51200 - 51297.4; the Williamson Act) was passed by the State Legislature to preserve agricultural and open space land uses by discouraging premature and unnecessary division and conversion of those lands to non-agricultural uses. The Williamson Act authorizes the County to enter into Williamson Act Contracts (Contract) or Farmland Security Zone Agreements (Agreement) with property owners who voluntarily commit land to agricultural ...
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