Article 1. Fairs of California Government Code >> Division 2. >> Title 3. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 9. >> Article 1.

The board of supervisors may join and participate in the affairs of associations having for their purpose the interchange of information relating to livestock, poultry, and other agricultural animals and products, the conduct and management of agricultural fairs, and similar associations dealing with subjects related to agricultural fairs, and may expend for these purposes any money allocated to the county by the State for agricultural fair purposes.

The board of supervisors may erect and maintain permanent county fair buildings within the county on lands owned by the county or any municipal corporation or body politic.

If any real property which was acquired or used for fair purposes and which was purchased or improved in whole or in part from funds apportioned or allocated to the county for fair purposes by the state is sold by any county, there shall be paid into the Fair and Exposition Fund in the State Treasury from the proceeds of the sale an amount equal to that proportion of the cost of the real property and improvements which was paid for out of funds apportioned or allocated by the state for fair purposes, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation in value in an amount approved by the Department of Agriculture.

With the approval of the Department of Agriculture and the State Public Works Board, the amount paid into the Fair and Exposition Fund shall be available for expenditure by the county for permanent improvements for fair purposes on the property of the county, the purchase of equipment for fair purposes, or the acquisition or purchase of real property, including costs of appraisal or other incidental costs, to be used as sites for such permanent improvements. Any portion of such funds which is not so expended within three years after being paid into the State Treasury shall be added to and become a part of the amount available under law for permanent improvements upon the property of the state, citrus, county, or district agricultural associations for fair purposes, or the purchase of equipment for fair purposes, or the acquisition or purchase of real property and appraisal or other incidental costs, to be used as sites for such permanent improvements, in such amounts as are allocated by executive order of the Director of Agriculture.

(a) The board of supervisors may levy a special tax, pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 50075) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5, and spend the proceeds to encourage immigration, increase trade in the products of the state and of the county, and promote the industrial, livestock, agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, and pastoral pursuits of the county.
  (b) The proceeds may be used for the purposes of:
  (1) Collecting, preparing, and maintaining an exhibition of the products and industries of the county at any domestic or foreign exposition.
  (2) Making contribution to the support of any local fair or exhibition of industrial, agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, or pastoral products maintained by any public agency, county agricultural association, county fair association, or chamber of commerce in the county. If there is no such fair or exhibition in the county, the contribution may be made to the support of a fair or exhibition maintained by a group of counties of which the contributing county is one.
  (3) The contribution may be used by the agency for the general conduct of the fair or exhibition, including the giving of premiums, in the name of the county, for competitive excellence in industrial, agricultural, livestock, horticultural, viticultural, and pastoral products at the fair or exhibition.

The board of supervisors may contract with a nonprofit corporation or association for the conducting of an agricultural fair, as agent of the county, for a period not exceeding five years. The contract may provide for the use, possession, and management of any public park or fairgrounds by the nonprofit corporation, as agent of the county, during the period of the contract. All net proceeds received by the nonprofit corporation, from whatever source, shall be deposited within 60 days after the conclusion of any fair in a county fair fund that shall be established in the county treasury for that purpose. The moneys in the fund shall be expended only for support of the county fair, including maintenance and operation of the county fair facilities, premiums, purposes incidental to the fair, capital outlay for fair purposes and for the acquisition or purchase of real property to be used for fair purposes. The corporation shall submit an annual budget to the Department of Food and Agriculture, showing the estimated revenues and the proposed expenditures from all sources during the ensuing calendar year, which budget shall first be approved by the county board of supervisors. Any other provisions of law relating to county fairs as a condition to receiving an allocation of state money for fair purposes shall be observed by the nonprofit corporation. When that use, possession, and management is granted, the board may also allocate and pay to the nonprofit corporation in advance a sum of money it deems necessary to be used for the purposes for which that use, possession, and management is granted.

The board of supervisors of a county may contract with a nonprofit corporation or association for the conducting of an agricultural fair in the county for the period and under those conditions as the board may determine. The contracts may provide for the use, possession, and management of any public park or fairgrounds by the nonprofit corporation during the period of the contract. When that use, possession, and management is granted, the board may also allocate to the nonprofit corporation a sum of money it deems necessary to be used for any purpose incidental to the fair. If the contract involves the use of property acquired with money derived from the state or if the contract contemplates the use of money allocated or appropriated by the state for the fair, the contract shall be subject to approval by the Department of Food and Agriculture. If the county desires to receive an allocation under Section 4401 of the Food and Agricultural Code, the corporation shall submit an annual budget to the Department of Food and Agriculture, showing the estimated revenues and the proposed expenditures from all sources during the ensuing calendar year, which budget shall first be approved by the board of supervisors. The corporation shall also comply with any other provisions of law relating to county fairs as a condition necessary for the county to receive an allocation of state money for fair purposes. Upon the dissolution of any such corporation all property and assets thereof within the county with which it contracts shall be paid to that county.

The board of supervisors of any county owning or operating any public park or recreation area, shall have authority: (a) to lease, let or grant licenses for the use of its real estate or personal property or any portion thereof for any agricultural, horticultural, viticultural or livestock fairs or expositions, rodeos, floral displays, dog and cat shows, exhibitions of industries and industrial products or federal or state armories; to school organizations or associations thereof for the purpose of conducting athletic events participated in by such schools or associations or to civic, patriotic, benevolent, or fraternal corporations or associations, for the purpose of holding conventions, assemblies or public meetings on subjects of public or community interest; or for the sale of tangible personal property, or for concessions and services incidental to any of such purposes; or to any person, firm or corporation for concessions and services consistent with public park and recreation purposes; or to nonprofit athletic organizations for athletic activities or to nonprofit fair associations or to nonprofit agricultural associations or to municipal corporations for use or reletting for any or all of the foregoing purposes; (b) to rent or permit the use of its premises for the holding of sales or auctions of cattle or other livestock or for other purposes beneficial to the agricultural industry.

The board of supervisors of any county owning fairgrounds and fairground facilities may (a) lease, let, or grant licenses for the use of its real estate or personal property or any portion thereof to private individuals or associations for whatever purpose may be approved by said board, which will not interfere with the use of such property for fair purposes; and (b) arrange for and conduct or cause or by contract permit to be conducted by another individual, institution, corporation or association, upon such property at such time as it may deem advisable, any activity which will not interfere with the use of such property for fair purposes.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law and in accordance with procedures established by the board of directors, the board of directors of a fair that is operated pursuant to this article may enter into agreements to secure donations, memberships, and corporate and individual sponsorships, and may enter into marketing and licensing agreements for the receipt of money, or services or products in lieu of money, and may employ or enter into an agreement with an entity or person to develop, solicit, sell, and service these agreements. The compensation for the entity or person shall be established by the board of directors.