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. (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 that is at least 0.10 acres, and not
more than three acres.
(3) A requirement that the entire property 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, 2019. Any contract entered into pursuant to this
chapter on or before January 1, 2019, 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).