Section 51220 Of Article 2. Declaration From California Government Code >> Division 1. >> Title 5. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 2.
51220
. The Legislature finds:
(a) That the preservation of a maximum amount of the limited
supply of agricultural land is necessary to the conservation of the
state's economic resources, and is necessary not only to the
maintenance of the agricultural economy of the state, but also for
the assurance of adequate, healthful and nutritious food for future
residents of this state and nation.
(b) That the agricultural work force is vital to sustaining
agricultural productivity; that this work force has the lowest
average income of any occupational group in this state; that there
exists a need to house this work force of crisis proportions which
requires including among agricultural uses the housing of
agricultural laborers; and that such use of agricultural land is in
the public interest and in conformity with the state's Farmworker
Housing Assistance Plan.
(c) That the discouragement of premature and unnecessary
conversion of agricultural land to urban uses is a matter of public
interest and will be of benefit to urban dwellers themselves in that
it will discourage discontiguous urban development patterns which
unnecessarily increase the costs of community services to community
residents.
(d) That in a rapidly urbanizing society agricultural lands have a
definite public value as open space, and the preservation in
agricultural production of such lands, the use of which may be
limited under the provisions of this chapter, constitutes an
important physical, social, esthetic and economic asset to existing
or pending urban or metropolitan developments.
(e) That land within a scenic highway corridor or wildlife habitat
area as defined in this chapter has a value to the state because of
its scenic beauty and its location adjacent to or within view of a
state scenic highway or because it is of great importance as habitat
for wildlife and contributes to the preservation or enhancement
thereof.
(f) For these reasons, this chapter is necessary for the promotion
of the general welfare and the protection of the public interest in
agricultural land.