Section 51291 Of Article 6. Eminent Domain Or Other Acquisition From California Government Code >> Division 1. >> Title 5. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 6.
51291
. (a) As used in this section and Sections 51292 and 51295,
(1) "public agency" means any department or agency of the United
States or the state, and any county, city, school district, or other
local public district, agency, or entity, and (2) "person" means any
person authorized to acquire property by eminent domain.
(b) Except as provided in Section 51291.5, whenever it appears
that land within an agricultural preserve may be required by a public
agency or person for a public use, the public agency or person shall
advise the Director of Conservation and the local governing body
responsible for the administration of the preserve of its intention
to consider the location of a public improvement within the preserve.
In accordance with Section 51290, the notice shall include an
explanation of the preliminary consideration of Section 51292, and
give a general description, in text or by diagram, of the
agricultural preserve land proposed for acquisition, and a copy of
any applicable contract created under this chapter. The Director of
Conservation shall forward to the Secretary of Food and Agriculture,
a copy of any material received from the public agency or person
relating to the proposed acquisition.
Within 30 days thereafter, the Director of Conservation and the
local governing body shall forward to the appropriate public agency
or person concerned their comments with respect to the effect of the
location of the public improvement on the land within the
agricultural preserve and those comments shall be considered by the
public agency or person. In preparing those comments, the Director of
Conservation shall consider issues related to agricultural land use,
including, but not limited to, matters related to the effects of the
proposal on the conversion of adjacent or nearby agricultural land
to nonagricultural uses, and shall consult with, and incorporate the
comments of, the Secretary of Food and Agriculture on any other
matters related to agricultural operations. The failure by any person
or public agency, other than a state agency, to comply with the
requirements of this section shall be admissible in evidence in any
litigation for the acquisition of that land or involving the
allocation of funds or the construction of the public improvement.
This subdivision does not apply to the erection, construction,
alteration, or maintenance of gas, electric, piped subterranean water
or wastewater, or communication utility facilities within an
agricultural preserve if that preserve was established after the
submission of the location of those facilities to the city or county
for review or approval.
(c) When land in an agricultural preserve is acquired by a public
entity, the public entity shall notify the Director of Conservation
within 10 working days. The notice shall include a general
explanation of the decision and the findings made pursuant to Section
51292. If different from that previously provided pursuant to
subdivision (b), the notice shall also include a general description,
in text or by diagram, of the agricultural preserve land acquired
and a copy of any applicable contract created under this chapter.
(d) If, after giving the notice required under subdivisions (b)
and (c) and before the project is completed within an agricultural
preserve, the public agency or person proposes any significant change
in the public improvement, it shall give notice of the changes to
the Director of Conservation and the local governing body responsible
for the administration of the preserve. Within 30 days thereafter,
the Director of Conservation and the local governing body may forward
to the public agency or person their comments with respect to the
effect of the change to the public improvement on the land within the
preserve and the compliance of the changed public improvements with
this article. Those comments shall be considered by the public agency
or person, if available within the time limits set by this
subdivision.
(e) Any action or proceeding regarding notices or findings
required by this article filed by the Director of Conservation or the
local governing body administering the agricultural preserve shall
be governed by Section 51294.