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Home My WebLink About1980-07-08; City Council; 6290; Proposed Agricultural PolicyCITY OF CARLSBAD INITIAL AGENDA BILL NO. (j> 2 ?Q ; Dept. Hd. DATE: _ JULY 8, 1980 _ _Cty. Atty. DEPARTMENT: PLANNING _ _ Cty. Mgr. SUBJECT: PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL POLICY STATEMENT OF THE MATTER ! A large percentage of arable land within Carlsbad is owned by individuals or companies with future development plans. These owners believe growing a crop on this land will be evidence of agricultural significance when the development plans are reviewed. Not farming arable land is an economic loss to the owner, the grower, and Carlsbad. The owner must pay taxes on vacant land. The Carlsbad growers, who produce 8% of the national production of tomatoes on 2% of national acreage, cannot find land to lease. Finally, agriculture has a multiplier effect of 1.16; for every dollar in total urban expenditures, agriculture returns 1.16 dollars to the local economy. It would be in Carlsbad's best interests to allay the fears df the land owners and to encourage agricultural use. ~ EXHIBITS . T~. Proposed Agricultural Policy 2. City of San Diego Draft Agricultural Policy 3. County of San Diego Interim Agricultural Policy RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends : 1. That the attached policy be adopted immediately as an interim agricultural policy; and 2. That, after the findings and recommendations of the Local Coastal Plan are presented, a committee be formed. This committee, comprised of local growers, owners, and staff, will evaluate the policy and suggest additions, changes, and alternatives. The final product of the committee would be sent to the City Council as an Agricultural Element for the General Plan. Council Action: 7-8-80 Council returned the matter to staff for revision in accordance with Council discussion. MEMORANDUM DATE: June 26, 1980 TO: Frank Aleshire, City Manager FROM: James Hagaman, Director of Planning SUBJECT: PROPOSED AGRICULTURAL POLICY Attached is the proposed interim agricultural policy. In order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the develop- ment of an agricultural policy, the City Council may find it appropriate to form a citizen's committee. The citizen's commitee's anticipated responsibilities would include the following: 1. To evaluate the current policies; 2. To suggest additions, changes, and alternatives as needed. 3. To consider suitable implementation methods. As you know, the Local Coastal Program (LCP) for the areas of Carlsbad within the coastal zone will include a comprehensive agricultural protection program. The recommendations and findings for the land use plan of the LCP will be completed in the next few weeks. Included in the recommendations and findings will be a framework for a comprehensive agricultural protection program. This information is crucial for the proposed committee to consider before discussing a permanent agricultural policy. Therefore, the proposed committee should be formed after the LCP recommendations and findings have been presented. Current Policy Some measures contained in the General Plan and the Zoning Ordinance currently form guidelines for agriculture. These measures are not part of the proposed policy; however, they are a working part of city policy. Those measures are as follows: 1. General Plan Policies The Open Space Element of the General Plan contains the most specific direction for agriculture. "It is the express policy of the City of Carlsbad ... to regard agricultural land and prime soil as a natural resource and as a significant contrasting land use to the urbanized environ- ment of the city" (page 8). To achieve that policy, the objective of preventing "the premature elimination of prime agricultural land and to preserve said lands wherever feasible" (page 12) was stated. Four guidelines were set up. They include: 1. Urban development should take place in the least productive areas; 2. Agricultural use should be encouraged as a land use in designated open space; 3. The city should support and use all measures to reduce the financial burden on agricultural land; and 4. Use proper design criteria to maximize the preservation of future options of prime agricultural land. The Land Use Element states that it is a goal to "promote the economic viability of the agricultural and horticultural industries" (page 6). Master plans were suggested to implement the Williamson Act which allows local governments to identify agricultural reserves. The Master Plan would identify land use based on agricultural production. The city and the property owner would then agree on the zoning and timing of development for.that area. The Land Use Element also includes agriculture as a potential use for the lands near Palomar Airport designated as Non-residential Reserve. 2. Zoning Ordinance Policy The Zoning Ordinance's expressed intent is to permit agricultural use in areas that are not appropriate for urban development, to protect agricultural uses, to recognize that agriculture is a necessary part of the character of Carlsbad, and to assure the continuation of a healthy agricultural economy in the appropriate areas of Carlsbad. Two zoning categories - the E-A Exclusive Agricultural Zone and the R-A Residential Agricultural Zone are now used. Also, all the lower density residential zoning categories permit agriculture as an acceptable use. Proposed Policy The following policy statements are recommended for City Council adoption: -2- 1. It is the policy of the City Council to encourage productive management of the city's natural resources. This policy includes both properties which are not specifically designated agriculture in the General Plan or adopted Master Plans and those properties which are designated agriculture. Such agricultural activity, whether carried on by the property owner or by a lessee, shall not, in any way, indicate that the property be zoned "agricultural." 2. It is also the policy of the City Council that a site development permit be required for all agricultural activities conducted on previously undisturbed land. This assures that grading and clearing operations do not disturb potentially valuable and significant environmental resources. Also, the draft council policy of the City of San Diego regarding agricultural and the County of San Diego interim agricultural policy are attached as examples. JCtar 6/26/80 -3- c c DRAFT COUNCIL POLICY SUBJECT: POLICY TO ENCOURAGE TEMPORARY AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES ON PROPERTIES NOT DESIGNATED FOR AGRICULTURE : BACKGROUND The City Council recognizes the importance of agriculture which is this region's fourth leading industry. All of the City's "prime agricultural soils" are located within the San Pasqual or Tia Juana River Valleys or have already been built upon. Prime agricultural soils are needed for permanent viable agricultural activities, however, temporary farming can be successfully conducted on lesser- qual? Jy soils within the Coastal Climatic Zone. * . • PURPOSE ' . . « * " To encourage temporary farming on lands that do not have prime agricultural soils before the owners are ready to otherwise develop these properties. • . ' - • POLICY It is the policy of the City Council to encourage productive management of this City's natural resources including temporary agricultural utilization of properties which are not specifically designated for agriculture in the Progress Guide and General Plan or adopted community plans of the City of San Diego. Such temporary agricultural activity whether carried on directly by the property owner or by a lease arrangement with another party shall not in any way be construed to indicate that the property should be zoned "agricultural". t • • '..-•• It is further the Policy of the City Council that a Land Development Permit be required for all agricultural activities to be conducted on previously undisturbed lands to assure that grading and clearing operations do not disturb potentially valuable environmental resources such as vernal pool ecosystems including the rare and endangered "Mesa Mint". County ot ban uiej-.o, uanrornia BV. OF SUPERVISORS POLICYC Abject INTERIM POLICY TO ENCOURAGE THE LEASING OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS Policy Page Purpose . .. .. To guide the Planning Commission and Environmental Reviev; Board in making or recommending findings of "agricultural significance" in the environmental review of discretionary permits. -•'.." • Background . " • During the past several years, "agricultural significance" has become an increasingly important issue in the environmental review of projects. Because of the adopted poli- cies of the State Coastal Commission and perhaps in anticipation of changes to County policies, landowners are becoming less interested in leasing land for agricultural purposes. '. ,, Currently, there are over 11,000 acres of land regularly used for vegetable production in the County. Perhaps as much as 80% of that land is leased by the owners to farmers^ Because a significant amoujnt of that land is designated for urban or estate develop- ment, the owners desire assurance that, by itself, the presence of agriculture will not be prjma facie evidence of "agricultural significance" and thus complicate the environmental review of a future discretionary project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act. Policy • ..•••• "n-1- ' —~" ' - . . .* ' „. It is the policy of the Board of Supervisors that the existence of soil-dependent agricultural use on land brought into production for the first time after January 1, 1979, shall not be used, at the time of the environmental review of discretionary permits,as prima facie evidence that the land is suitable for long-term agricultural •production. Prior to the adoption of the Agriculture Element, the Planning Commission and the Environmental Reviev; Board should, in the review of discretionary permits pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, make or recommend findings of "agricultural significance" in accordance with the following: 1. For projects located east-of the line shown on the attached map, the Planning Commission and Environmental Review Board should make or recommend significant findings on a case-by-case basis. 2. For projects located west of the line shown on the attached map, the Planning Commission and Environmental Review Board should not make or recommend significant findings if all the following criteria are met: a. At least one-half the pr6ject property is composed of soils rated in capability classes VI, VII, or VIII, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service Soil Survey, and b. Any portions of the project property composed of soils rated in capa- bility classes I, II, III, or IV are that part of a substantially contiguous undeveloped area of similarly rated soils smaller than 100 acres. c r '?-!ti'i ss u: r *&& RT*J. S 11 • / -i* r. '* ..-• . CJ% >-• iLi • ;'.o :\.— •i«s :•! i« - • •