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Appendix to Land Use Current Conditions paper

Contents 1 Sacramento County Current Agricultural Policy Inventory 1.1 A. Urban and Rural Development Policies 1.2 B. Affordable Housing Requirements 1.3 C. Jobs-housing ratio standards 1.4 D. AG tourism or Economic Development 1.5 E. Right to Farm Ordinance 1.6 F. Open Space/Conservation Policies in GP 1.7 G. Active Ag General Plan Element and/or Easement Programs 1.8 H. Flood Protection Policies 1.9 I. Williamson Act 2 Sacramento County Zoning

Sacramento County Current Agricultural Policy Inventory

The following text has been extracted from the 2007 Sacramento County Draft General Plan. It is not an exhaustive list of policies and is not intended to represent the full General Plan document. The purpose of this document is to highlight the policies used to inform the Land Use Current Conditions Inventory paper.

A. Urban and Rural Development Policies

The Urban Service Boundary (USB) indicates the ultimate boundary of the urban area in the unincorporated County. This boundary is based upon jurisdictional, natural and environmental constraints to urban growth. It is intended to be a permanent growth boundary not subject to modification except under extraordinary circumstances. The USB should be used by urban infrastructure providers for developing very long-range master plans that can be implemented over time as the urbanized area expands.

The USB allows for the permanent preservation of agriculture and rangelands, critical habitat and natural resources, while the UPA concentrates and directs growth within previously urbanized areas, limiting arbitrary and sprawling development patterns.

Rural residential densities of one, two and five acres to the dwelling unit do not support many of the goals and policies of this Plan. While the County acknowledges that some growth will occur in these existing areas, it will be limited to protect the rural and agricultural nature of the communities….

The strategy for accommodating this growth involves concentrating new AR-1 and AR-2 uses within existing Agricultural-Residential areas inside the Urban Service Boundary, while providing sewer and water to minimize environmental problems. AR-5 uses will continue to be provided beyond the Urban Service Boundary by limited expansion within existing Agricultural-Residential areas. The County encourages sustained agriculture and rangelands outside of the USB by limiting growth through restrictive zoning and limited infrastructure and municipal services.

GP Policies:
LU-1. The County shall not provide urban services beyond the Urban Policy Area, except when the County determines the need for health and safety purposes.

LU-2. The County shall maintain an Urban Service Boundary that defines the long-range plans (beyond twenty five years) for urbanization and extension of public infrastructure and services, and defines important areas for protecting as open space and agriculture.

LU-13. The County will promote new urban developments within identified growth areas and prohibit land use projects which are for noncontiguous development, specifically proposals outside of the Urban Policy Area (i.e. leapfrog development).

LU-81. Future agricultural-residential development outside the USB and outside Galt\’s Sphere of Influence shall be limited to existing agricultural-residential lands so designated on the Land Use Diagram and new areas adjacent to existing areas with agricultural-residential land use designations. Agricultural-Residential expansion within the City of Galt\’s Sphere of Influence shall be discouraged.

LU-86. Infill of existing Agricultural-Residential communities shall take precedence over expansion. Infill is defined as development within areas designated Agricultural- Residential on the Land Use Diagram. Each community is defined by the Agricultural-Residential land use classifications designated on the Land Use Diagram. Expansion is the change from Agriculture to Agricultural-Residential land use classifications.

B. Affordable Housing Requirements

Although agriculture in Sacramento County had declined with urbanizations, farmworkers still comprise a significant part of the labor force - about 4,000 workers. Migrant farmworkers number up to 1,300 during peak months. Farm workers tend to have very low-income due to the wages paid for most types of farm work. Farm worker families experience high rates of overcrowding, high housing costs, and substandard housing conditions due to the lack of affordable housing. Migrant farm workers face the additional challenge of finding suitable, and affordable, seasonal shelter, which is short supply during periods of peak demand.

In Sacramento County, the vast majority of farmworkers work in the southern portion of the County near the Delta and the City of Galt. If migrant workers are brought into the County through the services of the Employment Development Department, the farmer is required to provide privately financed housing facilities.

In 2001, Sacramento County had 38 active farm camps, providing housing for approximately 1200 farmworkers.

The County has established a low-cost and expedited process for approving second units or manufactured housing in agricultural-residential areas for use by farmworkers.

SHRA has provided technical assistance to the Galt Concilio, also serving the Sacramento Delta, in the development of migrant and permanent farm worker housing, and has worked with the UC Davis School of Environmental Design to use manufactured housing for farm workers.

Housing Element Policies (from existing Housing Element)
HE-27. Ensure housing that is provided to migrant farmworkers is decent, safe, and affordable.

HE-28. Support the use of available federal, state, and local resources to provide and enhance housing opportunities for farmworkers.

C. Jobs-housing ratio standards

Emphasize and create jobs/housing balance in new growth areas and in existing unbalanced corridors through infill.

D. AG tourism or Economic Development

GP Policies
ED-15. Support and promote a healthy and competitive agricultural industry whose products are recognized in local, national and international markets.

ED-16. Support ongoing efforts by the agriculture community to develop high value products and new markets for goods that can support higher paying and more steady employment opportunities in the unincorporated area.

ED-17. Encourage the establishment of agriculture uses, specialty crops and specialized animal facilities in the Agriculture land-use category, including complimentary uses.

ED-18. Support agricultural agencies, marketing cooperatives and other agricultural organizations in their efforts to research global, domestic and new markets for Sacramento County farm produce.

ED-19. Encourage local and regional processing facilities that create high quality jobs.

ED-20. Support improvement of regional transportation facilities, including freight and air cargo systems, to support increased hauling of raw product into the county and export of finished goods nationally and globally.

ED-21. Support and encourage the maintenance and growth of commercial agricultural businesses in Sacramento County.

E. Right to Farm Ordinance

Sacramento County has adopted a right-to-farm ordinance to provide legal assurance that established agricultural operations are allowed to continue, and to inform residents of areas zoned or designated for agriculture that they may be subject to inconvenience or discomfort resulting from accepted agricultural operations.

F. Open Space/Conservation Policies in GP

GP Policies
CO-48. Apply the aggregate resources combining land use category to additional areas as subsequent studies determine them to contain mineral resources which are feasible and appropriate for mining. The aggregate resources combining land use category shall not be a prerequisite to (SM) surface mining combining zoning in conjunction with proposed surface mining.

CO-63. Direct development away from prime and statewide importance soils or otherwise provide for mitigation that slows the loss of additional farmland conversion to other uses.

CO-64. Projects resulting in the conversion of more than fifty (50) acres of prime, statewide importance, unique and local importance farmland shall be deemed to have a significant environmental effect, as defined by CEQA.

CO-65. Recreational uses shall not be constructed on prime, statewide importance, unique or local farmland outside of the Urban Services Boundary where the use would impede agricultural practices.

CO-66. Encourage BMP\’s and appropriate soil conservation practices regularly utilized by farmers and ranchers.

CO-71. Ensure no net loss of wetlands, stream and river corridors, riparian woodlands, oak woodlands, oak savannah, or special status species habitat acreage and their respective functions.

G. Active Ag General Plan Element and/or Easement Programs

Agriculture Element
CO-87. If land within river and stream watersheds in existing agricultural areas is developed for non-agricultural purposes, the County should actively pursue easement dedication for recreation trails within such development as a condition of approval.

CO-88. Secure easement or fee title to open space lands within stream corridors as a condition of development approval.

A. To mitigate loss of agriculturally productive acreage, prohibit development in areas of the County that has designations of prime, statewide importance, unique and local importance soils through development agreements or conservation easements.

CO-76. Created or restored riparian habitat or wetlands, required as mitigation, shall be placed under a permanent conservation easement.

OS-9. Open space easements obtained and offered as mitigation shall be dedicated to the County of Sacramento or an open space agency designated by the County to protect and manage the open space. Fee title of land may be dedicated to the County or the open space agency provided it is acceptable to the appropriate department or agency.

AG-5. Mitigate within Sacramento County the loss of prime, statewide importance, unique and local importance farmlands or lands with intensive agricultural investments through the specific planning process and individual project entitlement requests to provide in-kind protection (must be an equal or higher farmland category), such as easements for agricultural purposes of nearby farmland.

AG-15. Maintain private ownership by coordinating with non-profit organizations to acquire conservation easements for preserving farmlands.

H. Flood Protection Policies

GP Policies
SA-6. The County will participate through and coordinate with the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and other agencies in obtaining federal authorization for construction of flood control projects along the Sacramento and American Rivers and the immediate connection of local internal streams to these rivers. Such projects should provide 200-year flood protection.

SA-12. The County shall require all new urban development projects to incorporate runoff control measures to minimize peak flows of runoff and/or assist in financing or otherwise implementing Comprehensive Drainage Plans.

SA-13. The County shall regulate, through zoning and other ordinances, land use and development in all areas subject to potential flooding and prohibit urban uses on unprotected flood land.

I. Williamson Act

To date, 171,492 acres, representing 27 percent of the County has been placed under contract.

AG-22. The County shall actively encourage enrollments of prime, statewide importance, unique and local importance agricultural lands in its Williamson Act program.

AG-23. Proactively discourage property owners from filing notices of nonrenewal and support and promote the recision of notices of nonrenewal and replacement of Williamson Act contracts, pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 51254, in areas outside the Urban Services Boundary for which notices of nonrenewal have been filed, by establishing agriculture-friendly land use practices that include additional economic incentives, such as the Agri-tourism program described in this Element.

AG-24. Support the state-formed program for Farmland Security Zones (also know as the Super Williamson Act).

Sacramento County Zoning