BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1266
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Date of Hearing: May 11, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Cathleen Galgiani, Chair
AB 1266 (Nielsen) - As Introduced: February 18, 2011
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (9-0)
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|Ayes:|Smyth, Alejo, Bradford, | | |
| |Campos, Davis, Gordon, | | |
| |Hueso, Knight, Norby | | |
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SUBJECT : Local government: Williamson Act: agricultural
preserves: advisory board.
SUMMARY : Allows Williamson Act (Act) advisory boards to advise
a legislative body of a city or county, on matters as specified.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Allows an advisory board, in addition to advising on the
administration of the agricultural preserves in the county or
city, to advise the city or county on any matters relating to
Act contracts, including, but not limited to, the following:
a) Program benefits;
b) Costs;
c) Amendments; and,
d) Landowner participation.
2)Provides that the advisory board process is not the only means
by which a board of supervisors (board) or city council
(council) may address or receive advice regarding agricultural
preserve matters.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Creates the Act, also known as the California Land
Conservation Act of 1965, which authorizes cities and counties
to enter into agricultural land preservation contracts with
landowners who agree to restrict the use of their land for a
AB 1266
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minimum of 10 years in exchange for lower-assessed valuations
for property tax purposes. �Government Code Section (GOV)
51200-51207]
2)Allows a board or council to appoint an advisory board on
agricultural preserve matters. �GOV Section 51239]
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : The Act conserves agricultural and open space land by
allowing private property owners to sign voluntary contracts
with counties and cities, restricting their land to agriculture,
open space, and compatible uses. In return, county assessors
must lower the assessed value of the contracted lands to reflect
their use as agricultural or open space instead of reflecting
the market value. Making sure that private property owners use
their Act land appropriately is essential to maintaining the
statute's constitutional integrity. There are approximately
16.6 million acres under Act contracts.
According to the author's office, this bill will serve as a road
map for counties that opt to use the advisory boards. The
advisory boards have been in the Act since 1969 and a study in
the 1990s found roughly half of Act counties had some kind of
advisory board. The author states this bill is intended to make
counties more comfortable with using the advisory board as a
tool to help deal with current problems. The bill spells out
certain issues that an Act advisory board may help a county
address with its Act contract holders.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Resource Landowners Coalition
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916)
319-2084
AB 1266
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