The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act), Government Code 51200-51297.4, allows landowners to enter contracts with counties restricting land to agricultural use for ten-year minimum terms in exchange for reduced property tax assessment based on farming income.
Government Code 51200-51297.4 establishes the Williamson Act framework under which county boards of supervisors may form agricultural preserves and contract with landowners to restrict parcels to agricultural and compatible uses for renewable ten-year terms (twenty for Farmland Security Zones). In exchange, parcels are taxed based on agricultural income capacity rather than market value. The state partially reimburses counties for foregone property tax. Local governments must follow uniform statewide procedures for contract entry, renewal, nonrenewal, and cancellation. While participation by counties is optional, the contract framework, valuation method, and cancellation rules are state-mandated and uniform.
Premature contract cancellation triggers cancellation fees of 12.5 percent of the parcel's unrestricted fair market value under Government Code 51283.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Bishop, CA
Bishop has no ordinance banning backyard composting. Home composting is allowed if kept clean and not a nuisance. California's SB 1383 law also requires resi...
Bishop, CA
Bishop has no ordinance banning or specially permitting artificial turf. Synthetic lawns are allowed and fit the City's water-efficient landscaping goals, th...
Bishop, CA
Bishop actively encourages water-efficient, low-water-use landscaping. Its Water-Efficient Landscapes ordinance (BMC Ch. 13.07) applies to new and rehabilita...
Bishop, CA
Bishop's Municipal Code sets no rainwater-harvesting restriction. Rain barrels and simple cisterns are legal in California, and the state encourages capturin...
Bishop, CA
Bishop draws on the Owens Valley Groundwater Basin and enforces a Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Wasting water is always prohibited (BMC 13.04.050). During...
Bishop, CA
Bishop Municipal Code Chapter 8.08 lets the City Council declare weeds, rubbish, refuse and dirt on any property a public nuisance and abate them. Owners are...
See how Bishop's agricultural zoning protection rules stack up against other locations.
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