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.
Santa Maria, CA
Chapter 5-5 gives the Noise Control Officer one warning before a second verified complaint becomes a violation, and Santa Maria Code Enforcement (community s...
Santa Maria, CA
Aircraft noise is federally preempted by the FAA; Santa Maria Public Airport District runs a voluntary noise advisory program using California's 65 dB CNEL s...
Santa Maria, CA
Sound-amplifying equipment is regulated in residential zones under Chapter 5-5, and Chapter 6-6 (Party Disturbances) makes hosting a party with sound 'plainl...
Santa Maria, CA
Barking dogs in Santa Maria are treated as 'unmeasurable nuisance noise' under Chapter 5-5 and as a Good Neighbor Rules issue under Chapter 4-7, with persist...
Santa Maria, CA
Santa Maria limits residential-zone construction noise under Chapter 5-5, with a construction-noise permit required from the Noise Control Officer when work ...
Santa Maria, CA
Santa Maria Municipal Code Chapter 5-5 sets ambient base noise levels that drop at night in residential zones, with a violation found when the level exceeds ...
See how Santa Maria's agricultural zoning protection rules stack up against other locations.
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