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City of San Leandro 14143-14273 Washington Avenue Warehouse Project 22 Regulatory Setting The DOC’s Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program (FMMP) monitors the conversion of the State’s farmland to and from agricultural use. County-level data is collected, and a series of maps are prepared that identify eight classifications and uses based on a minimum mapping unit size of 10 acres. The program also produces a biennial report on the amount of land converted from agricultural to non-agricultural use. The program maintains an inventory of State agricultural land and updates the Important Farmland Series Maps every two years. The FMMP is an informational service only and does not constitute State regulation of local land use decisions. Agricultural land is rated according to several variables, including soil quality and irrigation status with Prime Farmland being considered the most optimal for farming practices. Other FMMP designations include Farmland of Local Importance, Grazing Land, and Water. Land Conservation Act Better known as the “Williamson Act” (California Administrative Code Section 51200 et seq.), the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 creates a legal arrangement whereby private landowners’ contract with local governments to voluntarily restrict land to agricultural and open space uses, protecting it from unnecessary or premature conversion to urban uses. In return, restricted parcels are assessed for property tax purposes at a rate consistent with their actual use rather than potential market value, which saves landowners from 20 percent to 75 percent in property tax liability each year. Generally, Williamson Act contracts have an initial term of ten years, with renewal occurring automatically each year thereafter. The contracts run with the land and are binding on all succeeding landowners. Land must be in an agricultural preserve to enter into a Williamson Act contract. Agricultural preserves under Williamson Act contract contain at least 100 contiguous acres of agricultural land unless specific findings are made. Non-renewal initiations are requested either by the landowner or the local government and are often filed in anticipation of converting farmland to other uses. Most contracted land is terminated through non-renewal. Upon the expiration of the contract, the restrictions are removed and the property tax assessment, which had been gradually increasing over the previous nine-year non- renewal period, returns to full market value. To characterize the environmental baseline for agricultural resources, Important Farmland Maps produced by the DOC were reviewed. Unless otherwise expressed, the future use of “Important Farmland” specifically includes the following definitions provided by the DOC: ▪ Prime Farmland: Land which has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing crops. It has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce sustained high yields of crops when treated and managed, including water management, according to current farming standards. ▪ Unique Farmland: Land of lesser quality soils used for the production of specific high economic value crops. It has the special combination of soil quality, location, growing season and moisture supply needed to produce sustained high quality or high yields of a specific crop when treated and managed according to current farming methods. It is usually irrigated but may include non- irrigated orchards or vineyards as found in some climatic zones in California. Examples of crops include oranges, olives, avocados, rice, grapes and cut flowers.