BACKGROUND

Section 8-1.302 of the Yolo County Code requires a tentative parcel map and a parcel map for all subdivisions creating four or fewer lots. The Project site consists of one legal parcel with two Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs: 025-360-069 and 025-360-073) and is designated as Agriculture (AG) by the Yolo County 2030 Countywide General Plan land use map. (Note: Assessor’s Parcel Numbers are not always reflective of legal parcels.) The property has historically been farmed as two separate fields and planted in almond orchards, irrigated via surface water supplies and an agricultural well. According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Web Soil Survey, the soil composition of the Project area consists of Class IV soils that are considered prime farmland (if irrigated and drained), farmland of statewide importance, and unique farmland (the majority of the parcel is prime farmland). The property is not enrolled in the California Land Conservation Act (Williamson Act). The Project site is currently undeveloped, except for dirt/gravel access roads, and an equipment yard on the westerly side of the Adams Canal.

ANALYSIS

The proposed Project is a request for a tentative parcel map that would allow the property owners (Muller, et al.) to create two parcels from one 126.402-acre parcel to a more practicable configuration that will follow the physical boundaries of the farming operations along the Adams Canal which intersects the parcel from north to south. The parcel is currently farmed by members of the Muller family under separate entities. The portion of the property to the west and north of Adams Canal (proposed Parcel 1) is farmed by M3 Ranches, LLC, and the portion of the property to the east and south of Adams Canal (proposed Parcel 2) is farmed by Muller Ag, LLC. Upon approval of the proposed tentative parcel map, both properties will be solely farmed by Muller Ag, LLC. The creation of two parcels will allow the Mullers to obtain a production loan secured by the property, if needed. The applicant has indicated that portions of proposed Parcel 1 have poorer soils compared to Parcel 2 and is subject to flooding, which may necessitate future improvements to Parcel 1. The Project site is within the A-N zone and will not directly or indirectly affect the surrounding lands which primarily consist of agricultural uses, such as seasonal row crops, orchards, public open space, and rural residences.

 

As mentioned above, the almond orchards are irrigated via surface water from mid-March through mid-October, depending on water allocations, and well water when surface water is not available. Water is typically ordered for each field separately if water allocation is not enough to fully irrigate both fields. The existing agricultural well is located at the southwest corner of resultant Parcel 2 and the existing pump is located along the western boundary of resultant Parcel 2.  A new pump station is proposed as part of the Project on Parcel 1 to provide surface water resources for continued irrigation from the Adams Canal. Additionally, access to the parcels will continue from existing gravel and dirt roads from CR 19 and CR 94B. A new 20-foot-wide access easement is proposed on resultant Parcel 1 to ensure Parcel 2 has adequate access from CR 94B to the equipment yard located across the Adams Canal.

 

Although no development is proposed as part of the Project, the A-N zone would allow for the construction of one primary dwelling and one ancillary dwelling for the newly created parcels. Since the County Code provides that a property on A-N zoned land can establish a 2.5-acre homesite [County Code Sections 8-2.304/Table8-2.304(e) and 8-2.402(b)] for the authorized residences, the potential exists for the disturbance of raptor and/or Swainson's hawk foraging habitat on the newly created parcel. The Project's conditions of approval (Attachment E) will require the payment of land cover fees established by the Yolo Habitat Conservancy for a 2.5-acre homesite if the development of residential uses occurs on Parcel 1, created as a result of approval of the tentative parcel map (payment of applicable land cover fees are due prior to issuance of building permit(s) for new homesites).
 

On March 12, 2009, the Planning Commission approved the Taylor tentative parcel map (TPM #4965), which subdivided a 685-acre parcel into three parcels, one of which is the subject 126.402-acre parcel currently owned by Muller, et al. The Board of Supervisors approved the Taylor parcel map on November 10, 2009. The conditions of approval for the Taylor TPM required the applicant at the time to record a notice in the chain of title for each newly created parcel stating the obligation to mitigate for the loss of 2.5 acres of Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat by payment of in-lieu mitigation fee at time of building permit for a homesite. However, no building permits have been submitted to develop a homesite on the subject parcel. Staff have determined that this subsequent Tentative Parcel Map will require the owner to mitigate for the newly created parcel (Parcel 1), as well as the resultant Parcel 2 to satisfy the previous condition of approval from the Taylor TPM. See condition of approval item number 13 in Attachment E.

Proposed Parcel 1 and Parcel 2 meet the minimum parcel requirements for the A-N zone for parcels planted in permanent crops and are therefore consistent with policies within the 2030 Countywide General Plan that aim to maintain parcel sizes large enough to sustain viable agricultural production (Policy AG-1.2). Additionally, the tentative parcel map will allow the Muller family to obtain a production loan in the future to assist with financing to diversify or improve their crops, which is consistent with Policy AG-1.3 which prohibits the division of agricultural land for non-agricultural uses. Staff recommends the approval of the requested tentative parcel map to create two parcels from one 126.402-acre parcel. The required findings for approving the tentative parcel map are provided in Attachment D.

An Initial Study/Negative Declaration (IS/ND) was prepared for the Project. The IS/ND determined that no substantial evidence exists supporting a fair argument of significant environmental effects. The IS/ND was circulated for public review on June 20, 2024, and two responses were received. The Yolo County Department of Agriculture responded to inform staff that their agency had no comment on the proposed Project, and a letter of support of the Project was received by the Yolo County Farm Bureau, which can be found in Attachment G.

Should the Planning Commission approve the request for a tentative parcel map, the surveyor of record will prepare a technically accurate parcel map that will go before the Board of Supervisors as a consent item. Once the parcel map is accepted by the Board of Supervisors, it shall be filed for recordation with the County Clerk Recorder.