Consent-Community Services # 8.
Board of Supervisors
Natural Resources
- Meeting Date:
- 02/07/2023
- Brief Title
- Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
From:
Leslie Lindbo, Interim Director, Department of Community Services
Staff Contact:
Elisa Sabatini, Manager of Natural Resources, Community Services Dept., x5773
Supervisorial District Impact:
District 1
Subject
Adopt resolution requesting the State Department of Conservation remove parcels located within the City of West Sacramento from the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program. (No general fund impact) (Lindbo/Sabatini)
Recommended Action
- Adopt resolution (Att. A) requesting the State Department of Conservation remove parcels located within the City of West Sacramento from the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program; and
- Direct staff to submit the resolution to the State Department of Conservation.
Strategic Plan Goal(s)
 |
Robust Economy |
Reason for Recommended Action/Background
In January 2023, the Planning Division was contacted by a property owner within the City of West Sacramento (ASB Southport II, LLC) that discovered, in the course of submitting an infill development grant application for the approved mixed-use development project (Yarbrough Project), that the Project-site parcels were designated as "Farmland of Local Potential" via the State Department of Conservation's 2018 "Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program" ("FMMP") for Yolo County. Such a designation indicates the farmland that may have prime farmland soils but the land is generally not cultivated or irrigated and has not been updated to reflect that the Yarbrough Project land has been committed to nonagricultural uses, as further discussed below. The FMMP designation could potentially disqualify this approved mixed-use development within the City of West Sacramento's Southport area from grant funding available by the State Department of Housing and Community Development's "Infill Infrastructure Grant Catalytic Qualifying Infill Area program" (IIGC).
The Department of Community Services, Planning Division has researched the history of the parcels that comprise the Yarbrough Project. These parcels were included as “Farmland of Local Importance” or "Farmland of Local Potential" upon the creation of the Department of Conservation’s FMMP in approximately 1984. The subject properties within the Yarbrough Project were subsequently annexed into the City of West Sacramento city limits decades ago and the County's General Plan identifies the Yarbrough Project lands as urbanized areas since they are included within the incorporated West Sacramento city limits. The Yarbrough Project was proposed by ASB Properties and was approved by the West Sacramento City Council in 2008. Approval of the Yarbrough Project included approval of a development agreement (DA 07-01, as adopted on June 18, 2008 by West Sacramento City Ordinance No. 08-4), General Plan amendment, zoning map amendment, and amendment of the Southport Framework Plan Land Use Diagram, which collectively revised the Project land use designations to increase residential densities and eliminated the agricultural designation. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was circulated and approved for the Yarbrough Project, which reviewed the Project site's FMMP designations, loss of agricultural land, and identified mitigation measures to address the loss of agricultural land. A 424-acre farmland mitigation easement was secured by ASB Southport II to mitigate the loss of agricultural land in compliance with the EIR and required mitigation measures; and the City of West Sacramento concurred that the easement satisfied the required agricultural mitigation required by the approved EIR in 2021. A map with site plan is included as Attachment B to this staff report.
It appears the FMMP designation associated with this project site was not updated to reflect the approved land use changes after the development agreement for the Yarbrough Project was approved. The authority to recommend changes to the FMMP designation of "Farmland of Local Potential" rests with the Board of Supervisors of each County. Therefore, staff is recommending that the Board approve the attached resolution (Att. A) requesting that the State Department of Conservation update the FMMP designation for the Yarbrough Project parcels to correct the designation on the 2020 FMMP Yolo County map to reflect that these parcels are committed to urban, nonagricultural uses. Per Government Code 65570 (c), the Department of Conservation makes all corrections requested by counties, as required by statute, during the biennial FMMP review. We understand from the Department of Conservation that the 2020 Yolo County FMMP map is still in the review process.
The Department of Community Services, Planning Division has researched the history of the parcels that comprise the Yarbrough Project. These parcels were included as “Farmland of Local Importance” or "Farmland of Local Potential" upon the creation of the Department of Conservation’s FMMP in approximately 1984. The subject properties within the Yarbrough Project were subsequently annexed into the City of West Sacramento city limits decades ago and the County's General Plan identifies the Yarbrough Project lands as urbanized areas since they are included within the incorporated West Sacramento city limits. The Yarbrough Project was proposed by ASB Properties and was approved by the West Sacramento City Council in 2008. Approval of the Yarbrough Project included approval of a development agreement (DA 07-01, as adopted on June 18, 2008 by West Sacramento City Ordinance No. 08-4), General Plan amendment, zoning map amendment, and amendment of the Southport Framework Plan Land Use Diagram, which collectively revised the Project land use designations to increase residential densities and eliminated the agricultural designation. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was circulated and approved for the Yarbrough Project, which reviewed the Project site's FMMP designations, loss of agricultural land, and identified mitigation measures to address the loss of agricultural land. A 424-acre farmland mitigation easement was secured by ASB Southport II to mitigate the loss of agricultural land in compliance with the EIR and required mitigation measures; and the City of West Sacramento concurred that the easement satisfied the required agricultural mitigation required by the approved EIR in 2021. A map with site plan is included as Attachment B to this staff report.
It appears the FMMP designation associated with this project site was not updated to reflect the approved land use changes after the development agreement for the Yarbrough Project was approved. The authority to recommend changes to the FMMP designation of "Farmland of Local Potential" rests with the Board of Supervisors of each County. Therefore, staff is recommending that the Board approve the attached resolution (Att. A) requesting that the State Department of Conservation update the FMMP designation for the Yarbrough Project parcels to correct the designation on the 2020 FMMP Yolo County map to reflect that these parcels are committed to urban, nonagricultural uses. Per Government Code 65570 (c), the Department of Conservation makes all corrections requested by counties, as required by statute, during the biennial FMMP review. We understand from the Department of Conservation that the 2020 Yolo County FMMP map is still in the review process.
Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies)
Staff have collaborated with the City of West Sacramento, Dist. 1, and the Department of Conservation.
Fiscal Impact
No Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact (Expenditure)
- Total cost of recommended action:
- $ 0
- Amount budgeted for expenditure:
- $
- Additional expenditure authority needed:
- $
- On-going commitment (annual cost):
- $
Source of Funds for this Expenditure
- General Fund
- $0
Attachments
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Kimberly Hood | Kimberly Hood | 01/31/2023 10:44 AM |
| Kimberly Hood | Kimberly Hood | 02/01/2023 12:11 PM |
- Form Started By:
- esabatini
- Started On:
- 01/27/2023 06:22 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 02/01/2023