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AB-1441 Agricultural land: Williamson Act: lot lines.(2009-2010)

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Assembly Bill No. 1441
CHAPTER 148

An act to amend Section 51257 of the Government Code, relating to agricultural land.

[ Approved by Governor  August 05, 2009. Filed with Secretary of State  August 06, 2009. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1441, Committee on Agriculture. Agricultural land: Williamson Act: lot lines.
Existing law, the Williamson Act, until January 1, 2010, authorizes a city or county and a landowner to agree to rescind a contract or contracts and simultaneously enter into a new contract or contracts to facilitate lot line adjustments.
This bill would extend this authorization to January 1, 2011.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 51257 of the Government Code is amended to read:

51257.
 (a) To facilitate a lot line adjustment, pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 66412, and notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the parties may mutually agree to rescind the contract or contracts and simultaneously enter into a new contract or contracts pursuant to this chapter, provided that the board or council finds all of the following:
(1) The new contract or contracts would enforceably restrict the adjusted boundaries of the parcel for an initial term for at least as long as the unexpired term of the rescinded contract or contracts, but for not less than 10 years.
(2) There is no net decrease in the amount of the acreage restricted. In cases where two parcels involved in a lot line adjustment are both subject to contracts rescinded pursuant to this section, this finding will be satisfied if the aggregate acreage of the land restricted by the new contracts is at least as great as the aggregate acreage restricted by the rescinded contracts.
(3) At least 90 percent of the land under the former contract or contracts remains under the new contract or contracts.
(4) After the lot line adjustment, the parcels of land subject to contract will be large enough to sustain their agricultural use, as defined in Section 51222.
(5) The lot line adjustment would not compromise the long-term agricultural productivity of the parcel or other agricultural lands subject to a contract or contracts.
(6) The lot line adjustment is not likely to result in the removal of adjacent land from agricultural use.
(7) The lot line adjustment does not result in a greater number of developable parcels than existed prior to the adjustment, or an adjusted lot that is inconsistent with the general plan.
(b) Nothing in this section shall limit the authority of the board or council to enact additional conditions or restrictions on lot line adjustments.
(c) Only one new contract may be entered into pursuant to this section with respect to a given parcel, prior to January 1, 2004.
(d) In the year 2008, the department’s Williamson Act Status Report, prepared pursuant to Section 51207, shall include a review of the performance of this section.
(e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2011, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted on or before January 1, 2011, deletes or extends that date.