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Appoint the Director of Resource Management as Solano County’s Authorized Designee to review timberland conversions of less than three (3) acres in response to a request from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _ X_
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Resource Management recommends that the Board of Supervisors appoint the Director of Resource Management as the Authorized Designee to review timberland conversions of less than three (3) acres in response to a request from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
SUMMARY:
The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is encouraging County Boards of Supervisors to appoint an authorized designee to review timberland conversions of less than three (3) acres to ensure that the resulting land use will conform to that County’s regulatory requirements. By approving an authorized designee, Solano County will have the opportunity to verify that property owners have demonstrated that their intent to convert timber to another land use conforms with Solano County’s land use requirements.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2019/20 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) enforces California Public Resources Code (PRC) provisions for Timberland, Timber Operations (logging) and Timberland Conversions (changing land use from timberlands to some other land use). The Public Resources Code for Timberland Conversions establishes an exemption from a conversion permit of less than three (3) acres. To be eligible for an exemption, documentation must be submitted to CALFIRE which includes evidence that the conversion of the timberland to some other use is in conformance with all County regulatory requirements.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection acknowledges the importance of County participation in land use decision making by giving the County the opportunity to determine that proposed timberland conversion is in conformance with all County regulatory requirements by requesting a signed and dated statement from an authorized designee of the County Board of Supervisors. Should a County choose not to have an authorized designee, the County relinquishes the opportunity for review and it falls to a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) to prepare a “less than 3-acre exemption” to certify that a County has been contacted and the conversion is in conformance with that County’s regulatory requirements. These RPF’s have stated that this determination is somewhat challenging since each County has different regulatory requirements. The less than three (3) acre exemption review by a county authorized designee would provide clarity to the review process.
Though Solano County does not have lands designated in a specific Timberland Protection Zone (TPZ), Solano County does have commercial Christmas tree farms which is a land use included in the Public Resources Code’s definition of timberland. Providing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection an authorized designee from Solano County will ensure the Director of Resource Manager is informed of any conversions of timber of less than three (3) acres.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could decide not to appoint the Director of Resource Management as the authorized designee to review timberland conversions of less than three (3) acres. This is not recommended as the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has requested that all California counties appoint an authorized designee to review timberland conversions of less than three (3) acres.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION