SECTIONS 10280-10283 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 10280-10283

10280. The Agricultural Protection Planning Grant Program is hereby
established within the Department of Conservation, to provide
planning grants to improve the protection of agricultural lands and
grazing lands, including oak woodlands and grasslands.

10280.5. The following terms have the following meanings as used in
this division, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Authority" means an entity established by the state that
requires its members, including, but not limited to, local government
entities, to adopt a resolution stating their intent to participate.
(b) "Department" means the Department of Conservation.
(c) "Grant program" means the program established pursuant to
Section 10280.
(d) "Joint powers authority" means a joint powers authority
established pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of
Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code that is formed in part
to protect agricultural land.
(e) "Local government entity" means any city, county, city and
county, or district, including, but not limited to, park and
open-space districts, resource conservation districts, and other
special districts.
(f) "Nonprofit organization" means any nonprofit public benefit
corporation that has among its purposes the conservation of
agricultural lands, and holds a tax exemption, as defined under
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and further qualifies
as an organization under Section 170(b)(1)(A)(iv) or 170(h)(3) of
the Internal Revenue Code.

10281. The purpose of the grant program is to assist any local
government entity, nonprofit organization, authority, or joint powers
authority to apply for, and cost-effectively use, grant funds
available for farmland, grazing lands, and grasslands protection and
preservation from funds that are made available pursuant to
subdivision (f) of Section 5096.650 and from other funding sources.

10281.5. (a) In addition to the requirements established by the
department, the applicant shall demonstrate that the changes to the
existing goals, objectives, policies, or programs of the city,
county, or city and county that will logically result from the grant
will improve protection of agricultural land, grazing land, or
grasslands.
(b) The department shall develop and adopt guidelines and criteria
for awarding grants that achieve the greatest lasting preservation
of agricultural land. The department shall develop these guidelines
in consultation with farming and ranching groups, agricultural land
conservation groups, the State Coastal Conservancy, and the Wildlife
Conservation Board.

10282. (a) Under the grant program, a local government entity,
nonprofit organization, authority, or joint powers authority may
apply to the department for a planning grant to be used for the
protection of agricultural lands and grazing lands, including oak
woodlands and grasslands. In addition to any requirements established
by the department, to be eligible for a grant under the grant
program, an applicant shall do all of the following:
(1) Identify existing or potential agricultural lands in its
jurisdiction.
(2) Specify its existing goals, objectives, policies, or programs
that support the long-term protection of agricultural land.
(3) Specify the proposed changes to its existing goals,
objectives, policies, or programs that support the long-term
protection of agricultural land.
(4) Specify how the planning grant would be used to improve the
long-term protection of agricultural land within its jurisdiction.
(b) A grant awarded by the department under the grant program
shall not exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) to any
applicant, or five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) if the
department determines that a grant application is for collaborative
planning activities proposed to include two or more adjacent
counties, cities, or city and county.
(c) In granting funds pursuant to this division, the department
shall give priority to proposals that include matching funds from
local sources.
(d) A grant proposal by a park or open-space district, resource
conservation district, other special district, nonprofit
organization, authority, or joint powers authority shall be approved
by resolution of the city, county, or city and county, or multiple
cities and counties, whose jurisdiction the proposal is intended to
benefit. The city, county, or city and county shall provide evidence
that it is willing to implement some of the planning process funded
by the grant.
(e) The purposes for which a grant made pursuant to this division
for agricultural protection may include, but need not be limited to,
the following:
(1) To update the general plan of a city, county, or city and
county to improve protection of agricultural land, or a zoning
ordinance designed to improve protection of agricultural land.
(2) To develop multicounty strategies to protect agricultural
land.
(3) To develop city-county agreements to protect agricultural
land.
(4) To develop strategies to implement existing general plan
provisions, city-county agreements, or multicounty agreements to
protect agricultural land, including technical assistance.
(5) To develop public-private partnerships for the long-term
protection and stewardship of agricultural lands.

10283. Eligible projects funded under this division with the
proceeds from the sale of any bonds shall be consistent with the
requirements of Section 16727 of the Government Code.