SR 06:208 - Laserfiche WebLink

dairy cows.",2' In 1953, Pleasanton farmers grew about 545 acres of tomatoes and about 1,000 acres of sUb"" beets (which produced about 22,000 tons of sugar beets), along with walnuts, hay and grains. During 1953 the Garattis Winery on Saint John Street was the largest business concern in Pleasanton with over 1.2 million gallons of wine storage and numerous affiliated vineyards." Over the past 50 years, the city has spread over former Prime Farmland and Farmland of Statewide Importance, replacing farmland with housing and businesses. See Figure VII-7 for a map of existing (year 2005) agricultural lands in Pleasanton. 'Ibis figure shows Prime Farmland, Farmland of Statewide Importance, Unique Farmland, grazing land, developed land, and other land. Figure VII-7 also delineates lands under 1I7ilh"mson Ad contract. 'lbe 1965 Calif017Iia Land COllSemation Ad - commonly referred to as the Williamson Ad - enables local governments to contract with private landowners to restrict specific lands to agricultural or related open-space use. In return, landowners receive property tax assessments which arc much lower than normal in that the taxes of 117illiamson Act lands arc based upon farming and open space uses as opposed to full market value. Via the 1971 Open Space SlIbvention Ad, the State provides an annual payment of forgone property tax revenues to local governments. 1\ 117illiamson A,t contract runs with the land, and will still be in effect if land ownership changes. TIle landowner may cancel a 117illiamson Ad property through a nonrenewal process that takes at least nine years and is the medlOd most landowners use. TI,e landowner may also petition to cancel a contract in a complicated and expensive process. The following arc Urtited States Department of l\griculture deflllitions: Pritnc Farlnland has the best combination of physical and chcllucal characteristics fur pruuucing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops, and is also available for these uses. Prime Farmland has the soil quality, growing season, and moisture supply needed to produce sustained high yields of crops when treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods. Land must have been recently used for irrigated agricultural production to be considered Prime Fannland. Farmland of Statewide Importance is similar to Prime Farmland but with mll10r shortcomings, such as greater slopes or less ability to store soil moisture. Land must have been recently used for irrigated agricultural production to be considered Farmland of Statewide Importance. " Ibid, p. 71. 2;' The Plea.fall/OII Timei, August 13, 1910. 2(, 'loe Pleai(.m/011 Time)', September 24, 1954, page 1. Con os FJcI11l."nt, CC OH2')l1(" dean VII-28 City CoutlciI8/29/2006