Turning open space back into timber harvesting

The Daily Journal/Staff, 4/11/16. "Open space eyed for timber production."

Open Space get off my
timber harvesting property!

Property turned back
into timber harvesting.

Where will the birds go?

A La Honda property owner is seeking to rezone 40 acres of land he owns from open space to timber production. The Jeffrey Hunt Stoddard Trust received Planning Commission approval to rezone the land off of Highway 9 in January and the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors is set to vote on it Tuesday (4/12/16).

In 2014, the board excluded timber harvesting from the county’s Williamson Act Program as an agricultural use, according to a report by Senior Planner Melissa Ross. As a result, at least two parcels in the county used for timber harvesting became ineligible to remain under Williamson Act contracts since no other qualifying agricultural use is present on the properties, according to Ross’ report. Tree species on Stoddard’s land include a mix of redwood, Douglas fir, tan oak and other conifers and hardwoods.

....  With board approval, the property owner would still be required to secure a Timber Harvest Permit from the state Department of Forestry and Fire.  The board will hold a public hearing and consider three actions including: • A General Plan Map Amendment changing the land use designation of one parcel from Open Space to Timber Production; • A Zoning Map Amendment to rezone same parcel from Resource Management to Timberland Preserve Zone; and • Williamson Act contract non-renewal.

The "alternative" plan.

Too late for this one.

The Williamson Act is a state law that provides relief of property tax to owners of farmland and open space land in exchange for a 10-year agreement that the land will not be developed or otherwise converted to another use.   Read article.

Reference. County of San Mateo Panning Commission, 1/13/16, pdf pages 3. Item 2, Jeffrey Hunt Stoddard Trust:  24707 Highway 9, APN 085-170-010, La Honda, (continued from 5/13/15).  "....  rezone from Resource Management (RM to Timberland Preserve Zone (TPZ).  County of San Mateo Planning and Building Department, 5/13/15, pdf pages 19.  Staff  Summary, The Jeffrey Hunt Stoddard Trust, 24707 Highway 9, APN 085-170-010. "Notice of non-renewal of California land conservation contract."

Note photographs.  Left:  Redwood guy from  Up the road, "Into the Redwoods."  Map: face page image to San Mateo County planning, 5/13/15. Fire: UC California Agriculture news article/Jim Downing, January-March, 2015.  Right:  Tree huger,  location unknown. Beaver from Steamboat Carpets Plus, What is the definition between hardwood and softwood?"

Posted by Kathy Meeh