Is Arata’s Corn Maze Agricultural or Commercial? Or Is It Dodging the Williamson Act?

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MEETING of the San Mateo County Supervisors on Tuesday, 12/8/2020, 9:00am.

CLICK for ZOOM Link and Agenda

 

VIDEO. From the San Mateo County Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) meeting 10/19/2020 at 7:00pm.

Queue to 1:21:10 minutes for agenda item regarding Agri-Tourism permit streamlining.

 

Memo from San Mateo County Planning Department Project Planner, Summer Burlison, to the SMCo Agricultural Advisory Committee.

Renewal of a Planned Agricultural District Permit (PAD) and Coastal
Development Permit (CDP) for seasonal commercial recreation activities at
Arata Pumpkin Farm located at 185 Verde Road, San Gregorio.
Owner/Applicant Chris Gounalakis; File No. PLN2015-00084

Thank you for your Committee’s consideration on the subject item at your October 19,
2020 Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) meeting and your recommendation to
continue the item until a detailed assessment of the property’s compliance with its
Williamson Act contract is conducted.

Staff concurs that a detailed assessment of the property’s compliance with its Williamson
Act contract is warranted and will report our findings to the Committee as soon as the
assessment can be completed. However, in the interest of putting in place the permits
needed for this season’s commercial recreation activities, staff is recommending that the
Planning Commission approve the requested renewal of the CDP and PAD permits at its
October 28, 2020 meeting. The renewal of the CDP and PAD permits will have no impact
on staff’s assessment of the property’s Williamson Act contract compliance, which is a
separate issue from the permit application for renewal going before the Planning
Commission, and can be effectively addressed outside of the subject permit renewal
process.

Furthermore, staff has added a condition that the subject CDP and PAD renewal beyond
the current 2020 season shall only take effect if the Planning Commission: 1) considers the
Agricultural Advisory Committee’s comments on the County’s evaluation of this property’s
Williamson Act contract compliance; 2) confirms that the commercial recreation activities
conducted during the 2020 season were carried out in compliance with the terms of this
permit and all applicable County policies and regulations; and 3) determines whether any
modifications to the conditions, or any new conditions, are needed in order to achieve
compliance.

Contact:

Laura Richstone
[email protected]
Tel:  (650) 363-1829
Fax: (650) 363-4849

10/19/2020 AAC Agenda

AAC Website 

Arata’s Website

Owner/Applicant: Chris Gounalakis

File Number PLN 2015-00084

Location: 185 Verde Road, San Gregorio

Assessor’s Parcel No. 066-310-080

Consideration of a renewal of a Planned Agricultural District Permit and Coastal Development Permit to allow seasonal commercial recreation activities at the Arata Pumpkin Farm; no operational changes are proposed.

The project is appealable to the California Coastal Commission. This item was delayed due to the September 14, 2020 AAC meeting cancellation.

Please direct any questions to Project Planner Summer Burlison at [email protected].

 


The Williamson Act

Objectives

The Williamson Act is a means to restrict the uses of agricultural and open space lands to farming and ranching uses during the length of the contract period. The Williamson Act Program was also envisioned as a way for local governments to integrate the protection of open space and agricultural resources into their overall strategies for planning urban growth patterns. To this end, three principal objectives were originally outlined:


 

AAC Members

Every 2nd Monday of the Month
7:00pm-9:00pm

Contact

Laura Richstone
[email protected]
Tel:  (650) 363-1829
Fax: (650) 363-4849

 

MISSION STATEMENT
The purpose of this Committee is to assist in the achievement of the objectives of the Planned Agricultural District Ordinance and the San Mateo County Local Coastal Program.

MEMBERSHIP

15 members, consisting of one Agricultural Business, one Conservationist, seven Farmer/Growers, two Public Members and four Non-Voting members (Executive Director, San Mateo County Farm Bureau; Executive Director, National Resource Conservation Service NRCS; County Director, UC Cooperative Extension; and County Agricultural Commissioner).

 
  • John Vars
    1st Term
    Jan 24, 2017 to Jun 30, 2020
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • Peter Marchi
    1st Term
    Jun 25, 2019 to Jun 30, 2021
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • Cynthia Duenas
    1st Term
    Jun 25, 2019 to Jun 30, 2021
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Public
  • BJ Burns
    3rd Term
    Apr 14, 2009 to Jun 30, 2021
    Title
    Vice Chair
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • Robert Marsh
    3rd Term
    Apr 14, 2009 to Jun 30, 2021
    Title
    Chair
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • Judith Humburg
    1st Term
    Jun 25, 2019 to Jun 30, 2021
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Public
  • Ron Sturgeon
    1st Term
    Sep 12, 2016 to Jun 30, 2021
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Conservationist
  • Natalie Sare
    1st Term
    Jun 25, 2019 to Jun 30, 2022
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • Lauren Silberman
    1st Term
    Jul 10, 2018 to Jun 30, 2022
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Agricultural Business
  • Louie Figone
    3rd Term
    Aug 07, 2018 to Jun 30, 2022
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • William Cook
    1st Term
    Jul 10, 2018 to Jun 30, 2022
    Title
    Member
    Representing
    Farmer/Grower
  • Jim Howard
    No Term
    N/A N/A
    Title
    Non-Voting
    Representing
    USDA Natural Resources Conservation
  • Jess Brown
    No Term
    N/A N/A
    Title
    Non-Voting
    Representing
    Farm Bureau
  • Frank McPherson
    1st Term
    N/A N/A
    Title
    Non-Voting
    Representing
    UC Coop. Extension
  • Koren Widdel
    1st Term
    N/A N/A
    Title
    Non-Voting
    Representing
    Agricultural Commissioner
  • Don Horsley
    1st Term
    N/A N/A
    Title
    Supervisor
    Representing
    Board of Supervisors
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