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.

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

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).

Author: Coastside Buzz

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