Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Timber Harvest topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners clash over where timber harvests belong in zoning tables
Summary
Discussion focused on whether "growing and harvesting of timber" should be listed in AG‑1/AG‑2 and how county code interacts with state TPZ minimums and CAL FIRE permitting; one commissioner noted timber‑harvest obligations can apply regardless of zoning.
A commissioner argued the draft should explicitly list "growing and harvesting of timber" in both AG‑1 and AG‑2 to reflect common practice and avoid ambiguity. The commissioner said, "I write timber harvest plans and exemptions and emergencies on residential commercial lots because that is required," and warned that even small forested parcels can trigger harvest‑plan obligations (S3).
Staff and other commissioners cautioned that adding harvesting as a permitted use could create a perception that county zoning supersedes state processes. One commissioner asked whether listing timber harvesting as "permitted" might lead landowners to assume they "don't need a permit" from state agencies such as CAL FIRE (S2). The commission asked staff to reconcile the code tables with existing county sections and state statutes and to return with cross‑references and draft language that clarifies when county review is required and when state harvest rules apply.
