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Explanation of the Surrounding Agricultural Land Rating <br />The Surrounding Agricultural Land Rating is designed to provide a measurement of the <br />level of agricultural land use for lands in close proximity to a subject project. The California <br />Agricultural LESA Model rates the potential significance of the conversion of an agricultural parcel <br />that has a large proportion of surrounding land in agricultural production more highly than one that <br />has a relatively small percentage of surrounding land in agricultural production. The definition of a <br />"Zone of Influence" that accounts for surrounding lands up to a minimum of one quarter mile from <br />the project boundary is the result of several iterations during model development for assessing an <br />area that will generally be a representative sample of surrounding land use. Ina simple example, <br />a single one quarter mile square project (160 acres) would have a Zone of Influence that is a <br />minimum of eight times greater (1280 acres) that the parcel itself. <br />Land within a Zone of Influence that is observed to be fallow will require a case by case <br />determination of whether this land should be considered agricultural land. The Department of <br />Conservation's Important Farmland Maps may be of assistance in making this determination. In <br />addition, land currently in agricultural production may be designated as being "committed" to <br />future nonagricultural development. The Department of Conservation's Farmland Mapping and <br />Monitoring Program has a land use designation of Land Committed to Nonagricultural Use, and is <br />defined as "land that is permanently committed by local elected officials to nonagricultural <br />development by virtue of decisions which cannot be reversed simply by a majority vote of a city <br />council or county board of supervisors. The "committed" land must be so designated in an <br />adopted local general plan, and must also meet the requirements of either (a) or (b) below: <br />(a). It must have received one of the following final discretionary approvals: <br />Or <br />Tentative subdivision map (approved per the Subdivision Map Act); <br />Tentative or final parcel map (approved per the Subdivision Map Act); <br />Recorded development agreement (per Government Code §65864); <br />Other decisions by a local government which are analogous to items #1 -3 <br />above and which exhibit an element of permanence. Zoning by itself does <br />not qualify as a permanent commitment. <br />26 <br />75A -417 <br />