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SAN JOAQUIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION <br /> MEETING TODAY'S CHALLENGES/PLANNING FOR TOMORROW <br /> San Joaquin County <br /> Community Development Department RECEIVED March 25, 2014 <br /> Development Services Division <br /> 1810 E.Hazelton Avenue MAR 2 5 20 j4 <br /> Stockton, CA 95205 <br /> San Joaquin County <br /> Attn: Stephanie Stowers Community Development <br /> Re: PA-1400011 (SA) <br /> Dear Ms. Stowers: <br /> The San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation is a private,not for profit,volunteer organization that is <br /> dedicated to the advancement of agriculture in San Joaquin County. Preserving prime farmland for <br /> agricultural production is a main priority for our organization. <br /> This application,PA-1400011, seeks site approval to take two acres of agriculturally valuable land and <br /> convert it into a solar panel facility. We strongly oppose converting prime farmland into a solar facility <br /> unless there are direct benefits to the agricultural operation, such as using the electricity generated to <br /> power pumps or assist the primary agricultural purpose of the land. <br /> This site that this project is proposed is zoned AG-40 and located in a highly agricultural area. Solar <br /> power facilities are not consistent with the surrounding uses of the land and the construction of this <br /> incompatible use could have a detrimental impact on surrounding agricultural operations, leading to a <br /> significant, cumulative loss of land in production. <br /> Furthermore,permitting incompatible uses that creates a de facto,permanent conversion of agricultural <br /> land leads to losses that are not properly mitigated for. This application makes no mention of the fact that <br /> the project is subject to mitigation under the SJCOG's HCP. Furthermore, San Joaquin County has a very <br /> strong agricultural mitigation ordinance that is repeatedly undermined by the continued permitting of <br /> projects that are inconsistent with the general plan and zoning designation of the land. <br /> We recommend that the Planning Commission deny this application because the applicants have failed to <br /> make any allowances for mitigation under the HCP and the use of prime agricultural land is an <br /> inconsistent with the zoning of the land and does not further the agricultural utility of the land. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> President <br /> 3290 NORTH AD ART ROAD-STOCKTON,CA•95215•(209)9314931 •(209)931-1433 Fax <br /> WWW.SJFB.ORG <br />