Relating to county zoning procedures, and including effective date and applicability provisions

Under the bill, agricultural land, buildings, and structures can qualify for the exemption independently or in combination with other agricultural uses. The bill specifies that land enrolled in a soil or water conservation program qualifies for the agricultural exemption. Current law allows a county board of supervisors to amend a comprehensive plan at any time. The bill strikes this provision and requires county boards of supervisors to follow the same procedures to adopt amendments to a comprehensive plan that they would for adopting the comprehensive plan. The bill prohibits a county board of supervisors from holding a public hearing or otherwise acting on a recommendation proposed by the county zoning commission until the county zoning commission provides a final report with its recommendation. The bill requires the county board of supervisors to hold a public hearing before adopting a comprehensive plan. This provision of the bill applies to comprehensive plans and amendments to comprehensive plans proposed or adopted on or after July 1, 2020. Current law requires only a majority of members of a given county zoning commission or county board of adjustment to reside in the county outside of the corporate limits of any city.3, and to reside in the area that the county zoning ordinance regulates. These provisions of the bill apply to members of zoning commissions and boards of adjustment on and after the effective date of the bill. If a person currently serving on a zoning commission or board of adjustment is no longer eligible to hold that position due to the new eligibility requirements of the bill, that position shall be deemed vacant and the county board of supervisors shall have up to one year from the enactment of the bill to appoint a new member who meets the new eligibility requirements. The bill takes effect upon enactment.