(a) On or before September 1, 1977, the assessor shall assemble a list of all parcels, which, as of the lien date in 1976, appeared in the judgment of the assessor to constitute timberland, but which were not assessed for growing and harvesting timber as the highest and best use of the land.
(b) On or before September 1, 1977, the assessor shall notify by mail, which is certified and with return receipt requested, owners of parcels listed under subdivision (a) that their land has been included in such a list. This notice shall be substantially in the following form:
To: (name of taxpayer)
Pursuant to the Z’berg-Warren-Keene-Collier Forest Taxation Reform Act of 1976, ____ County must provide for the zoning of land used for growing and harvesting timber as timberland preserve zone (TPZ).
A TPZ is a 10-year restriction on the use of land, and will replace the use of agricultural preserves (Williamson Act contracts) on timberland. Land use under a TPZ will be restricted to growing and harvesting timber, and to compatible uses approved by the county (or city). In return, taxation of timberland under a TPZ will be based only on such restrictions in use.
As part of this zoning procedure, the assessor has assembled a list (list “B”) of all those parcels which appear to be land used for growing and harvesting timber, but which are not assessed for property tax purposes as this being the highest and best use of the land. The following parcels of your land have been included in this list “B”:
(Legal description or assessor’s parcel no.) |
A public hearing will be held prior to March 1, 1978, for the consideration of zoning your parcel(s) as TPZ. You will be given at least 20 days’ notice of such hearing.
Under the Z’berg-Warren-Keene-Collier Forest Taxation Reform Act, all parcels included in this list “B” will be zoned as TPZ unless the owner can demonstrate to the satisfaction of a majority of the full board (or council) that it would not be in the public interest for such parcel(s) to be zoned as TPZ. Parcels on list “B” not zoned as TPZ will receive an alternate zone, if no appropriate zone currently exists.
Detailed information on the TPZ zoning process and the Z’berg-Warren-Keene-Collier Forest Taxation Reform Act in general may be obtained from your county assessors office.
(c) On or before October 15, 1977, the assessor shall submit to the board or council a list of all parcels, which as of the lien date in 1976, appear to constitute timberland, but which are not assessed for growing and harvesting timber as the highest and best use of the land. This list shall be known as “list B”.
(d) On or before August 19, 1977, the State Board of Equalization shall submit to the county assessor, for inclusion in list B, those parcels on the board roll which are located in the county and which as of the lien date in 1976, appear to constitute timberland, but which were not assessed by the State Board of Equalization for growing and harvesting timber as the highest and best use of the land.
(Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 853.)