Prior to acting on an Agricultural Preserve application, the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors shall find that the following are true: 

1. Consistency: The establishment, disestablishment, or alteration of an Agricultural Preserve is consistent with the General Plan.
   
2. Establishment or Enlargement: The area specified in the Agricultural Preserve application for establishing or enlarging an Agricultural Preserve must be designated as General Agriculture, Limited Agriculture, or Agriculture-Urban Reserve on the General Plan Map and zoned consistent with this designation. 
   
3. Disestablishment: The area specified in the Agricultural Preserve application for disestablishing the Agricultural Preserve is designated for residential, commercial, or industrial land uses on the General Plan Land Use Map, and development is expected to occur within 10 years.

You must apply online through San Joaquin County’s Online Permitting System. First time users will need a valid email address to set up an account. It takes about 5 minutes to create a new account.

Step 1: INITIAL CONSULTATION

Applicants are encouraged to consult with Community Development Department staff prior to submittal of an application. 

Step 2: SUBMIT APPLICATION

1. Indemnity Form with signatures from all property owners
2. Site Plan
3. Recorded Deed/Legal Description of the Property

Step 3: APPLICATION ACCEPTED

Planning staff will review your application for acceptance. Once accepted, you will be sent information regarding payment of the appropriate fee through the Online Permitting System and via email. The current fee schedule is linked in the column to the right.

Step 4: FEE PAYMENT

The following forms of payment are accepted:

1. Credit Card: Payable through the Online Permitting System or in person at the Planning Counter. A processing fee applies. 
2. Debit Card: Payable through the Online Permitting System or in person at the Planning Counter. A processing fee applies.
3. Check: Payable in person at the Planning Counter. Checks must be made payable to "San Joaquin County Treasurer."
4. Cash: Payable in person at the Planning Counter.

Establishment, modification, or disestablishment of an Agricultural Preserve may be initiated by the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission, the Zoning Administrator, or a qualified applicant. Agricultural Preserve applications must meet the following requirements:

1. Minimum Size: The minimum size necessary for the establishment, or resulting alteration of, an Agricultural Preserve is 100 acres of contiguous land.
   
2. Zoning: All land for which Agricultural Preserve status is being sought, or which currently is in an Agricultural Preserve, must be in an AL, AG, or AU zone.
   
3. Zoning Reclassification: If the subject property does not have the required zoning, an application for Zone Reclassification shall be made and processed concurrently with the Agricultural Preserve application. However, such Zone Reclassification application must be approved prior to the establishing of an Agricultural Preserve.