Excepting commercial timber harvesting under the exclusive jurisdiction of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, any person proposing to engage in commercial timber harvesting must first file a Timber Harvesting Notice with the Planning Director. The purpose of the Timber Harvesting Notice is to allow the Planning Director to determine if the harvest proposal is subject to the provisions of this chapter or any other ordinances or policies of the County of Santa Cruz.
(a) No person shall engage in commercial timber harvesting without first preparing, filing and receiving approval of a “Timber Harvesting Notice” unless a Timber Harvesting Permit has been obtained from the County or, if The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has exclusive jurisdiction, for which a Timber Harvest Plan has been approved.
(b) Contents of Timber Harvesting Notice. The Timber Harvesting Notice shall include sufficient information so that the Planning Director can determine whether the operation is acceptable as submitted, requires a Minor Timber Harvest Permit or is not acceptable. At a minimum, all of the following information is required:
(1) A statement explaining the specific purpose(s) of the harvest.
(2) A map of the property with the harvest area(s), existing roads, tractor trails and landings, watercourses, property lines and structures clearly delineated.
(3) Name, address, mailing address and phone number of the landowner and timber owner (if different than property owner), timber operator and license number, assessor’s parcel number(s) for the area(s) proposed to be harvested.
(4) Approximate number, size and type of trees to be cut.
(5) Type of equipment to be used, including haul trucks.
(6) How much land clearing and grading is proposed, if any.
(7) Signature of legal property owner and timber owner, if different from property owner.
(8) Proposed haul route.
(9) Schedule of operations.
(10) Disclosure of the domestic water source for the parcel on which the harvest is proposed.
(11) A statement certifying that the public notification requirements of Section 16.52.039 of this chapter have been met.
(c) Filing of Timber Harvesting Notice. The Timber Harvesting Notice shall be filed with the Planning Director. A filing fee, set by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, shall be submitted with the Notice. The filing fee shall not exceed the actual costs of processing the application. Such fees may only be changed by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, following a noticed public hearing.