TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Agriculture and County Counsel
MEETING DATE: February 25, 2020
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Jim Donnelly
PHONE:
234-6830
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Matthew Kiedrowski
PHONE:
234-6885
ITEM TYPE: Consent Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: N/A
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Adoption of Ordinance Adding Chapter 10A.15A to the Mendocino County Code Establishing Additional Prohibitions on the Propagation, Cultivation, Raising and Growing of Genetically Modified Organisms in Mendocino County
(Sponsors: Agriculture and County Counsel)
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Adopt Ordinance adding Chapter 10A.15A to the Mendocino County Code establishing additional prohibitions on the propagation, cultivation, raising and growing of genetically modified organisms in Mendocino County; and authorize Chair to sign same.
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PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
On February 26, 2019, the Board of Supervisors adopted an urgency ordinance establishing a temporary moratorium on cultivation of genetically modified organisms. A second urgency ordinance extending the temporary moratorium was adopted by the Board of Supervisors on April 9, 2019. Intro and waive reading of this Ordinance came before the Board of Supervisors on February 4, 2020.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
The moratorium was established out of a concern that the definitions in the County's existing, voter-adopted Chapter 10A.15 were not broad enough to encompass newer techniques being used to manipulate genetic material. The current urgency ordinance is set to expire on February 24, 2020.
County staff has prepared a new Chapter 10A.15A that includes the language of Chapter 10A.15 as well as broader definitions of "genetically modified organism" and "genetic engineering." The adoption of Chapter 10A.15 will allow the Board of Supervisors to make amendments to the definitions and other sections of Chapter 10A.15 in the future if necessary. The proposed ordinance is exempt from C...
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