The purpose of this county ordinance is to permanently protect agricultural land in the county by mitigating the loss of agricultural land resulting from:

(1) A General Plan Amendment that changes the designation of any land from an agricultural to a non-agricultural use; and

(2) A Zoning Reclassification that changes the permitted uses from agriculture to a nonagricultural use, regardless of the General Plan designation.

Mitigation is required in the form of an agricultural conservation easement that protects the same number of acres proposed to be changed to a non-agricultural use, or greater (1:1 ratio). If easement acquisition is determined to be infeasible after a good faith effort, a payment in lieu may be allowed.