T hi s di s pos i t i on i s notappr opr i a t e f orpubl i c a t i on and i s notpr e c e de nt * e xc e pta s pr ovi de d by 9th C i r . R . 36- 3. NOT F OR P UB L I CAT I ON UN I TE D STATE S C OU RT OF APPE ALS FOR T HE NI NTH CI RC UI T DA NI E L D. C L AX T ON , P l ai nt i ff

- A pp el l ee , v. COLUSA COUN TY; ST EP HEN HA C KN E Y, D efen d an t s - A p p el l an t s, a nd B OA R D O F S UP E R VI S OR S OF T HE C OU NT Y O F C OL US A, D e f

e n d a n t. N o. 10- 15844 D. C. No . 2 : 0 8 - c v - 0 1 0 5 8 - M CE EFB ME MOR AN DU M *

A pp ea l fr om the U ni t ed S t at es D i stri ctC ou rt f o rth e E a s te rn D is tr ic t o f C a lif o rn ia M orr i s on C . E ngl a nd, D i s tr i c tJ udge , P r e s i di ng A r gue d a nd S ubm i tt e d J ul y13, 2011 S a n F r a n c is c o , C a lif

o rn ia 

# FI LED JU L 26 2011 M OLLY C. DW Y ER, CLERK U . S. C O U R T OF APPE ALS- 2-

Th e H o n o r ab l e Ba rb a r aM . G . Ly n n , D i s tr i c tJ u d g e f o rth e U . S. ** D i s tr i c tC ourtf

orN orthe rn T e xa s , D a l l a s , s i tt i ng by de s i gna t i on. W e d e n y th e C o u n ty ’s r e q u e s t f o rju d ic ia l n o tic e o f

e x tr a - r e c o r d e v id e n c e . 1 See C tr. f

or B i olog i cal

D i ve rs i t y v . U . S. Fish & W

i ldl i f e Serv. , 450 F . 3d 930, 943 ( 9 th C ir . 2 0 0 6 ) ; Sw . C tr. f or B i olog i cal

D i ve rs i t y v . U . S. Fores t

Serv . , 100 F . 3d 1 4 4 3 , 1 4 5 0 ( 9 th C ir . 1 9 9 6 ) . B e f o r e : S I L VE R MAN an d GR AB E R , C i r c u i tJ u d g e s , a n d L YN N, D i stri ctJudg e. ** C ol us aC ounty appe a l s the di s tr i c tc ourt ’ s gr a ntof D a ni e l C l a xt on’ s pe t i t i on f o raw r it o f

m a n d a te , o r d e r in g th e C o u n tyto r e h e a rC la x to n ’s ap p lic a tio n to s ubdi vi de hi s 421 a c r e s of or c ha r d f

a rm l a nd i nt o thi rtyni ne pa r c e l s , i nc l udi ng th irty - f iv e 1 0 - a c r e p a r c e ls . A lth o u g h th e d is tr ic t c o u rt w a s c o rr e c t th a t th e C o u n ty i m prop er l y app l i ed R es ol ut i on 07 -010 t o C l axt on ’ s app l i ca t i on , the di stri ctcourt e rr e d i n f a i l i ng t o uphol d the C ounty ’ s a c t i on on the ba s i s of thr e e i nde pe nde nt fin d in g s, ea ch su p p o rted b y s u b stan ti al ev id en ce in th e r ec o rd , th at C lax to n ’s appl i c a t i on w a s i nc ons i s t e ntw i th the C ounty ’ s G e ne r a l P l a n. W e ha ve j ur i s di c t i on pu rs uantt o 2 8 U . S . C . § 1 29 1. W e r ever se . 1 T he di s tr i c tc ourte rr e d i n hol di ng tha tC l a xt on’ s c ha l l e nge t o the va l i di tyof R e s ol ut i on 07- 010 w a s notaf a c i a l a tt a c k s ubj e c tt o the l i m i t a t i ons pe r i od s e tby C al i forni a G ov ernm entC od e s ec t i on 65 00 9(c) (1)( A ). C l axt on as se rt s afa ci al c ha l l e nge by c l a i m i ng tha tthe B oa r d di d notf ol l ow s t a t e l a w w he n i tpa s s e d the- 3-

r e s ol ut i on a nd, thus , “ no s e tof c i r c um s t anc e s e xi s t [ ] unde rw hi c h the [ l e gi s l a t i ve ac t ] w ou l d b e val i d. ” Se e U ni te d State s v . Sale rno , 4 8 1 U . S . 7 3 9 , 7 4 5 (1 9 8 7 ). A s a r e s ul t , the l i m i t a t i ons pe r i od f orac ha l l e nge t o R e s ol ut i on 07- 010 be ga n t o run on the dat e of the B oard of S up ervi sors ’ ac t i on , F ebruary20 , 20 07 . C al . G ov ’ tC od e § 6 5 0 0 9 ( c ) ( 1 ) ( A ) . C la x to n ’s f a c ia l a tta c ko n th e m e a s u r e , f ile d A p r il 8 , 2 0 0 8 , is th e r e f o r e u n tim e ly . W e a gree w i th C l axt on and the di stri ctcourtthatC l axt on ’ s app l i ca t i on w as

“ c om pl e t e ” w he n s ubm i tt e d. T he pr obl e m s w i th the appl i c a t i on i de nt i f i e d bythe P l a nni ng D e pa rtm e nts houl d ha ve a nd c oul d ha ve be e n r e s ol ve d byr e que s t s f or corr ec t i on , cl ar i fi ca t i on , am pl i fi ca t i on , or supp l em ent al i nform at i on as envi si on ed by C al i forni a G ov ernm entC od e s ec t i on 65 94 4(a) ra ther than a det erm i nat i on that the appl i ca t i on w as i ncom pl et e. C l axt on ’ s app l i ca t i on there fore shou l d h ave been de t e rm i ne d orde e m e d c om pl e t e w i thi n thi rtyda y s of i t s J a nua ry10, 2007 subm i ss i on dat e; thati s, no l at erthan F ebruary10 , 20 07 . C al . G ov ' tC od e § 6 5 9 4 3 ( a ) . B e c au s e R e s o lu tio n 0 7 - 0 1 0 , a d o p te d F e b ru a ry2 0 , 2 0 0 7 , w a s n o t in ef fe cton the dat e thatC l axt on ' s app l i ca t i on shou l d h ave been deemed co m pl et e, th e R e s o lu tio n s h o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n ap p lie d to C la x to n ’s ap p lic a tio n . See C a l. G o v 't C o d e § 6 6 4 7 4 .2 ( a ) .- 4-

H ow e ve r , i nde pe nde ntof the R e s ol ut i on, the C ountym a de s uf f i c i e nt f in d in g s s u p p o rte d b y s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e w h e n it d e n ie d C la x to n ’s ap p lic a tio n . Se e T o p a n g a A s s ’ n fo ra Sc e n ic Cm ty . v . C o u n tyo f L o s A n g e le s , 522 P . 2d 12, 1 3 - 1 4 ( C a l. 1 9 7 4 ) ; Cr aik v . C ount yof Santa Cr uz , 9 6 C a l. Rp tr . 2 d 5 3 8 , 5 4 5 ( C t. A pp . 20 01 ). T he C ou nty f ou nd thatC l axt on ’ s propo se d sub di vi si on w as i ncon si st entw i th the G ener al P l an’ s pol i cythatl and i n the A gri cul tural G ener al desi gn at i on shou l d rem ai n agri cul tural and n otbe conv ert ed t o rural re si dent i al us e . T he hi gh num be rof pr opos e d 10- a c r e pa r c e l s pr opos e d byC l a xt on m i ght w el l i m p ai r th e i n t eg ri ty an d ch aract er o f th e E x cl u si v e A g ri cu l tu re zo n e b ecau se s u c h s m a ll p a r c e ls a r e “n o t e c o n o m ic a llyv iab le ” f o ra g r ic u ltu r a l u s e a n d te n d to a ttr a c tnon- f

a rm i ng pr ope rty ow ne r s w ho m a ynotbe abl e t o m a i nt a i n pr oduc t i ve a g r ic u ltu r a l o p e r a tio n s o ra d ju s t to f a rm in g c u ltu r e a n d , c o n s e q u e n tly , m ig h t c r e a te a s er i es of nu i sances for nei gh bo ri ng farm er s. S ub st ant i al evi dence there fore s upport s the C ounty ’ s de c i s i on t o de nyC l a xt on’ s appl i c a t i on ba s e d on f i ndi ngs i nde pe nde ntof

R e s ol ut i on 07- 010 tha tthe pr opos e d s ubdi vi s i on w a s i nc ons i s t e nt w ith th e C o u n ty ’s G e n e r a l P la n . See H a rris v. C i t

y o f C o sta Mesa , 31 C al . R ptr. 2d 1, 6 (C t . A pp . 19 94 ) ( “ ‘ the op i ni on s of nei gh bo rs m ayconst i tut e s ub st ant i al e vi de nc e ’ ” ) ( quot i ng D e s m o n d v . C o u n tyo

f C o n tr a C o s ta , 25 C a l . R ptr . 2d 842, 8 4 7 ( C t. A p p . 1 9 9 3 ) ; B r o w n in gFe rr is I n du s . o f Ca l., I n c . v . C ityC o u n c il , 2 2 6 C a l.- 5-

R ptr. 57 5, 58 3 (C t . A pp . 19 86 ) ( ho l di ng thatop i ni on s of P l anni ng D epartm entst af f m a y c o n s titu te s u b s ta n tia l e v id e n c e ) . F in a lly , w e r e

je c t C la x to n ’s c la im th a t th e C o u n tyd e n ie d h im af a irh e a r in g . C l axt on ’ s app l i ca t i on , w hi ch prop osed t o cre at e agrea t ernu m ber of 10-acr e pa r c e l s tha n ha d e ve rpr e vi ous l y be e n a tt e m pt e d, r a i s e d nove l i s s ue s tha tthe C o u n tyh a d ar ig h t to a d d r e s s . See D e l ta W e t lands P r ops . v . C ount

yof San J o a q u in , 1 6 C a l. Rp tr . 3 d 6 7 2 , 6 8 6 ( C t. A p p . 2 0 0 4 ) ( “T h e m e r e f a c t [ th a t a p a rtic u la rp r o

je c t] w a s th e im p e tu s f

o rth e [ le g is la tiv e m e a s u r e ] d o e s n o t m e a n it u n f a ir lyd is c r im in a te s a g a in s t th e p r o je c t. T h e e v il s o u g h t to b e r e m e d ie d w ill o f te n n o t c o m e to th e a tte n tio n o f au th o r itie s u n til au s e is p r o p o s e d o rap e rm it ap p lic a tio n is m a d e .” ) . C la x to n a ls o a r g u e s th a t th e C o u n ty ’s r e s is tan c e to h is ap p lic a tio n e v in c e s b ia s , b u t th e s ta te d o p p o s itio n o f C o u n tyo f

f ic ia ls to h is p r o p o s e d s u b d iv is io n in a d v a n c e o f th e p u b lic h e a r in g d o e s n o t c o n s titu te b ia s in a n d o f its e lf . W h a t it s h o w s is d is a g r e e m e n t, n o t b ia s . Se e C lark v . C i t yof H erm osa B each , 5 6 C a l. Rp tr . 2 d 2 2 3 , 2 3 3 ( C t. A p p . 1 9 9 6 ) ; Apple baum v . B d. of D i rs . B ar ton Me m ’ l

H os p. , 163 C a l . R ptr . 831, 836 ( C t . A pp. 1980) . T he re cord s how s the C ounty t o ha ve be e n s ol i c i t ous of hi s appl i c a t i on, e ve n be ndi ng p r o c e d u r a l ru le s o v e rth e o b je c tio n s o f

S u p e rv is o r s a n d m e m b e r s o f th e p u b lic to a l l ow hi m a ddi t i ona l t i m e t o ne got i a t e w i th a nd pr ovi de s uppl e m e nt a l i nf orm a t i on- 6-

t o P l a nni ng D e pa rtm e nts t a f f be f or e pr oc e e di ng i n f

r ontof the B oa r d of S u p erv i so rs. A ls o u n a v a ilin g is C la x to n ’s a r g u m e n t th a t th e C o u n tyu n f a ir ly di s c r i m i na t e d a ga i ns thi s pr opos a l t o c r e a t e 10- a c r e pa r c e l s w hi l e appr ovi ng the appl i c a t i ons of

hi s ne i ghbor s t o do s o. T he C ounty ’ s oppos i t i on r e s t e d on the dr a m a t i c a l l y gr e a t e rnum be rof pa r c e l s i n C l a xt on’ s pr opos e d s ubdi vi s i on, af a c t or s u p p o rte d b y th e C a lif

o rn iaS u b d iv is io n M ap A c t. Se e, e . g. , C o lo n yC o v e P r o

p s ., L L Cv . C i t

yof Cars on , 11 4 C al . R ptr. 3d 82 2, 82 8-29 (C t . A pp . 20 10 ) ( st at i ng that pr opos a l t o s ubdi vi de l a nd i nt o f i ve orm or e pa r c e l s r e qui r e s appr ova l of both a t ent at i ve and fi nal m ap, w here as a propo sa l t o sub di vi de i nt o fou r or f ew erre qu i re s on l y aparc el m ap). Indeed, the C ou nty e xp re ss ed op po si t i on t o ano ther appl i c a t i on tha tha d i ni t i a l l y pr opos e d f i ve orm or e 10- a c r e pa r c e l s i n the E xc l us i ve A gr i c ul tur e z one , butl a t e rappr ove d the pr opos a l a f t e rthe appl i c a ntr e duc e d the nu m ber of 10-acr e par ce l s t o three . T he C ou nty s t at ed thati tw ou l d sup po rt C la x to n ’s ap p lic a tio n if h e w e r e to s im ila r lyr e d u c e th e n u m b e ro f 1 0 - a c r e p a r c e ls p r o p o s e d , b u t C la x to n d e c lin e d to d o s o . C la x to n h a s n o t s h o w n th a t s im ila r ly si tuat ed appl i ca t i on s w er e tre at ed m ore f avorabl y. T he di stri ctcourtthere fore e rr e d i n f i ndi ng tha tC l a xt on di d notr e c e i ve af a i rhe a r i ng. RE V E RS E D.