Subdivisions within the unincorporated areas of the county of Madera with no development, or very little development, tend to promote the growing of grass and weeds that at various times during the year can become a serious fire hazard. Such grass and weeds can, with difficulty and great expense, be disced into the ground. However, that method of control requires the county or a person contracting with the county, to enter in and upon the property to so disc the property. There is statutory authority for the permitting of the county under certain conditions to so enter and perform such fire protection work. The fire protection project can be accomplished by the county in a less expensive manner, but more importantly, it promotes the production of food and fiber and does not waste the green forage which is accomplished by discing it into the ground. With fire protection uppermost in the minds of the board of supervisors and promoting additional production of food and fiber, it has adopted this law for the protection of certain county areas. (Ord. 402 § l(part), 1975).

The board of supervisors may, upon written application, issue a permit to graze livestock on those lands which are delineated on maps on file with the board clerk, which have been subdivided and on which little or no development has occurred. (Ord. 402 § l(part), 1975).

No such lands within such subdivision shall be grazed by livestock without the permit being issued as provided in this chapter. (Ord. 402 § l(part), 1975).

The fee for such permit shall be established by the board at the time of granting the permit, based upon the conditions and restrictions placed upon the permittee by the issuance thereof. (Ord. 402 § l(part), 1975).

The fees collected by the board of supervisors shall be deposited with the county auditor in a sheep grazing trust fund and may be used only for fire prevention, fire protection and health or emergency medical services projects as established by the board of supervisors. (Ord. 402-D, 1986: Ord. 402-C § 1, 1979: Ord. 402-B § 1, 1976: Ord. 402 § 1(part), 1975).

Each permit issued by the board shall, in addition to any other limitations imposed by the board, be subject to all of the following conditions:
A. A bond or a policy of liability insurance sufficient to pay for any damages caused by the use of the abovementioned lands shall be deposited with the board of supervisors.
B. A herdsman will be on duty at all times.
C. The permittee will construct any fencing which the county deems necessary for health, safety and welfare.
D. The permittee shall not use existing water systems unless prior approval is obtained from the owners of these systems.
E. The permittee shall give written notice of entry upon the property and written notice of leaving the property by his grazing livestock.
F. The permittee will not bed down or corral any livestock within two hundred yards of any residence or occupied pasture fence line irrespective of whether the residence or occupied pasture is within or without the area delineated as being within the purview of the permit. No livestock shall be grazed within one hundred yards of an occupied fenced pasture. (Ord. 402 § l(part), 1975).

The permit may be revoked at any time by the board upon the violation of any of the terms and conditions of the permit. (Ord. 402 § l(part), 1975).

Upon any violation or any term or condition of this chapter, the Madera County animal control officer shall pick up and remove all livestock grazing or located upon the affected lands. (Ord. 402-A § 1, 1976).