(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), on and after January 1, 1985, no agricultural conversion fees may be levied or collected under the agricultural subsidy program provided in the local coastal program of the City of Carlsbad that was adopted and certified pursuant to Section 30171. All other provisions of that program shall continue to be operative, including the right to develop designated areas as provided in the program.

(b) This section shall not affect any right or obligation under any agreement or contract entered into prior to January 1, 1985, pursuant to that agricultural subsidy program, including the payment of any fees and the right of development in accordance with the provisions of the agreement or contract. As to these properties, the agricultural subsidy fees in existence as of December 31, 1984, shall be paid and allocated within the City of Carlsbad, or on projects outside the city that benefit agricultural programs within the city, in accordance with the provisions of the agricultural subsidy program as it existed on September 30, 1984.

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(c) Any agricultural conversion fees collected pursuant to the agricultural subsidy program and not deposited in the agricultural improvement fund in accordance with the local coastal program or that have not been expended in the form of agricultural subsidies assigned to landowners by the local coastal program land use policy plan on January 1, 1985, shall be used by the Department of General Services to reimburse the party that paid the fees if no agreements or contracts have been entered into or to the original parties to the agreements or contracts referred to in subdivision (b) in proportion to the amount of fees paid by the parties. However, if the property subject to the fee was under option at the time that the original agreement or contract was entered into and the optionee was a party to the agricultural subsidy agreement, payments allocable to that property shall be paid to the optionee in the event the optionee has exercised the option. Reimbursements under this section shall be paid within 90 days after January 1, 1985, or payment of the fee, whichever occurs later, and only after waiver by the party being reimbursed of any potential legal rights resulting from enactment of this section.

(d) (1) Any person entitled to reimbursement of fees under subdivision (c) shall file a claim with the Department of General Services, which shall determine the validity of the claim and pay that person a pro rata share based on the relative amounts of fees paid under the local coastal program or any agreement or contract entered pursuant thereto.

(2) There is hereby appropriated to the Department of General Services the fees referred to in subdivision (c), for the purpose of making refunds under this section.

(e) Notwithstanding any geographical limitation contained in this division, funds deposited pursuant to subdivision (b) may be expended for physical or institutional development improvements needed to facilitate long-term agricultural production within the City of Carlsbad. These funds may be used to construct improvements outside the coastal zone boundaries in San Diego County if the improvements are not inconsistent with the Carlsbad local coastal program and the State Coastal Conservancy determines that the improvements will benefit agricultural production within the coastal zone of the City of Carlsbad.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 31, Sec. 272. (SB 836) Effective June 27, 2016.)