Agricultural Ombudsperson Services

The County’s Agricultural Ombudsperson acts as a liaison between the local agricultural community and San Mateo County departments, facilitating county permitting and licensing processes to expedite agricultural projects and enhance local agricultural viability. The core focus of the requested services is to assist agricultural operators and land owners in navigating the County permitting process to ensure clarity regarding requirements. The Agricultural Ombudsperson services require approximately 30-40 hours/month and payment will not exceed $59,618/year for a maximum term of 3 years. The missions of both the San Mateo County Agriculture/Weights & Measures Department and the Planning and Building Department overlap in the area which the Agricultural Ombudsperson will operate. The Department of Agriculture/Weights & Measures will administer this contract. The San Mateo County Agriculture/Weights & Measures Department is a regulatory and informational agency serving agriculture, industry, and the community. San Mateo County’s Agricultural Commissioner and Sealer of Weights and Measures works to protect individual consumers, the environment, and the local agriculture industry. The Agricultural Commissioner tracks crop production and value, and provides the first line of defense against the introduction of plant and animal pests, and noxious weeds. The work focuses on maintaining a balance between regulatory requirements and agricultural commerce to meet the challenges and demands of our dynamic food and agriculture industry and to protect the County’s abundant and varying ecosystems. The San Mateo County Planning and Building Department's mission is to plan and regulate land use and development within the unincorporated areas of the County so that diverse and livable communities can thrive. The Department serves the County's residents, businesses, and visitors through the preparation and administration of land use plans and regulations, and by reviewing land use proposals to ensure they are consistent with those plans and regulations. To achieve this mission, the Department is organized into four Sections: 1) Long Range Planning, which prepares and updates land use plans and studies, ensures zoning ordinance compliance through code enforcement, develops and manages the Geographic Information System for the Department, and prepares land use planning maps; 2) Current Planning, which conducts project reviews and environmental impact analyses; 3) Building Permits and Inspections, which protects life and property by issuing building permits and conducting inspections; and 4) Code Compliance, which enforces zoning, building, and other land use regulation compliance throughout the unincorporated area of San Mateo County.