WHAT IS A PEST CONTROL DISTRICT ?

Pest Control Districts are established under California law to provide for the organization, operation, governance and dissolution of districts for the control and eradication of olive fruit pests. It allows districts to eradicate, remove or prevent the spread of any and all olive fruit pests by entering into or upon land within the boundaries of the district for the purpose of inspecting and
treating olive trees and other host plants and fruit, removing trees and levying annual assessments on olive parcels in the district with 10 or more trees.

A district may be formed in any county by petition signed by owners of not less than 51% of the olive land in the proposed district. The petition shall be filed with the County Board of Supervisors.

Olive acreage means any parcel, tract or lot of land with 10 or more olive trees of any age growing on it.

A Pest Control District can cause assessments to be levied, as provided in the law, to pay any obligation of the district to accomplish the purposes of the district.

Make contracts and employ people to carry out the pmposes and the powers of the district.

Eradicate, remove or prevent the spread of any and all olive fruit pests.

Enter into or upon any land included within or outside the district necessary or proper to carry out the purposes for which the district was organized. To expedite the elimination of the source of olive fruit fly, a district may, with consent of the owner, remove trees that have not been determined to be infested with olive fruit fly.

The board of the pest control district, after consultation with the Ag Commissioner, can supervise and direct all activities undertaken by the district for control or eradication of olive fruit fly. The board may authorize use on non-chemical alternatives.

The board, annually after organization, shall assess any assessors parcel of real property with 10 or more olive trees and enter it as a separate item on the annual assessment role for each parcel of olives including a tree count included in the district.

The board shall assess all olive trees at a uniform value per tree. The assessment shall be upon a tree basis and the number of trees shall be determined conclusively by the board counting trees on each assessors parcel. Tree count shall not exceed 100 trees per acre.

Whenever new acreage is planted, the trees are subject to assessment. However, when olive trees have been removed, the owner may file with the board an affidavit informing them of removal. Upon receipt of the affidavit and confirmation the trees were removed, the assessment shall be removed from the assessment roll.

The Board of Supervisors shall annually levy a special assessment upon all olive trees in the district regardless of age. The special assessment shall be added to the secured tax roll and collected by the county on behalf of the district.