Save Stanislaus Area Farm Economy v. Board of Supervisors

This is an appeal from the trial court’s judgment directing the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors (Board) to place on the 1992 general election ballot a slow-growth ordinance known as Measure F. Respondents on appeal, Save Stanislaus Area Farm Economy and certain named individuals (SAFE), filed a petition for writ of mandate in the trial court. The Board was respondent in that proceeding; Family Farm Alliance (FFA), appellant herein, was real party in interest below. After Measure F was ordered onto the ballot, it was defeated by a wide margin. Some of the issues raised on appeal are of great public importance, are almost certain of repetition, and are of a nature that prevents timely appellate review. Accordingly, we decide this matter on the merits, at least in part, and affirm the judgment.

Facts and Proceedings

On June 15, 1992, the Stanislaus County Clerk-Recorder certified to the Board that SAFE had collected sufficient signatures to qualify an initiative measure for the November 3, 1992, general election ballot. The initiative was entitled The Save Stanislaus Area Farm Economy Initiative (initiative).

The initiative was lengthy, and we need only describe it…