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FOOD SAFETY In terms of food safety and public health, the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health's Food Safety Division (ACDEHFSD) will be the public agency which registers and issues permits for cottage food operations that comply with State sanitation, labeling, health and safety requirements.1 Prior to operation, a cottage food operator self-certifies with the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health's Food Safety Division that they will adhere to the following food safety measures: 1. No cottage food preparation, packaging, or handling may occur in the home kitchen concurrent with any other domestic activities, such as family meal preparation, dishwashing, clothes washing or ironing, kitchen cleaning, or guest entertainment. 2. No infants, small children, or pets may be in the home kitchen during the preparation, packaging, or handling of any cottage food products. 3. Kitchen equipment and utensils used to produce cottage food products shall be clean and maintained in a good state of repair. 4. All food contact surfaces, equipment, and utensils used for the preparation, packaging, or handling of any cottage food products shall be washed, rinsed, and sanitized before each use. 5. All food preparation and food and equipment storage areas shall be maintained free of rodents and insects. 6. Smoking shall be prohibited in the portion of a private home used for the preparation, packaging, storage, or handling of cottage food products and related ingredients or equipment, or both, while cottage food products are being prepared, packaged, stored, or handled. Similar to the manner in which the County regulates food safety in restaurants and grocery stores, the County will also regulate cottage food operations. PUBLIC NOTICE Notice of this application has been published in The Valley Times and was noted in the Pleasanton Weekly as an upcoming agenda item for the November 14, 2012, Planning Commission meeting. At the time this report was prepared, staff had not received comments pertaining to these amendments. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT The proposed amendments are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), per regulation 15061(b)(3). Therefore, no environmental documentation Health & Safety Code §§113851 and 114365 (by AB 1616 Sections 9 and 13 in the attached Exhibit B). P12-1753, Cottage Food Operations Planning Commission Page 7 of 8