Title HEARING - Planning and Building Department, Planning Division, recommending the Board consider Williamson Act Contract WAC25-0001/Coyle Agricultural Preserve requesting to separate Assessor’s Parcel Number 089-010-032, consisting of 130.21 acres, from an existing Williamson Act Contract (Agricultural Preserve No. 72), and incorporate it into new Agricultural Preserve No. 337, in the Gold Hill area, submitted by Jacob Coyle, and take the following actions:
1) Find that the project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines pursuant to Section 15317 (Establishment of Agricultural Preserve);
2) Approve Williamson Act Contract WAC25-0001, separating Assessor’s Parcel Number 089-010-032 from existing Agricultural Preserve No. 72, and adding it into new Agricultural Preserve No. 337, consisting of approximately 130.21 acres in size, based on the Findings (Attachment D);
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign said Williamson Act Contracts (Attachment C); and
4) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 119-2026 establishing an Agricultural Preserve for said Williamson Act Contract (Attachment B).
(District 4)
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965, also known as the Williamson Act, was created to reduce increasing property taxes on agricultural land. When the Williamson Act was adopted, rising property taxes were making it difficult for farmers and ranchers to stay on their land. Under the Williamson Act, the owner of agricultural land may enter into a contract with the County if the landowner agrees to restrict the use of the land to the production of commercial crops or the raising and grazing of livestock for a term of not less than 10 years. The term of the contract is automatically extended each year unless the landowner or the County serves a notice of nonrenewal. The law also requires the County to establish an agricultural preserve and base the prop...
Click here for full text