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Community Development Services, Planning and Building Department, recommending the Board approve the use of $63,250 of Oak Woodland Conservation Funds to help acquire 1,018 acres of land for the protection and preservation of riparian and woodland habitat, that includes native fisheries and oak woodlands, and to provide for the potential future wildlife oriented public use opportunities on land fronting the Cosumnes River, to be owned and managed in the future by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Assessor’s Parcel Numbers 091-030-12, 091-030-23, 091-030-24, 091-030-28, 091-030-29, 091-030-30, 091-030-33, 091-030-39, 091-030-40, 091-030-41, and 091-030-58 (El Dorado Ranch Phase 3) located in the southwest portion of the County approximately 6.5 miles south of El Dorado on the west side of Hwy 49 and approximately two miles north of the Cosumnes River. (Cont. 8/28/2018, Item 31) (Est. Time: 10 Min.)
FUNDING: Funding will be from the Oak Woodland Conservation Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On October 24, 2017, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors adopted a General Plan Amendment that revised the biological resources policies and related objectives and implementation measures in the Conservation and Open Space Element of the General Plan. Specifically, this amendment made changes to the County’s Oak Resources Management Plan (ORMP) and the Oak Resources Conservation Ordinance which are more stringent than State law prescribes.
The ORMP requires mitigation for permitted oak tree removal under the ORMP including: on-site retention; replacement planting on-site and off-site; and in-lieu fees that will be used to acquire land and/or conservation easements to conserve oak woodlands, and to plant and maintain native oak trees.
The ORMP in-lieu fee for removal of oak woodlands is calculated based on total cost per acre which is currently set at $8,285. The in-lieu fee for removal of individual oak trees is calculated on a total cost per inch which is currently set at $153 for a non-Heritage Tree and $459 per inch for a Heritage Tree at a 3-to-1 ratio. The per-inch fee shall be multiplied by the total number of trunk diameter inches removed. The in-lieu fees collected will be deposited in the County’s Oak Woodland Conservation Fund, which will be used to acquire land and/or conservation easements to conserve oak woodlands, provide for native oak tree planting, and for ongoing conservation area monitoring and management activities.
As of June 26, 2018, the Oak Woodland Conservation Fund has a total of $63,250.23. Approximately half of the funds have been acquired through fees paid under the prior Oak Woodland Management Plan adopted in 2008 and the rest through fees paid under the current Oak Resources Management Plan. This request will allocate all available funds from the County’s Oak Woodland Conservation Fund in-lieu fee account.
Angelo K. Tsakopoulos Holdings LP, a California Limited Partnership, owns a total of 63 parcels measuring approximately 6,808 acres within El Dorado and Amador County and is willing to sell 1,018 acres of this property to the American River Conservancy (ARC) as oak woodland conservation land. Once the property is obtained by the ARC, it will then be transferred to the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, who will manage and maintain the oak woodland conservation land in perpetuity. The County will not have an obligation for maintenance of the land once it is transferred to the state.
The Staff Memo dated July 23, 2018, along with its exhibits are attached.
ALTERNATIVES
Board may elect not to use the $63,250 of Oak Woodland Conservation Funds
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Department of General Services - Real Estate Services Division
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding will be from the Oak Woodland Conservation Fund. The budget will be adjusted during the FY 2018-19 Adopted Budget process (addenda) to include the land purchase.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Roger Trout, Planning and Building Department Director
Community Development Services