COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence
PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT
DATE:			May 4, 2009
BOARD MEETING DATE:			May 19, 2009
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:			10 days, within 300 feet
VOTE REQUIRED:			Majority
TO:		Honorable Board of Supervisors
FROM:		Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development
SUBJECT:		EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Consideration of a request to rescind a recorded Land Conservation Agreement (Williamson Act) and replace it with a California Open Space Easement Agreement on a parcel located in the unincorporated La Honda area of San Mateo County.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the rescission of a California Land Conservation Contract (Williamson Act) and simultaneous execution of a grant of Open Space Easement, consistent with the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, the California Open Space Easement Act of 1974, and Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 23739 (original Williamson Act Contract Resolution; recorded 1967), for the subject property for a self-renewing term of 10 years.
VISION ALIGNMENT
Commitment: The proposed project keeps the commitment of “Preserving and providing people access to our natural environment.” Substitution of a Land Conservation Agreement with the proposed California Open Space Easement will preserve the open space character of the subject parcel for the foreseeable future.
Goal: The proposed project achieves Goal Number 14: “Important natural resources are preserved and enhanced through environmental stewardship.” This proposal contributes to this commitment and goal by restricting uses of the property to agriculture, open space and other compatible uses.
BACKGROUND
Proposal: The applicant has proposed to rescind a previously approved Land Conservation Agreement (Williamson Act) (the “Contract”) and simultaneously enter into a California Open Space Easement, pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act and Open Space Easement Act of 1974.
DISCUSSION
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 allows, upon mutual agreement, parties to rescind a Contract in order to simultaneously enter into an open space easement pursuant to the Open-Space Easement Act of 1974 provided that the easement is consistent with the Contract, the Board can make the required findings, and the easement is consistent with the County’s General Plan.
The applicant proposes to rescind the Contract and simultaneously enter into a California Open Space Easement. This action will preserve the rural character of the area in which the land is located and is consistent with the County’s General Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT
The adopted easement will not lower the subject parcel’s tax burden below current levels and, therefore, has no fiscal impact on the County.