Agenda - 12-01-2003-5a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

easement area is adjacent to farmland owned by Carl Walters' father (Victor Walters), which is already protected by a conservation easement held by Orange County. ERCD staff and the County Attorney have worked with the Walters to craft an easement that meets the family's needs and the County's interests. The easement also conforms to federal guidelines pursuant to the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program. A copy of the draft easement is attached, Easement monitoring will be accomplished by ERCD staff on an annual basis, until such time as the Board of Commissioners and the Soil and Water Board of Supervisors may enter into a memorandum of agreement for the easement monitoring to be accomplished by the County Soil and Water/NRCS staff. FINANCIAL IMPAGT: The cost of the easement purchase is $705,647, or $3,162 per acre. Including closing and other transaction costs, the total cast of the project is $720,000, with $338,150 of this amount to be reimbursed by the federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program within 30 days of closing, The County's share of the cost ($381,850) would come from the $1,000,000 in alternative financing approved by the Board of Commissioners in FY 2002-03, and in accordance with the Conservation Easement Capital Project Ordinance approved by the Board on March 24, 2003, The attached Conservation Easements Capital Project Ordinance allocates $381,850 of the $1,000,000 towards this purchase, RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: Adopt the resolution approving the acceptance by Orange County of the conservation easement and authorize the Chair and the Clerk to sign the conservation easement agreement, subject to final review by staff and county attorney, with a closing and recordation of the document expected to occur by December 15, 2003, 2. Authorize the County to accept the $338,150 grant award for the Walters easement, and 3. Approve the attached Conservation Easements Capital Project Ordinance,