CONTRA
COSTA COUNTY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Advance Planning Division
Williamson Act Program
The California Land
Conservation Act of 1965, better known as the Williamson Act, created a program
to help counties preserve agricultural land and open space by offering a tax
incentive to property owners. The Act provides an arrangement where private
landowners voluntarily restrict their land to agricultural and compatible open
space uses under a contract with the County, known as a Land Conservation
Contract.
The Williamson Act
contract is an enforceable restriction on land and is binding on successors to
both the landowner and the local government. The minimum term for a contract is
ten years, and the contract is automatically renewed annually, unless either
party gives advance notice of non-renewal or the contract is canceled.
Contra Costa County has
been implementing the Williamson Act since 1968 when the Board of Supervisors
adopted Ordinance 68-53, which authorized the creation of Agricultural Preserves
and the execution of Land Conservation Contracts pursuant to state law. At
present, Contra Costa County has 417 parcels of agricultural
land with Land Conservation Contracts, covering approximately 48,000
acres.
The Department of
Conservation governs the program at the state level. The program is
administered locally, through a combined effort of the Assessor’s office,
planning staff in the Community Development Department, and County Counsel. The
Assessor determines the value of the land under contract with a restricted
value, based on income capability rather than market value, giving tax relief to
property owners.
Contact:
For questions regarding Contra Costa County's Williamson Act Program please
call:
John Oborne at 925-335-1207
Advance
Planning Division | Community Development
Department
 |
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651 Pine
Street, 4th Floor - North Wing, Martinez, CA 94553
Phone: (925) 335-1290 -- Fax: (925) 335-1299
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