The California Land Conservation Act of 1965--commonly referred to as the Williamson Act--enables local governments to enter into contracts with private landowners for the purpose of restricting specific parcels of land to agricultural or related open space use. In return, landowners receive property tax assessments which are much lower than normal because they are based upon farming and open space uses as opposed to full market value. Local governments receive an annual subvention of forgone property tax revenues from the state via the Open Space Subvention Act of 1971.
new and frequently requested information
Aoki Ranch
Questions?
While the Department of Conservation staff are available to answer questions about the Williamson Act program and laws, initial inquiries are best directed to the planning department of the city or county that has jurisdiction over the land, and/or the county assessor's office.
The following are examples of questions that can be answered by local government staff:
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Question: I would like to know if a parcel is enrolled in a Williamson Act contract. Who do I contact? Where can I get a copy of the contract?
Answer: To obtain information as to whether a Williamson Act contract exists on a parcel, if the assessor's parcel number, property address, or property owner information is known, staff at the county assessor's office will be able to search the assessor's database to provide the answer. The Department does not compile information on each Williamson Act contract throughout the state.
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Question: What can I use the contracted land for?
Answer: Contact the planning department to obtain information on requirements for entering into a Williamson Act contract and the uses allowed. Local government uniform rules and the specific Williamson Act contract can be more restrictive than the Williamson Act Government Code provisions.
For further information, contact:
California Department of Conservation
Division of Land Resource Protection
801 K Street, MS 18-01
Sacramento, CA 95814-3528
Phone: (916) 324-0850
Fax: (916) 327-3430
Email: dlrp@conservation.ca.gov
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