About the Williamson Act
The Williamson Act, also known as the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, 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.
The Department of Conservation assists all levels of government, and landowners in the interpretation of the Williamson Act related government code. The Department also researches, publishes and disseminates information regarding the policies, purposes, procedures, and administration of the Williamson Act according to government code. Participating counties and cities are required to establish their own rules and regulations regarding implementation of the Act within their jurisdiction. These rules include but are not limited to: enrollment guidelines, acreage minimums, enforcement procedures, allowable uses, and compatible uses.
For answers to some of our most commonly asked questions, please see our Frequently Asked Questions document.
You can also Explore the Williamson Act Enrollment Finder Mapping Tool
Williamson Act Open Office Hours
The Department of Conservation's Williamson Act Program hosts open office hours on the second Thursday of each month. The Division of Land Resource Protection's (DLRP) Williamson Act team will offer technical assistance on all things Williamson Act. These hour-long virtual sessions will cover a different topic each month followed by open Q&A. Our next open office hours will be 11 a.m.-noon August 14th, 2025, focused on a variety of Williamson Act questions and concerns. Further details coming soon.
2025 Monthly WA Open Office Hours Topics (PDF)
Contact LCA@conservation.ca.gov to be added to the mailing list for more information.
Recent Williamson Act Open Office Hours Presentations:
In order to view the presenter notes on the following pdf's they should be downloaded and viewed on your local device, as they do not work properly when viewed through an internet browser. Previous presentation are archived and can be viewed on our
Laws, Policies, and Presentations page.
January 11, 2025: No meeting scheduled
July 2025: No meeting scheduled
August 14, 2025: Lot Line Adjustments & Subdivisions
September 11, 2025: Open Hour, Bring a Question/Hear a Question
October 9, 2025: Williamson Act and CEQA Overview
November 13, 2025: Williamson Act Enrollment Reporting
December 2025: No meeting scheduled
Contact Us
In the department's continuing effort to migrate to a paperless environment, all Williamson Act questions and/or environmental documents for review can be emailed to the Department at LCA@conservation.ca.gov.
