New! 2023 Open Office Hours
The Department of Conservation's Williamson Act Program will host open office hours on the third 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. The next open house will be 11 a.m.-noon October 19th, focused on the Williamson Act Enrollment Finder App. Further details coming soon.
2023 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.
July 2023: No meeting scheduled
October 2023: Williamson Act Enrollment Finder App (PDF)
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.
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.
