Williamson Act Program - Public Acquisitions

When there is a need for a public agency or other eligible entity to acquire land enrolled in a Williamson Act contract, or located in an agricultural preserve, the Department of Conservation must be notified. Specific information must accompany the notification in order to ensure the requirements of Government Code §§51290 - 51295 and 51296.6 are met.

While agencies are not required to follow a specific template to submit Williamson Act Public Acquisitions notices, these example documents may be useful if you are compiling a notice. Following this outline may streamline your work process, by ensuring that all required material is contained in your initial notice. The items are in PDF format.

Public Acquisition Notification Procedures - A Step by Step Guide (PDF)		A chronological explanation of the timing of notices and information required for the public acquisition processes under the Land Conservation (Williamson) Act.
Notification Form Template (PDF)		Describes each item that is required in the notification.
Example Notification Letter (PDF)		An example of what the notification form would contain for a theoretical project.
Examples of Supporting Documentation (PDF)		The attachments a notification requires, including a Williamson Act contract, agricultural preserve resolution, pertinent CEQA information, eminent domain documentation, and example maps.

All notices should be sent to:

David Shabazian, Director

Department of Conservation

c/o Division of Land Resource Protection

801 K Street, MS 14-15

Sacramento, CA 95814-3528

If you have any inquiries please contact us for assistance.