Bill Text: CA SB668 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Chaptered

---

Bill Title: Local government: Williamson Act.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-09-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 254, Statutes of 2011. [SB668 Detail]

Download: California-2011-SB668-Chaptered.html

---

BILL NUMBER: SB 668	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  254
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 6, 2011
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 6, 2011
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 22, 2011
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  JULY 7, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 22, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 10, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 25, 2011
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 25, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Evans

                        FEBRUARY 18, 2011

   An act to add Section 51257.5 to the Government Code, relating to
agricultural land.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 668, Evans. Local government: Williamson Act.
   The California Land Conservation Act of 1965, otherwise known as
the Williamson Act, authorizes cities and counties to enter into
10-year contracts with landowners whereby the landowner agrees to
restrict the use of his or her land in exchange for a reduced
property taxation rate. Under existing law, the city or county
receives a subvention for the property tax revenue lost as a result
of these contracts.
   This bill would, until January 1, 2016, authorize a nonprofit
land-trust organization, a nonprofit entity, or a public agency to
enter into a contract with a landowner who has also entered into a
Williamson Act contract, upon approval of the city or county that
holds the Williamson Act contract, to keep that landowner's land in
contract under the Williamson Act, for a period of up to 10 years in
exchange for the open-space district's, land-trust organization's, or
nonprofit entity's payment of all or a portion of the foregone
property tax revenue to the county, where the state has failed to
reimburse, or reduced the subvention to, the city or county for
property tax revenues not received as a result of Williamson Act
contracts.



THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 51257.5 is added to the Government Code, to
read:
   51257.5.  (a) If the state fails to make payments to a city or
county pursuant to Section 16142 or 16142.1, or if the state provides
a reduced subvention, a city or county may accept contributions from
a nonprofit land-trust organization, a nonprofit entity, or a public
agency for specific land under a contract within the city or county
to supplement foregone property tax revenues pursuant to this
section.
   (b) (1) A nonprofit land-trust organization, nonprofit entity, or
public agency may contract with an owner of land currently under a
contract pursuant to this chapter, upon approval of the contract by
the city or county, for a period of up to 10 years, to keep the
landowner's property under contract with the county pursuant to this
chapter, in exchange for the contribution by the nonprofit land-trust
organization or nonprofit entity's payment for an equivalent period
of years of all or a portion of the foregone property tax revenue to
the city or county.
   (2) A contract entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall be
subject to any limitation in power of a nonprofit land-trust
organization, nonprofit entity, or public agency.
   (3) A contract entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall not
authorize or require the conversion of land subject to the contract
into a mitigation bank site.
   (c) In implementing this section, a city or county shall not
request or require additional conditions or restrictions on the land
or the landowner for existing or future contracts.
   (d) This section shall not be construed as a limitation on the
right of a landowner to engage in other lawful contracts or
transactions with respect to their land, including, but not limited
to, contracts entered into pursuant to this chapter.
   (e) As used in this section, "nonprofit land-trust organization"
means a nonprofit land-trust organization as defined in subdivision
(b) of Section 5011.7 of the Public Resources Code.
   (f) No contract shall be entered into on or after January 1, 2016,
unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1,
2016, deletes or extends that date.