1. California Valley Lot Acquisition Plan
(CVLAP)
November 4, 2016
Carrizo Colloquium

2. CVLAP Draft Plan available Program prepared by a consultant team:
Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM)
Rincon
Hamner, Jewell Associates
Plan to be implemented through a land trust/conservancy

3. CVLAP How did we get here?
Convergence of two separate but sympathetic goals:
Antiquated (undevelopable/uneconomic) subdivision lot retirement
Habitat preservation

4. Board of Supervisors original policy in 1980
County Policy
Board of Supervisors original policy in 1980
Updated policy in 1988 directed:
“County…acquire tax deeded properties that meet the following criteria:
Property located in a “paper subdivision” …..
Uneconomic subdivisions of land such as found in California Valley.”

5. County Acquisitions
County Property Management acquired appropriate tax default parcels
Up to 2012 approximately 400 lots acquired
A small number of these sold to adjacent property owners with open space requirements
County became defacto open space land manager.

6. County Acquisitions
Acquisitions currently on hold while working on an updated policy
In 2016 – 400 lots in tax default/auction status

7. Carrizo Solar Projects
2008 and 2009 County received application for two large utility scale photovoltaic solar projects
California Valley Solar Ranch – 250 MW
Topaz Solar Farm – 550 MW

8. Solar Projects
EIRs for both identified an impact to wildlife habitat and movement
Mitigation was proposed:
Preserve appropriate property in open space either through fee purchase or easement
Provide “seed” funding for CVLAP
Subsequent lawsuit settlement increased mitigation land and CVLAP contribution

9. Solar Projects Mitigation
Mitigation land requirements total – 17,000 acres
Settlement added – 9,000 acres
Total - 26,000 acres
CVLAP contribution - $500,000 each
Settlement added - $250,000 each
Total - $1.5 million

10. Solar Projects Mitigation
County sold 400 acquired lots to High Plains Resources as open space mitigation land.

12. History of California Valley
24,000 acre area subdivided
7, acre lots
Included larger lots for school and park sites
2015
Marijuana farming

13. CVLAP Key Challenges: Balance $ - acquisition/management
Buy in from stakeholders
Identify an entity to implement program and manage properties
Identify long(er) term funding sources

14. CVLAP Newest Challenges: Marijuana driving up land prices
$35/year/parcel road maintenance fee

15. CVLAP – Parcel Prioritization
What can the program afford to purchase?
Not all 7,200 lots
Developed properties not appropriate
Prioritize
Tax default lots
Tier 1 lots

16. Options Corridors “Stepping Stones” Any available parcel Tax defaults
All tax default lots
Tier to tier trades

17. Criteria Considered Habitat connectivity
Presence of key biological resource
Proximity to already protected property
Flexibility
Avoidance of developed parcels

19. Focus on: Tax default properties Willing sellers Trades (tier to tier)
Acquisition
Focus on:
Tax default properties
Willing sellers
Trades (tier to tier)

20. Plan Status
Draft Plan
Government stakeholders (e.g. Tax Collector, Property Management
Finalize a Draft
Approve Plan (Planning Director)

21. Next Steps Develop RFP for Phase II (Implementation)
Continue to engage other County Government stakeholders (e.g. Tax Collector, Property Management
Release a Draft Plan
Engage outside Stakeholders
Implementation

22. Marijuana Oh Wow! We have a problem man!
Marijuana farmers moved to Cal Valley from Central Valley
Bad water/trucking water in
Take?
Urgency ordinance in place until Permanent ordinance adopted

23. Marijuana (Urgency Ordinance)
Valid until September 2017
Can be extended up to 2 years
Allows existing grows to continue
Requires registration (approximately 80 have registered in the CV)
New grows limited to 6 and 30 plants

24. Permanent Ordinance Outdoor cultivation restrictions
Residential Suburban land use category
Marijuana to be an accessory use
Limit number of licenses
To Board in 2017
Board direction for consultant

25. James Caruso jcaruso@co.slo.ca.us (805) 781-5702
CONTACTS
Steve McMasters
(805)
James Caruso
(805)

26. California Valley Lot Acquisition Plan
(CVLAP)
November 4, 2016
Carrizo Colloquium