To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma
Staff Name and Phone Number: Levan King Cranston, (707) 565 -2592
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fifth
Title:
Title
File No. AGP22-0010, Gloeckner Turner Vineyards LLC, Replacement Land Conservation Contract, 14907 & 14925 Rockpile Road, Geyserville
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution and authorize the Chair to sign a new Hybrid Land Conservation contract which will mutually rescind and replace two Non-prime (Type II) Land Conservation Act contracts for agricultural land on a 625.86-acre property located at 14907 and 14925 Rockpile Rd., Geyserville; APN 114-260-042 and 114-170-034. (Fifth District).
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Executive Summary:
Sonoma County’s Land Conservation Act program has four contract-types: a) Prime contracts for crop agriculture with a 10-acre minimum parcel size requirement; b) Non-Prime contracts for grazing with a 40-acre minimum; c) Open Space contracts with a 40-acre minimum, and d) Hybrid contracts with a mix of agricultural and/or open space also with a 40-acre minimum. This action is to rescind and replace two Non-prime (Type II) Land Conservation Contracts with a new hybrid contract that corresponds with new property line boundaries consistent with a previously approved voluntary merger (VMG20-0009). Land Conservation Act contracts assist in the preservation of agricultural and open space lands throughout Sonoma County. In exchange for retaining land in agriculture, the landowner receives reduced property taxes. An expansion or modification to the existing Agricultural Preserve area is not required. Staff recommends the Board of Supervisors approve the rescind and replace contract request.
Discussion:
Gloeckner Turner Vineyards LLC seeks approval to replace two existing non-prime Land Conservation Contracts on APN 114-260-042 (479.45 acres; Contract #03-259555) and APN 114-170-034 (146.41 acres; Contract #03-259557) and establish a new hybrid Land Conservation Contract for a combination of prime and non-prime agricultural land devoted to vineyard and cattle grazing uses. The land is entirely within Agricultural Preserve 2-314.
Site Characteristics:
The project site is accessed via Rockpile Road, approximately 11.5-miles west of Geyserville, and 1-mile from Lake Sonoma. The 625.86-acre property is a part of a large cattle ranch that has been managed by the Gloeckner Family since the 1970’s. The property contains 325 acres of grazing land, 17 acres of vineyard, two hunting shacks, and a horse corral. There is no residential development onsite; the remaining 282 acres is undesignated land.
Zoning for the property is Resources and Rural Development (allowed density: 240 acres per dwelling unit) and combining zone for Riparian Corridor with 50-foot setbacks.
Background:
The subject parcels identified as APN 114-260-042 and 114-170-034 involve 625.86-acres of land that has been under two separate non-prime Land Conservation Contracts since 2003 (contracts recorded under Contract #03-259555 and Contract #03-259557). This land is part of a larger 3,300-acre ranch (Gloeckner Turner Ranch) previously consisting of 23 parcels. In 2020, the landowners placed Gloeckner Turner Ranch under a Conservation Easement Agreement with the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (easement recorded under #20-043257) which requires the landowners merge all 23 ranch parcels into a total of four parcels. On June 22, 2020, Permit Sonoma administratively approved the landowner’s application for four Voluntary Mergers (recorded under #20-050791, #20-050790, #20-050792, and #20-050793). Prior to completing the APN merger process, the Assessor’s Office requires each resulting ranch parcel be subject to a single Land Conservation contract. This application is one of three applications filed for Gloeckner Turner Ranch to rescind and replace the existing Land Conservation Act contracts with new contracts that align with the reconfigured ranch parcel boundaries, in accordance with the Assessor’s Office requirements and the Uniform Rules. Permit Sonoma has scheduled the landowner’s application File No. AGP22-0009 and AGP22-0011 for the Board of Supervisors’ October 24, 2023 meeting date.
Uniform Rules:
As part of the Board of Supervisors’ December 2011 update of the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (“Uniform Rules”) the Board eliminated the distinction between Prime (Type I) and Non-Prime (Type II) Agricultural Preserves. This allows the County to enter into either a Prime or Non-Prime contract in any established Preserve. The subject property is within Agricultural Preserve Area Number 2-314.
Also, as part of the update of the Uniform Rules, the County implemented a Land Conservation Plan which is incorporated into Land Conservation (Williamson) Act Contracts. Land Conservation Plans show locations for open space, agricultural, permitted, and compatible land uses on contracted land. Future changes to the Land Conservation Plan may be approved by the Director of Permit Sonoma and recorded on title of the subject parcel.
New Land Conservation (Williamson) Act Contract:
To be eligible for a new Hybrid Williamson Act contract for a combination of prime and non-prime agricultural uses, the subject parcel must be at least 40 acres in size, have 50% of the total parcel dedicated to qualifying agricultural use(s) and meet the minimum income requirements of the Williamson Act. The subject parcel is 625.86 acres in size and has 342 acres (55%) of land devoted to a cattle grazing and vineyard operation. The grazing and vineyard operations are expected to continue meeting the minimum requirements and therefore qualify for a Land Conservation Act contract for a combination of prime and non-prime agricultural land.
Staff Recommendation:
Staff recommends the Board approve the request to rescind and replace the two existing Non-prime contracts with a new Hybrid contract for a combination of prime and non-prime agricultural land because all of the state and local requirements for the replacement request on the 625.86-acre property within the existing Agricultural Preserve have been met.
Strategic Plan:
Not Applicable
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
A. 12/13/2011: Board approves the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Resolution No. 11-0678)
B. 07/31/2012: Board amends the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Resolution No. 12-0379)
C. 05/07/2013:Board amends the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Resolution No. 13-0186)
D. 12/20/2016: Board amends the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Resolution No. 16-0485)
E. 10/31/2017: Board amends the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Resolution No. 17-0426)
F. 11/07/2017: Board amends the Sonoma County Uniform Rules for Agricultural Preserves and Farmland Security Zones (Resolution No. 17-0438)
G. 05/26/2020: Board approves Deed and Agreement by and between Gloeckner Turner Vineyards LLC, Gloeckner Grandchildren LLC, and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District Conveying a Conservation Easement and Assigning Development Rights.
Fiscal Summary
Not Applicable
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Approval of the Land Conservation Act Contract means that the owner will pay reduced property taxes based upon the value of the agricultural uses rather than the land value under Proposition 13. This reduces the County’s share of property tax revenue for the subject parcel. For this particular contract, the Assessor estimates the property assessment value will be reduced by approximately $10,345.00. Property taxes are generally 1.1% of assessed value.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
Not Applicable
Attachments:
ATT 1: AGP22-0010 Board of Supervisors Resolution
ATT 2: AGP22-0010 Proposal Statement prepared by Applicant
ATT 3: AGP22-0010 Site Plan
ATT 4: AGP22-0010 Assessor’s Parcel Map
ATT 5: AGP22-0010 Land Conservation Act Contract with attached Exhibit A (legal description) and Exhibit B (Land Conservation Plan with attached Site Plan)
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
Not Applicable