To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Steve Ehret, 565-2041
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Third
Title:
Title
Notice of Intent to Acquire the Cooper Creek Property as a 54-acre addition to Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution declaring the Board’s intent to acquire the 54-acre Cooper Creek property; authorizing the publication of a notice that the Board of Supervisors will take up the matter of acquiring the Cooper Creek property at 9:00am on December 10, 2019; and directing the Clerk of the Board to publish the Notice of Intent pursuant to Cal. Gov. Code Sects. 25350 and 6063. (Third District)
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Executive Summary:
Regional Parks seeks Board of Supervisors authority to publish a notice of intention to acquire a 54-acre property addition to Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve pursuant to Cal. Gov. Code Section 25350.
Discussion:
Between 1995 and 2011 the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (“Ag + Open Space”) acquired the five properties that make up Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve (Park). The 1,100 acre Park was established in February 2013 when the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (“Ag + Open Space”) transferred the five properties to the County.
In February of this year, the Sonoma Land Trust (“SLT”) successfully negotiated a Purchase Agreement for a 54-acre parcel (APN 038-261-010) contiguous with the Park that is referred to as the “Cooper Creek Property” (“Property”). The Property is located on the northwest flank of Taylor Mountain that extends the Park to within a few blocks of the County Fairgrounds. The location adjacent to both the Park and the future Farmer’s Lane extension makes the Property important for expanding non-motorized access to the Park and connecting the Park to the planned Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway. The Property is undeveloped containing a half-mile stretch of Cooper Creek, a seasonal tributary of Matanzas Creek, as well as open grassland, oak woodland, and riparian forest. The Property forms a highly scenic and visible ridgeline behind the County Fairgrounds and surrounding neighborhoods. The Property is accessed via Allan Way in the City of Santa Rosa.
SLT’s purchase agreement with William Robotham and Thomas Florian Frazer provides for a purchase price of $1,350,000 with closing to take place by December 31, 2019, with the ability to extend the closing date by an additional 90 days if necessary.
Regional Parks intends to come before the Board on December 10, 2019 to seek authority to acquire the Cooper Creek property. In the interim, Parks has been conducting due diligence investigations on the property and pursuing funding for the acquisition in cooperation with SLT. Also on December 10, 2019, Ag + Open Space will be seeking authority from their Board of Directors to award a Matching Grant and to accept a conservation easement from the County over the property.
On the day of closing SLT will acquire the Cooper Creek property using the assembled funding and then will immediately convey the property to the County of Sonoma at no cost. The County of Sonoma will then immediately convey a conservation easement to Ag + Open Space.
California Government Code Section 25350 requires that the Board of Supervisors publish a notice of its intention to purchase property for park purposes prior to authorizing the acquisition. The notice must contain a description of the property proposed to be purchased, the price, the seller, and a statement of the day and time the Board will meet to authorize the purchase. This notice is to be published in a local newspaper once a week for three successive weeks all prior to the December 10, 2019 Board meeting. The proposed language for this notice is an attachment to this Summary Report.
Prior Board Actions:
June 11, 2019 - The Board of Supervisors received the County of Sonoma Capital Project Plan 2019-2024, including subject “Taylor Mountain Expansion” (Project RP19025).
November 13, 2018 - Acting as the Board of Directors of the District, accepted Cooper Creek Addition into the 2018 Matching Grant Program for $742,000.
September 25, 2018 - Resolution No. 18-0398 authorized the filing of an application for funding from State Park’s Habitat Conservation Fund program administered by the State Department of Parks and Recreation for the Cooper Creek Addition to Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve.
July 25, 2018 - Resolution No. 18-0292 authorized the Director of Regional Parks to submit a Matching Grant application for a $742,000 grant to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District’s Matching Grant Program for the Cooper Creek Addition to Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The publication of the intent to acquire the property and scheduling a future hearing does not have fiscal impacts. The funding for the acquisition includes a $742,000 Ag + Open Space Matching Grant, a $200,000 State Coastal Conservancy Grant, a $220,000 Habitat Conservation Fund Grant, and designated local funds. The funding for the acquisition will be further detailed in the upcoming December 10, 2019 board item.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
The publication of the Notice of Intent will have no fiscal or staffing impacts.
Attachments:
Resolution
Notice of Intent (for publication)
Map
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None.