AGENDA DATE: 10/7/2015
TITLE:
Title
Recommended FY15 ACE Easement Purchases
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: ACE Committee Recommendations of FY15 ACE Easements for Purchase
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Walker, Davis, Herrick, Cilimberg and Goodall
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: On April 1, 2015, the Board approved the Acquisition of Conservation Easement (ACE) Committee's recommendation to have the three highest-ranked properties from the FY 2015 applicant pool appraised. Easements on the Sweeney, Clark, and Dollard properties were appraised (see Attachment A). Based on estimated easement values for these properties, the ACE Committee believed that the ACE Program fund balance would be sufficient to purchase some or all of the easements. Even if it were not, the Committee believed it was prudent to obtain appraisals on lower ranked properties in the event that higher ranked application(s) were withdrawn.
The Board of Supervisors determines which easements are to be purchased in the ACE Program. County Code ? A.1-111(A) provides in part: "From the list of applications received under section A.1-110(D), the board of supervisors shall designate the initial pool of parcels identified for conservation easements to be purchased. The size of the pool shall be based upon the funds available for easement purchases in the current fiscal year and the purchase price of each conservation easement in the pool established under section A.1-111(B)." Because it is possible that not every invited applicant will submit an offer to sell, if one or more applicants were to drop out of the pool, other applicants would be substituted until the eligible applicants or available funding were exhausted.
After three new easements were acquired last spring, the County has now acquired easements on 44 properties and protected 8,508 acres and other open space resources...
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