Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, 1991

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the nineties with your host Rich McGlinchey. How you doing everybody? Welcome to this edition of Sonoma County in the 90s and I think you're gonna find this a very important program. I'll tell you why it's something that you had a lot to do with. You voted

for the open space district and you also agreed to allocate the funds for it. So what happens from here on is something you're very much interested in. We're gonna be talking to the two people who are key, I guess we'd say in bringing this about talk

to David Hanson and he is the general manager, the open space district and Maria Cipriani and she is an open space planner Before we actually get into the questions and answers about the district. Uh, both of you are new with our program and new to the

public in this role. So maybe you could give us a little background, David a little background about you first. Well, thanks rich. Uh, I was have been involved in the open space business, so to speak for about 20 years now. I was a graduate from UC

Berkeley and landscape architecture and have a strong interest in the preservation of, of lands around the san Francisco bay area and in the North Bay. I was land manager most recently for the last 10 years with the mid peninsula regional open space district down in both

santa clara and san mateo counties. And before that was planner. Open space planner with the marin County open space district. So been involved for a number of years and in preserving public land around this area. Yeah, well, I think it's a wonderful thing. I think it's

a great thing that the public voted for this. Great allocate funding for it. It shows that you can go to the voters and they do come up with some pretty good ideas. Sometimes Maria Cipriani on me. That's nice to have you you've never visited before, but

I know that you have been associated with the county government and the planning department, you're now open space planner. But before we get into questions of what you're doing in this program, what about Maria similar to David? I have a bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from

West Virginia University back east and for the past 10 years I've been involved in and environmental planning. Prior to coming to the county and working in the public sector. I worked in the private sector, um preparing environmental documents and site planning and master planning for a

variety of projects and colorado California and Wyoming. So, and I was involved with the district's formation um when I was in the planning, you know, since I've been in the planning department, I was involved in the open space, the general plan. And so I became involved

with the process early on prior to the ballot measures last november. So I've I've been working with open space and resource conservation planning in the department. And I've since contracted with the open space district to assist David with open space planning. Your background fits into this

real west Virginia mountaineer. Some people know that. Um let's get to the basics, David. Two things. Most of these are two things. What is the district? Well, let's just leave it right there. What is the open space district? The district is a separate, actually a separate

government entity from the county. We are dependent district and we're dependent because we use the board of supervisors, the board of directors of the district. It's formed under the state public resources code 5500 series two uh acquire interests in land to protect it either as agriculture

or as resource uh Open space lands. And uh we function very similarly to the water district or some of the other independent districts in the county. How is the district governed? The district is governed by the board of supervisors. They are the board of directors of

the district and I work for them. Uh We also have an advisory committee which uh Maria can certainly talk about as well. Um But that is essentially an advisory committee. There is also an open space authority which has is a separate entity that has control over

our funding and uh has some scrutiny over the parcels that we acquire as well to make sure that they're in conformity with the county general plan that brings us, that brings us right over to you Maria. Uh How was two things again, How is the district

form and how does the district obtain money for land acquisition And Well, the open space element in the general plan uh calls for or called for the um financing and you know, ex exploring forming a district. And in early 1990 the board appointed a 28 member

advisory committee. Citizens advisory committee to explore policy and procedure for um having a district in the county. And they recommended to the board legislation to put two measures on the ballot. In the note in the november election for formation of the district as well as a

financing mechanism. So in november of 1990 measures A. N. C. Which were approved by the voters basically established the district, the Sonoma County Agricultural preservation and open space district as well as um and then measures c provided the financing mechanism by MPA position of a quarter

percent sales tax to acquire open space and agricultural lands in the county. In addition to the sales tax, the district can also um receive funding through gifts, grants, trusts, and other sources of revenue that are authorized by law. You mentioned the 28 member committee. Yes. The

original citizens advisory committee. Prior to um the ballot measure formations with was 28 members appointed by the board of supervisors. The advisory committee that sits in that capacity now is comprised of 17 members. I don't mean to be facetious or put you in a spot like

that. But isn't that a rather large number? I mean like I know most of the communities we get 12 or maybe 15, but were they trying to encompass everything? I think because the district there was an overwhelming support to have the district comprised the entire county

area. So I think they felt that to get good representation from various environ, rental business, real estate and agricultural groups as well as city representatives. Since the cities, you know, do put in the sales tax money as well and to finance the district that they felt

that to achieve fair representation and input that that 28 was a good number of people to to fairly represent, stepping on your line there. The public did vote for the district. They did vote to allocate funding, which is rare because the past history as you well

know, they haven't voted for too many things and they certainly haven't voted to allocate funding for many of them, but they did. So perhaps it's just indicative of how the board recognized that, to how many people really want to be part of this can help you.

All right. What are the boundaries of the district? They are the same as the boundaries of the county. So they include all the unincorporated areas as well as the cities. So we okay, so we follow the precise boundary county 1574 square. Which in in a sense,

it's it's advantageous as the board sitting as the board of directors because in say, of powers over land use and zoning decisions, that it's it's appropriate for them to also make decisions, you know, as the board of directors of the district which encompasses the same area.

I just made a big boo boo, I said 1574 there's 1574 and 1,010,000 acres. Sorry, David, What's the relationship between the open space Authority and the district? Well, I mentioned the authority before, It is a an independent district actually appointed by the board of supervisors. Uh

They it's a five member board. They uh sit as the financing arms, so to speak, of this open space program. They have scrutiny as I say, over the district budget. They receive the monies that come from the state board of equalization. Uh and then it passes

through them to the district. They uh we're the ones that put measures c on the ballot to to get the financing for the district. They also, as I mentioned, have scrutiny over each individual purchase that we might make. They will review it for conformity with the

county general plan, but they act as an independent body uh supporting the program, working both with district staff with the district advisory committee and the board of directors as well. Okay, we've we've gotten our outline of who we're working with. Now, let's get to the nitty

gritty. How will the district secure interest in open space lands? What we will do? And we are currently form formulating our acquisition program. We will hopefully by the spring of 1992 have adopted a program which will set priorities for where we will focus our acquisitions. But

we will be acquiring rights in in land, agricultural land through the uh acquisition of conservation easements or open space easements. Agricultural easements over those lands will also perhaps be acquiring certain fee title rights over natural resource lands. Uh But we'll be acquiring uh rights and land

to protect them essentially as they are uh to uh try and assuage uh rampant development over the entire area and try and protect this quality that we have in Sonoma County of of a pastoral rural agricultural county, if you had quite a job on your hands.

I mean, you know, we just facetiously talked about this and that and now it's constituted who works with you and so forth, but that's a devil of a job that you've undertaken for years ahead, Maria. How about this way? What areas the county would you be

looking to protect? Well, as David mentioned, we will be working on the acquisition plan, primarily acquisition of land to preserve open space and agricultural lands will occur in those areas that are designated in the general plan. Open space element. The expenditure plan, which was approved by

the Open Space Authority basically follows the open space designations in the general plan, such as community separator, land, scenic landscape units, critical habitat areas. And it will be consistent with the acquisitions, will be consistent with our acquisition plan. And that will include um identifying and prioritizing

lands in the county where various interests of open space and agricultural lands will be purchased and that will include identifying critical agricultural lands and prioritizing them based on their crucial nature and in terms of which ones we should acquire first, which have the highest priority and

so forth. It's it's likely that we will be pursuing um all those lands that are designated as priorities. However, you know, it just depends um on market conditions and willingness of sellers, since the district can only acquire lands from willing sellers. Um and, you know, just

the complexity of trying to determine what's fair market value. So that'll kind of, you know, all those factors will, will depend, you know, can be thrown in one thing I might say riches that will obviously be focusing on areas that are under the most threat of

development within the one on one corridor that this is, I think one of the visions that the people of Sonoma County had was to protect those areas between the cities, protect the hills between the cities, those few open lands that are left thinking that that question,

David, this is gonna be very important to people who are watching the program. Can the district forces land in order to sell an easement or other interest in his or her property? No, the under the formation there's a strict policy that land will only be acquired

from willing sellers, those that are interested in selling their land and certainly we have no rights of eminent domain condemnation over these properties. So we're looking to be persuasive in in acquiring these rights over this period. I've said, we've got about a minute before we break

here, I was in a meeting or two with you on the Santa rosa Creek project, things like that in the area. I happen to live in on the north. And there's a lot of objection to going in there because it's, it's the narrower part of the

creek and it's going to be difficult, but so far they've already extended to changing that somewhat, you know, and well, but the idea is a great idea, you won't have probably anything to do with this. But this is the so called creek Path I guess from

Laguna too. Alright, we're gonna pause right here for a moment. Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be back. We'll talk with David Hanson and Maria Cipriani in just a moment we'll talk more about open space. The thing that you wrote about There was a time when people helped

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talking about open space and the open space district which you the voters are responsible for creating and are also responsible for agreeing to allocate the funds to support it. We're talking to the two people who are vital to it. The General manager, David Hansen and the

open space planner Maria, Cipriani. David um back to you from in here. Can the land or the easements given or sold to the district be sold or traded by the district in the future? No, it's very difficult to do that once the land has been acquired

and dedicated as open space. Uh it would only take a vote of the people of Sonoma County or a concurrent vote of both houses of the state Legislature to uh take that designation off that those easements or that land. Uh, so it does remain in perpetuity

as open space when a a property owner uh uh passes on the property either through death or in a sale, that easement or those rights on the land front that are sold to the open space district remain with that land. So uh, it is very difficult.

Uh probably know it's a very important thing and it's very important. I think that you should make that statement here now because um, you know, it could be a very influential influential moment in the person's life society whether they want to do this. Uh and and

and that will go to open space forever because forever is a little shorter. It used to be, but go ahead forever. And uh, or as far as we can foresee and and not be just taken in and then resold. That person would be quite disappointed Maria

um who sits on the open space advisory committee. You mentioned those numbers and what are, well, what's the committee's responsibility or what are their responsibilities and its commissioners. Um The advisory committee is comprised of 17 representatives from the cities as well as various business, environmental and

agricultural interest groups. And they sit in an advisory capacity to the district um to the board of directors as well as to staff. Uh they reckon make recommendations regarding policy as well as um negotiations um whether or not they should or should not proceed the district

should or should not proceed with acquiring um a certain properties. So they they're advisory in nature, but they can also serve as a public outreach forum to go out to various groups organizations and educating the public about the district's activities and how, you know, the citizens

in the county can get involved in the program. You were, your department planning Department created an updated general plan and not too recent past. How does this normal county general plan relate to the district purpose? Well, the open space element for instance, uh sets forth policies

and programs for protection of the scenic resources and the natural resource areas of the county. Um In addition, the agricultural resources, um land use and resource conservation elements have policies to preserve other sensitive areas and agricultural lands. So the expenditure plan. Um As I mentioned before,

that was approved by the authority is tied into primarily the open space element. So that protection of lands will occur consistent, you know, with, with those designations, for instance, what David was mentioning the community separators between the cities and the scenic um, you know, visual resources

of the county David, what's the, well maybe not the, what is a conservation easement and uh, is that different from from a open space? You know, they're, they're actually one and the same conservation in open space. He's, he's been essentially our rights acquiring a certain part

of the rights in a piece of property basically to forego development on that property of structures, although on some of these agricultural and conservation easements, there will be the ability to put farm buildings, outbuildings and perhaps some limited housing on the, on the sites. But they

are essentially acquiring a certain portion of the bundle of rights of that property. The district does not acquire fee title in that sense. They don't own the property. But you know, I really sincerely hope the audience is grasping what people are saying because this is probably

one of the most important steps that you, the public have taken. And these people are helping to bring about. Um, and it's open space and open space is something that if you're familiar with the county of santa clara where I went to college, you'll know that

there isn't a whole lot of it left down there. And I think we could conceivably have been in that same position, but thank heavens, we've had a, a bunch of supervisors, a bunch of planners and people that have and certainly now the open space district um

trying desperately to retain the quality of life we have up here and I commend you for what you're doing and and you the public for voting this in Maria. Can the public well not, can they? But how can they find out about the district's activities? Well,

well, as I said, the advisory, the citizens advisory committee will serve in the capacity of providing um public outreach to the community um will be preparing a brochure to educate the public as to the district's activities and and what it's involved with and explaining the nature

of the acquisition plan. Um the district will be developing a logo um so that it's you know, recognizable as, as the district. Um We'll be, you know, from time to time will hold various workshops throughout the county depending upon what program that the district is involved

with at the time to solicit public input and we're hoping to get out to the schools and and you know, other organizations to to reach the public and really educate them about, you know, how important open space and agricultural lands are in the county and and

how they can assist us protecting that and and furthering the district's purpose. They're also welcome to come by our offices at 2300 county center drive in santa rosa and uh you can call me at uh 5 to 73126 certainly to discuss any elements that they might

want to about the district as well. Okay, I should mention Rich that also all of the meetings are open to the public of the advisory committee. The authority question I want to answer this one. Everybody out there answering this will public access be allowed on land

required by the district. Yes. And lands were well. And lands for conservation easements have been given or sold to the district. Public access will not be allowed unless the property owner willingly authorizes it. At the time of the transaction. For instance, there may be situations where

a property owner, even though he retains fee title to the prop has given a solo conservation easement. He may be willing to have the unease mint for a trail um you know, to connect to other parklands and he says it's okay to leave it open, but

I don't want you running right. Yeah. So it just depends as, as you know, for its how the conservation needs with the contract is the agreement with the property owner um on lands where the district may acquire property and fee there there may be situations where

public access would be granted where the district feels it's appropriate. Where it could link up with other recreational areas or provide a continuous trail. For instance, where it's a link. So another question you might be in the public's mind right now is, is the county open

space district different than the already established public park agriculture or open space agencies. Well, it's, it's actually very different in the sense of it being an agricultural preservation district as well. And uh, I think in the traditional sense, the open space districts uh such as the

mid peninsula district and we're in county district land has been bought in fee title uh for public access, public recreation and so forth in this county because of the agricultural focus. Uh, there is a big difference in that sense, even though we have the same founding

codes and policies, we were very different in the sense of trying to protect agriculture and I think we're Sonoma County is unique in that sense and it's really uh foresight of the people of this county to have, have passed this at a time when certainly in

November of 1990, there were ballot measures that were going down the tubes everywhere. So I think it is a unique district and We have 20 years to make it work and to work with the public on making it work. That's great. We've had a couple of

moments and I think I want to get to the kind of, one of the things I want to say is right now, perhaps in six months or so the two of you would visit with us again and let's see what has occurred since then. Okay, I

think people, I think the public really has a sharper interest in this and many other county programs are kind of related programs in that they are and I keep repeating that. I know, but they are responsible in general for for saying let's go ahead and do

it and I'm sure they do want to know. So would you, would you come back again about six months? About a minute and a half I think. What can other public or private sector organizations do to supplement or aid the district program to protect both the

agriculture and the natural resource lands and the counties and maybe even how can people be involved get involved with this? Well, I I think Maria mentioned that they, the meetings are open to the public for the advisory committee, the board and so forth. They can come

to those meetings and be aware of them. The um we are going to be putting out publications and so forth saying where this will happen. So there that is the way the public can get involved and and call our office. As I mentioned before. Maria, did

you mention where you meet the district board of directors meets in the supervisor's chambers on Tuesday mornings along with the regular pattern for that meeting. Like the first, it's, well the, the Tuesday, the special districts meet in the mornings. So every Tuesday morning and David, what

is your office number again? It's 5 to 731 to 65 to 731 to six can reach you. Probably a lot of what I'm saying all this for. Is there a lot of people that are hearing about this, although they know it occurred there hearing about it

from you for the first time. So thank you. Thank you very much. Ladies, gentlemen, we're talking to David Hanson, general manager of the Open space district and Maria Cipriani, the open space planner. I'm Rich McGlinchey back with you next week. Another member of the county government

family. Until then. Good night. Good luck. Good health to each and every one of you. Mhm.