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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09222009 - C.13RECOMMENDATION(S): AUTHORIZE the Director of Airports, or designee, to negotiate long-term license agreements between the County, as Landlord, and the top ranked ranchers, in ranked order, as the tenants for approximately 814 acres of designated Habitat Management Land at Byron Airport as recommended by the Selection Subcommittee, Aviation Advisory Committee and Board’s Airport Committee. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no negative impact on the General Fund. The Airport Enterprise Fund could realize license and other revenues if the license agreements are successfully negotiated. BACKGROUND: The Habitat Management Land (HML) areas total about 814 acres of County owned land and entirely within the unincorporated County (see attached map). The County entered into an easement with the Department of Fish and Game (Easement) for the conservation of the HML when undertaking the development of the Byron Airport. The HML has been divided into three (3) grazing areas APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 09/22/2009 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Beth Lee (925) 646-5722 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: September 22, 2009 David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: EMY L. SHARP, Deputy cc: C.13 To:Board of Supervisors From:Keith Freitas, Airports Director Date:September 22, 2009 Contra Costa County Subject:Contra Costa Airports - Authorization to Negotiate Grazing License Terms for Approximately 814 Acres of County-Owned Land at the Byron Airport, Byron BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) which have had three continuous grazing license tenants. In 2008, County staff revised the license agreements for the HML to incorporate all the required parameters and obligations contained within our Easement. In July 2008, the Board authorized executing the revised license agreement with our existing grazing license tenants for two years (ending in November 2010). The two years would permit necessary grazing activities while allowing sufficient time to commence a solicitation process for longer term license opportunities. In March 2009, Airport staff put out a general solicitation for grazing license interest with a response deadline of May 26, 2009. The County received nine (9) total letters of grazing license interest. On May 27, 2009, Airport staff sent the nine interested parties a Request for Proposals (RFP) package that required responses by June 24, 2009. The County received a total of six (6) RFP responses that could be reviewed, ranked and considered for a Byron Airport grazing license opportunity. A Selection Committee, comprised of three members of the County’s Aviation Advisory Committee, 2 outside Range Managers and 1 Airport staff, reviewed the RFP submittals and then interviewed the six prospective grazers. All six grazers were excellent and worthy of consideration which made the ranking determination difficult for Selection Committee members. The proposal ranking outcome was: Ranking/Grazing License Proposer 1 Borges (Existing Tenant) 2 Kuhn (Existing Tenant) 3 Mendoza (New) 4 Martin (New) 5 Lopez (New) 6 Stewart (Existing Tenant) The top two respondents were existing Byron Airport grazing tenants and Airport staff confirmed their interest in continuing to graze their existing areas. Based on the ranking outcome, the third pasture area (License Area II at 122 acres) would be available to a new tenant (Mendoza). To create a back-up list, Airport staff requested interest of respondents ranked 4 through 6 to graze the 122 acres and received positive responses from the 5th and 6th ranked parties. The 4th ranked party declined the opportunity to graze the 122 acre pasture. The Aviation Advisory Committee reviewed this process and the ranked outcome at both their June and July meetings; with some of the interested grazers in attendance. The Board’s Airport Committee also reviewed this matter at their September meeting and recommended forwarding this item to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: If the license agreements are not approved, the County will have to implement alternative measures for vegetation management in order to meet the conservation goals of the Easement. Such alternative measures may result in increased cost to the County to comply with the Easement. ATTACHMENTS Byron Airport Grazing