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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12011987 - T.9 87 25400, RECORDING REQUESTED BY: DEC 4 - 1987 Contra Costa County ECORDED AT REQUE OF Y D�- 0 EC WHEN RECORDED RETURN AT qDO'CLOCK 87� M. BOARDTO SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RECORD§ y J,R. OISSON COUNTY RECORDER fv FEE $ vrr BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Re: Tentative Cancellation of CERTIFICATE OF Land Conservation Contract TENTATIVE No. 22-69 between Contra CANCELLATION Costa County and Jerry (Gov. Code §51283 . 4) Bettencourt, dated February 25 , 1969 , Pertaining to Property Identified as Assessor ' s Parcel Nos. 220-060-008 and 260-060-011 I am the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors for Contra Costa County, California. The Board of Supervisors by Resolution No. 87/ 704 adopted on December 1, 1987 , granted tentative approval for cancellation of the land conservation contract between the County of Contra Costa and the below named landowner. / Name of Landowner Requesting Jerry Bettencourt Cancellation: 3641 Camino Tassajara Rd. Danville, CA 94526 Real Property For Which Legal Description Attached Contract is Cancelled: Hereto as Exhibit "A" -1- P O U A Certificate of Cancellation of Contract will be —.�—.. issued and recorded at such time as the following conditions Ci and contingencies are 'satisfied: N (1) Payment in full of the cancellation fee due under Government Code §51283, which fee is $40 , 529 . 00. Unless said fee is paid within one year from the recording of this Certificate or a Certificate of Cancellation of Contract is issued within said time, this fee shall be recomputed as of the date of the landowner' s Notice of Satisfaction of Conditions and Contingencies [Government Code §51283. 4 (b) ] . (2) The landowner shall obtain approval for a planned unit district preliminary development plan within one year of the date of tentative cancellation, with a possible one year extension at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors (or the Town of Danville if annexed) . Dated: December 1 , 1987 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By -�'� J anne 0. Maglio Deputy Clerk -2- EXHIBIT "A" PARCEL ONE: a a Portion of the West 1/2 of Section 31, and the West 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of Section 31, Township 1 South, Range 1 East, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian, more particularly described as follows: —rte c-� Beginning at the intersection of the West line of said Section 31 with the center line of the County Road leading from Tassajara to Danville; thence from said point of beginning north along iUD the west line of said Section 31 to a point distant thereon 10. 96 chains South from the Northwest corner of said Section 31; said point being on the South line of the parcel of land described in the deed to B.A. Silva recorded January 29, 1912, Book 178, Deeds, page 41; thence East along the South line of said Silva Tract, parallel with the North line of said Section 31, 41. 08 chains to the Southeast corner of said Silva Tract; thence North along the East line of said Silva Tract, parallel with the West line of said Section 31, 10 . 96 chains to the North line of said Section 31; thence East along the North line of said Section 31 to the Northeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section ' 31; thence South along the east line of the west 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section 31 to the Southeast corner of the West 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section; thence West along the South line of the West 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section 31 to the Southwesterly corner of said West 1/2 of the Northeast 1/4 of said Section; thence South along the East line of the West 1/2 of said Section 31, 21. 30 chains, mor or less, to the center of the County Road; thence along the center of said County Road, as follows: South 37° 15 ' West 4 . 21 chains; North 77° 45 ' West 7. 21 chains; North 660 15 ' West, 1. 52 chains; South 84° 45 ' West, 15. 90 chains; South 690 30 ' West, 3. 99 chains, South 791 West, 4. 02 chains; and thence North 840 15 ' West, 5. 46 chains to the point of beginning. Excepting From Parcle One: The parcel of land conveyed in the deed to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, recorded May 27, 1977, in Book 8350, Page 91, Official Records. PARCEL TWO: Portion of the Southeast 1/4 of Section 31, Township 1 South, Range 1 East, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian, described as follows EXHIBIT "A" Page Two Beginning on the north line of said southeast 1/4, distant a thereon north 89° . 33 ' east, 1330. 80feet.from the northwest corner of said southeast 1/ 4; thence from said point of beginning, south 890 33 ' west, along said north line, CD 1330 . 80 feet; thence south 2° 30 ' east, 1405 . 80 feet to the center line of the old County Road known as Camino Tassajara; thence along said center line as follows: North 48° east, TV 99 . 66 feet; north 530 30 ' east, 99 . 66 feet; thence 490 15 ' east, 120. 12 feet, and north 89° 52 ' 30" east, 1030. 15 feet to a line drawn south 00 22 ' 15" east, from the point of beginning; thence north 00 22 ' 15" west, 1211. 23 feet to the point of beginning. Excepting From Parcel Two: That portion thereof lying south of the north line of the Old County Road referred to in said Parcel Two. TAE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CON'T'RA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on December 1, 1987 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, Schroder, Torlakson, McPeak NOES: None 0 ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: BETTENCOURT RANCH: ) Approving Tentative ) Cancellation for a ) RESOLUTION NO. 87/704 — portion of Land ) (Gov. C. Section 51200 Conservation Contract ) et seg. ) 22-69 ( 1299-RZ) ) The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County RESOLVES THAT: On January 21, 1969 the landowners of the Bettencourt Ranch entered into a Land Conservation Contract with the County of Contra Costa in accordance with the California Land Conservatory Act (Government Code Section 51200 et seg. ) . On November 7, 1986, Braddock and Logan in concert with the landowner Jerry Bettencourt, filed a petition for cancellation of the enforcement contract covering approximately 324 acres, pursuant to Government Code Section 51280. The subject property is located on the north side of Camino Tassajara in the Danville area and is identified as Assessor ' s Parcel Numbers 220-060-008 and 011. The County Assessor has determined the full cash value of the subject property as though it were free of the contractual restriction, and has certified to the Board the cancellation valuation of the subject property for the purpose of determining the cancellation fee. The Board hereby determines, and certifies to the County Auditor-Controller, that the amount of the cancellation fee which the landowner must pay the County Treasurer as deferred taxes upon cancellation is $40, 529 (which is 12-1/2% of the cancellation valuation of the subject property) . One of the reasons that the landowners have petitioned for tentative cancellation at this time rather than awaiting, final approval of the general plan amendment and preliminary development plan is that new state legislation has been adopted which changes the method of calculating cancellation fees. The new law goes into effect on January 1, 1988. Under the new formula, cancellation fees would be substantially higher. All those fees go directly to the State of California and the County does not benefit directly from these fee increases. Such increases in fees paid to the State of California may result in less money being available for local exactions and public improvements associated with eventual development of the contracted land. A Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance was prepared on this cancellation and circulated for comments; a copy is attached along with correspondence received on it. The required findings associated with the review of this petition are presented in Exhibit A (attached) . The Board hereby grants tentative approval for cancellation of Land Conservation Contract 22-69, subject to the following conditions and contingencies being satisfied: Resolution No. 87/704 �� 1. Payment in full of the 'cancellation fee due under Government Code Section 51283 , which fee is $40,529 (Contract 22-69) . Unless said fee is paid within one year from the recording of this Resolution, or a Certificate of Cancellation of Contract is issued within said time, this fee shall be recomputed as of the date of the landowner' s Notice of Satisfaction of Conditions and Contingencies (Government Code Section 51283 .4(b) . 2. The landowner shall obtain approval for a Planned Unit O District Preliminary Development Plan within one year of the date of tentative cancellation, with a possible one year extension at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors (or the City of Danville if annexed) . � If\J The Board directs the Clerk of the Board to file with the County Recorder a Certificate of Tentative Cancellation pursuant to Government Code Section 51283 . 4(a) . The Board also requests the Treasurer-Tax Collector to notify the County Assessor and Community Development Department of the payment of cancellation fees on this tentative approval action. JWC:vpl I hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of c•bdrsl.frm an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. Orig. Dept. : Community Development ATTESTcD: 'm-1&- -li /,FofZ cc: Assessor PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the Board Auditor-Controller of Supervisors and County Administrator Clerk of the Board County Counsel 9 9J Director, Community Development y�— —�— .Deputy Public Works Dept. Treasurer-Tax Collector Thiessen, Gagen & McCoy Danville Planning Department Clerk-Recorder EXHIBIT A FINDINGS BY CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE §§51200, ET SEQ. ; CANCELLATION OF LAND CONSERVATION CONTRACT Q DATED FEBRUARY 25, 1969 (WILLIAMSON ACT) o The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County specifically find as follows : 1. Mr . Jerry Bettencourt owns certain lands consisting of approximately 324 acres, located to the east of Blackhawk Road and north of Camino Tassajara Road in an unincorporated area of Contra Costa County, within the sphere of influence of the Town of Danville. The subject property is further identified by Assessor Parcel Numbers 220-060-008 and 011 . 2 . Mr . Jerry Bettencourt and Mrs . Rose Bettencourt entered into a Land Conservation Contract, dated February 25 , 1969 (Contrast) , with the County of Contra Costa, (County) pursuant to the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act) (Government Code §§51200 , et seq. ) . The Contract carried a 10-year original .term and was effective the last day of February 1969 . Pursuant to Government Code §51244, the Contract provides for an automatic renewal of one year on the last day of February of each succeeding year , unless a Notice of Nonrenewal is filed. 3 . The Bettencourts have owned the subject property since 1951 . Since that time they have utilized the property -1- .7.. for cattle grazing and for growing hay and grain. Such uses were guaranteed pursuant to the Contract . In 1981 , fundamental land use decisions were made for the Tassajara Valley pursuant to County Board Resolution 2218-RZ . The Bettencourt property was included within the Stage III-A Area as the next general area for urban development following the Canyon Lakes project . During the early 1980 ' s owners and optionees of the property surrounding the Bettencourt property requested and obtained General Plan Amendments allowing for residential developments on the adjacent parcels. .� O 4 . Mr . Bettencourt, who now lives alone, and is the sole -v c-� property owner , optioned the property to Braddock & N Logan Associates in 1986 . On August 22, 1986 , Braddock & Logan, on behalf of Mr . Bettencourt , filed and served a Notice of Nonrenewal with regard to the Contract . Pursuant to such Notice of Nonrenewal, the Contract will expire by its own terms no later than the last day of February, 1996 . 5. On August 22, 1986 Braddock & Logan also submitted a request for a . General Plan Amendment . The Board of Supervisors has : authorized such General Plan review of the site. A conceptual site plan consistent with said General Plan Amendment has been submitted to Contra Costa County for preliminary review and comments . Its impacts will be analyzed in the environmental review -2- process for the General Plan Amendment . The site plan, attached as Exhibit "i" , constitutes the proposed "alternative use" of the site for the purposes of this cancellation. It contemplates generally low density single family residential units, public and private open space and child care. 6 . The Town of Danville in recently adopting the Danville 2005 General Plan identified similar land uses for the gyp. Bettencourt property. 7 . A Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance has been prepared on this cancellation and circulated i for comments . It includes the Notice of Preparation, Initial Study of Environmental Significance, Justification for Negative Declaration, and Darwin Myers Associates Analysis for Initial Study. A Draft Environmental Impact Report on the proposed General Plan Amendment is currently being circulated. 8 . As specifically stated in findings 9 through 15 , set forth below, the cancellation of the Contract, with respect to the subject property, is consistent with the purposes of the Williamson Act , pursuant to Government Code §51282 (a) ( 2 ) and (c) ( 1 ) ( 2 ) . 9 . Government Code §51282( c) states that cancellation of the Williamson Act contract is "in the public interest" if the two listed findings are made . -3- ( 1) The first finding is that other public concerns substantially outweigh objectives of the Williamson Act . ( i ) The objectives of the Williamson Act are found, at Government Code §51220 (a)-( e) . Such objectives include the following: ' (a) The preservation of agricultural land is necessary to the conservation of the State ' s economic resources, and for food for the nation; a o (b) The agricultural work force is vital to sustain agricultural productivity, and there exists a need to provide housing for such work force; (c) The discouragement of premature and unnecessary conversion of agricultural lands is a matter of public interest and will be of benefit to urban dwellers in that it will discourage discontiguous urban developxent patterns which unnecessarily increase the costs of community services to community residences; (d) In a rapidly urbanizing society, lands have a definite public value as open space; and -4- (e) Land within a scenic highway or wildlife habitat area has a value because of its scenic beauty in view of a highway, or because of its value as a wildlife habitat. 10 . Objective (a) above, concerns preservation of agricultural land because such is necessary for the a conservation of the State ' s economic resources, and for food for the nation. Preservation of this particular � property will not, however , conserve economic resources, or food for the nation. As represented by N� Mr . Jerry Bettencourt, the property currently contains approximately 40 cattle. The property is also used to grow hay and grain on approximately 150 acres of the total 324 acres contained on the subject property. As a Notice of Nonrenewal has been filed on the subject property, the Williamson Act will be cancelled by its own terms in February of 1996 thus limiting the future agricultural production of this property to a short- term period. Thus, the agricultural benefit of ,this land consists of the existence of 20 cows and 20 calves, and nominal hay and grain production, for the next 9 years . Any contribution of the property as a food source for the nation, let alone the local . community, is negligible at best . 11 . Objective (b) , above, addresses the need to provide housing for our agricultural work force . Currently, -5- 'Y there are two structures on the property. The property has never been utilized as agricultural housing or housing for a work force. Therefore, the cancellation of the Williamson Act contract will not diminish the availability of agricultural housing . 12 . Objective ( c) , above, refers to discouragement of premature and unnecessarily early conversion of agricultural land. The objective states that dis- couragement of such early conversion will in turn limit a discontiguous urban development patterns, which • o unnecessarily increase the cost of community services o to the residences. The development of the subject C:) property does not conflict with this objective. First , this property is surrounded by Blackhawk, the Shadow (V Creek development ( 429 units approved) , the Ujdur 00 property ( zoning approval pending for 110 units) , Vista Tassajara (.240 units approved) , and Tassajara Ranch ( 850 units approved) . To the west are the Morgan Property ( 213 units approved) , the Blackhawk commercial project and the Sycamore Valley Specific Plan (approximately 1, 700 units under construction) . To the south is Shapell West Branch ( 668 units approved) . See copy of attached "Agricultural Preservation Cancellation Map" , Exhibit "2 . " This is truly an infill property, merely filling in the "hole in the donut" . It completes a circle of planned, orderly -6- development, not discontiguous patterns of urban growth. It does not result in premature conversion of agricultural property to residential use. Community services are extended in an orderly fashion. Therefore, no significant increase in costs of community services to existing community residences o. 0 will occur . ,�- 13 . Objective (d) above, states that agricultural lands f have a. definite public value as open space. In this instance, the most significant open space on the N� property will be preserved through the development process. The remainder of the current open space will " -ro be lost only for a few years through 1996 given the infill nature of the property. It would be inefficient -r and inappropriate to bypass such property with utilities and other service infrastructure to the Crow Canyon Corridor area. Given the amount of open space being retained in the various approved projects in the area, preservation of this entire property in , the middle of an urban area as open space seems unnecessary. 14 . Objective (e) refers to the preservation of lands within a scenic highway or wildlife area. Cancellation of the Contract will not be inconsistent with this objective, because the Bettencourt property is not located within a scenic highway or wild life area . -7- Furthermore, open space will be preserved through the development piocess, similar to other projects in the area. 15 . Based on the foregoing, the Board concludes that this cancellation is not inconsistent with any of the five objectives of the Williamson Act . 16 . Even assuming some inconsistency between this cancella- tion and any of the objectives of the Williamson Act, the public concerns that will be promoted by this cancellation outweigh any such negative impact 0 cancellation might have on the objectives to be furthered by Williamson Act contracts . 17 . First, the proposed development will provide needed -ICY housing to the central Contra Costa County area. The Contra Costa County Community Development Department published the document entitled, Growth Trends ( 1987 ) , as part of its comprehensive County General Plan program. The Growth Trends study sites several significant statistics as prepared by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) : as follows : ( 1 ) The Bay Area Region will grow by over 1 million people between the years 1985 and 2005 (page 15 ) ; ( 2 ) Approximately 35, 000 new housing units are needed in Contra . Costa County between 1985 and 1990 ; 29 , 000 units will be needed between 1990 and 1995 ; 28, 000 units will be needed between 1995 and 2000 ; -8- V3 and 12 , 500 units will be needed during the first five years of the 21st century. Cumulatively, through the year 2005, 104 , 500 housing units will be needed in Contra Costa County to meet antici- pated demand. It is evident that the subject land is needed for housing. That housing need outweighs any objectives of g 0 the Williamson Act that may arguably be fulfilled by -{s the Contract as described in Paragraphs 9-15 . C:D 18. Second, the public benefits in improving the � Bettencourt Curve section of Camino Tassajara Road are CNJI substantial . The Bettencourt Curve is a very dangerous section of Camino Tassajara Road on which there have been numerous, documented injury and non-injury traffic ia.. accidents. The advantages to public safety in a realignment of the Bettencourt Curve and related road sections on Camino Tassajara Road compel an early termination of the subject Contract . Realignment of the roadway would be a direct violation of the Contract in that some agricultural use would be eliminated. With the approved Shadow Creek project and the Blackhawk Phase IV project under construction and other projects, traffic along the Bettencourt Curve is estimated to soon be 14 , 600 daily trips ( see July 1986 Crow Canyon Corridor Transportation Study by TJKM Transportation Consultants ) . That study identifies a -9- baseline traffic volume of 2 , 000 vehicle trips per .day currently traversing the Bettencourt Curve. The TJKM study projects a 7305 increase in traffic volume across that dangerous section of road. Cancellation of the Contract will promote the quickest possible elimination of such a dangerous section of roadway. The public safety objectives in realigning Camino Tassajara at the Bettencourt Curve outweigh the continued preservation of the Bettencourt property under Williamson Act contract . 19 . A third overriding public concern is the participation C) in the construction of the Crow Canyon Corridor traffic improvements. Pursuant to the Joint Exercise of Powers � Agreement Concerning Tassajara Area Transportation Improvement Fees approved by the Contra Costa County N C-r-1 Board of Supervisors on April 28, 1987 , and the Town of Danville and City of San Ramon, incorporated herein by reference, the Bettencourt property is to participate along with the. Shapell West Branch project , Mo,rgan property, Tassajara Ranch, Vista Tassajara, Shadow Creek and the Ujdur project in twenty-one local traffic improvements . The importance of these traffic improvements to accommodate the approved development with the Crow Canyon Corridor and otherwise is documented in the 1986 and 1987 TJKM Transportation studies for the Crow Canyon Corridor . -10- If the Bettencourt project does not go forward, then the buyers of other homes in the Crow Canyon Corridor will be ultimately responsible for a significant higher m traffic improvement fee. Furthermore, the realignment of the Bettencourt Curve will be more expensive without ] cancellation. It is not in the public interest to have additional fees charged to new homeowners because the Bettencourt property is not contemplated for W development until after 1996 . As noted in Growth Trends 1987 on page 81, the lack of affordable housing continues to be a County dilemma. The public benefit in terms of contribution to transportation improvements following a cancellation outweighs the objectives of . ' the Williamson Act in maintaining continued nominal agricultural use of the Bettencourt property. 20 . The fourth and final public concern which outweighs the objectives of the Contract on the Bettencourt property isthe effectuation of the Danville General Plan. Consistent with State law, the formation and implemen- tation of a general plan is in the public interest . While Contra Costa County is now in the middle of a County-wide review and update of its General Plan, in addition to a separate study of the General Plan for the Bettencourt property, the Town of Danville has already updated its General Plan. The Bettencourt property while still within the unincorporated area of -11- Contra Costa County and therefore under the juris- diction of Contra Costa County is, nevertheless, within the sphere of influence of the Town of Danville and has properly been included within the General Plan for the Town of Danville. In particular, the Danville General Plan states that within the Tassajara Special Concern Area the Bettencourt property is designated for a combination of low density, single-family, residential dwelling units as well as public and semi-public open space and child care. Residential development on the site is planned to consist of relatively large single- c family lots with a maximum of 470 units. This General Plan, recently enacted by the Town of Danville, therefore, suggests that the public interest will be served by residential use of this property. As noted N previously, the objectives of the Williamson Act are at most minimally met by the Contract . The fulfillment of the public interest as evidenced by the General Plan outweighs the objectives of the Williamson Act as applied to the Contract . 21 . For each of the reasons set forth in the foregoing paragraphs 16-20, the Board of Supervisors hereby finds that the public interest of the citizens of the Tassajara Valley, the surrounding communities and Contra Costa County as a whole, are better served by the cancellation of the Contract than it would be by -12- the marginal furtherance, if any, of the objectives of the Williamson Act through the continuation of the Contract through 1996 . 22 . A second necessary finding for cancellation of a Contract pursuant to the public interest is that there g 0 be no proximate non-contracted land, which is both � available and suitable for the use to which it is � 4�_ -v proposed that contracted land be put or , alternatively, N development of the contracted land would provide more contiguous patterns of urban development than develop- ment of proximate non-contracted land. 23 . Taking this requirement as a two-step analysis , the first finding that must be made is that no proximate non-contracted land is both available and suitable for the use proposed on the contracted land. As shown on Exhibit "2" , the Bettencourt property is surrounded by lands which are currently fully developed, or approved for development as described in Paragraph No. 12 . Currently, construction is pending on approximately 800 more units in the Blackhawk development north of the Bettencourt property. The Crow Canyon Corridor projects comprise approximately 2, 400 residential units plus commercial and retail development . -13- study. Only properties that would result in discontiguous development might be considered available. To the extent that any other parcels are m available, they are much smaller in size and the nature of such parcels do not provide even a remotely similar '0 C31 type of project . 24 . Additionally, a finding must be made that development r\) CJ1 of the contracted land would provide more contiguous patterns of urban development than development of proximate non-contracted land. As exemplified in Exhibit "2" and as noted in previous paragraphs, the proposed site is an infill of residential development . As such, it provides for a more continuous pattern of urban development than proximate, non-contracted lands , even if available, to the east, south and southeast . 25 . The landowner ' s petition has referenced and incorporated a specified alternative use of the land. The landowner has also listed the governmental agencies known by the landowner to have permit authority related to the proposed alternative use. 26 . Prior to this action giving tentative approval of Williamson Act cancellation, the County Assessor determined the full cash value of the land as though it were free of the contractual restrictions . The County Assessor pursuant to Government Code §51283 , has certified to the Board the cancellation value of the -15- A land for the purposes of determining the cancellation fee. Such fee is an amount equal to 12-1/2% of the cancellation value of the property. Such fee has been determined and certified by the County Auditor to be the sum of $ 27 . Conditions contained in the Certificate of Tentative Cancellation that must be met prior to final cancellation shall include: ( 1) Payment in full of the fees described above, together with a statement that unless the fee is paid, or a Certificate of Cancellation of Contract is issued within one year from the date a recording of the Certificate of Tentative x Cancellation, such fee shall be.-recomputed as of the date of notice described in Government Code -c §51283 . 4 (b) ; The fee may be paid prior to N condition ,( 2) hereunder being satisfied and such payment and determination of its amount shall be irrevocable; and ( 2) The landowner shall obtain approval for a planned unit district zoning and preliminary development plan within one year of the date of tentative cancellation, with a possible one year extension at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors (or the Town of Danville if annexed) ; and -16- ( 3 ) Any significant impacts identified in the EIR for the General Plan Amendment shall be mitigated, addressed by a statement of overriding consideration, or otherwise addressed consistent with CEQA prior to final cancellation of the 4�" C contract . fil c� 28 . The Board recognizes that the objectives to be served TV by cancellation could not have been served by non- p renewal at any earlier time. The objectives of the immediate cancellation are to provide housing in anticipation of future needs as well as to contribute to financing of the infrastructure improvements necessary to accommodate the existing approved develop- 1, ment within the area. Cancellation at this time will insure that such money will become immediately available and- will insure that housing for future needs will be available. 29 . The Board additionally finds that the current landowner could not have predicted the change in circumstances which has resulted in the proposed cancellation . The Contract was approved in 1969 ; well before development within the Crow Canyon Corridor was foreseeable to a rancher such as Jerry Bettencourt . While development of the Blackhawk subdivision was anticipated in the late 1970 ' s the preservation of the Hanson Lane/ Edmondston Ranch area and Bettencourt ' s property, among -17- others, as agricultural areas remained reasonable in light of Blackhawk ' s unique stance geographically in relation to other development and the continued policies of agricultural preservation in the area . It is only within the last few years that development has extended from the Town of Danville out through the Sycamore Valley to Blackhawk Road. It was only in August, 1986 that the Shadow Creek project on the Edmondston property was approved and it became apparent that development of this area adjacent and east of the Bettencourt property would proceed. Until such time as the development within the Sycamore Valley proceeded and the Shadow Creek development was approved, removal 0 U of the Bettencourt property from the- Contract arguably may have been considered premature and growth- O Cil inducing . Therefore, cancellation is appropriate at this time and the property owner should not be cN penalized in any manner for the timing of his CO petition. 30 . The Board recognizes that under Government Code §51282 (d) , the uneconomic character of an existing agricultural use shall not by itself be sufficient reason for cancellation of the Contract . The uneconomic character of the existing use may be considered only ,if there is no reasonable or comparable agricultural use to which the land may be put . The -18- i Board is aware of this consideration, but it does not need to consider the uneconomic character of the agricultural use now in existence, except to recognize o. its negligible contribution as a food source to the nation and to the local community. While the required p findings allowing consideration of agricultural economics might be made, this cancellation is based N upon other reasons set forth herein and not upon the landowner ' s desire, understandable as it may be, to realize a financial gain. 31 . The Board finds that compliance with the nonrenewal process resulting in expiration of the Contract in 1996 will interfere with the County ' s and the Town of Danville ' s orderly development in —the Crow Canyon Corridor , and will defeat other purposes served by the cancellation— It is further appropriate in order to secure the contribution of the Bettencourt project to the costs of the traffic improvements within the Crow Canyon Corridor . 32 . The Board recognizes that Article VIII , Section 8 of the California, Constitution requires that Williamson Act Contracts be "enforceably restricted" and that contracts which can be cancelled without the proper findings required by law conflict with the conservation policies of such constitutional provisions ; however , the Board finds herein that all the . findings required -19- by law can be made and have been made herein. Therefore, this cancellation is not accomplished through denial ' of required findings but is made in full compliance and recognition of all required restrictions in the Williamson Act. 33 . The Board recognizes that the nonrenewal process is the intended and general vehicle for termination of Williamson Act contracts . Additionally, the Board appreciates that early termination is to be utilized only in extraordinary situations. For the reasons stated previously, pursuant to public interest, and as set forth in the findings herein, such extraordinary o x. circumstances exist for this infill property. 34 . The Board herein finds that continuation of the CJ1 -� Contract is neither necessary nor desirable. Timely c development of the Bettencourt property will allow for 07) completion of the Stage-III urban area and the project ' s valuable contribution to overall infrastructure improvements . 35 . The Board finds that the Williamson Act provisions have not been utilized as a tax shelter for real estate speculators . As noted previously, the extensive pending development of the Tassajara Valley in particular in the Crow Canyon Corridor was not fully realized until the last few years . Additionally, the adjacent and easterly Edmondston Ranch property was not -20- removed from the Williamson Act until early fall of 1986. A Notice of Nonrenewal was filed on the Bettencourt property at approximately the same time as cancellation was granted for the Edmondston property. As such, this property was held until such time as it became clear development was appropriate for this x. property and was not held for excessive periods as a 0 tax shelter for real estate investors. Jerry c-� Bettencourt has been a rancher , not a developer or real N estate investor . 36 . The Board of Supervisors hereby approves the Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance as providing sufficient environmental review under CEQA for this conditional tentative cancellation. The analysis, findings and conclusions set forth in the Negative Declaration and related documents) identified in Paragraph No. 7 are incorporated herein by reference as though set forth at length hereunder in further support of the cancellation of the Contract . -21- O cow . aMw dook i r Q OC�t7C? fJf?,�? d0�? a' ,�Q;t , 1 i P :�,le. `\,\� "�..+' C l 1{ t- + {��-`��_�/�✓/ \�\\ "'�1� 9Ct �- jQ t Er. \lr t� ~.� y i' f �" �f u� i � �f �: tt "�� Q �{ � �11�;N*(t z�,�;� _ (t IAJI '• } ��Q-' ,� 7 Mn in.ni� ,1 .. /{ ,� �•�,.'},< ;^r/.'" � a � -Q d �' !i+ t�tl .� . �,, r ,, �/ ,, � r , a��t2 \� • ' f'�''1 1 �iu3 A C , i i t rz ' �t 1 ltll Ly e , x r � � _•s.'• -�_ � ?N ' Y � { d\ -\a Oc �� .c d�� y'` `�•(.�,, l-. > ,. ,:/4:-fid, Q�r 0, 0 ..1v t� , j,: _(j pr�io�" _j Q- ti 1. 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