Williamson Act: farmland security and conservation zones.

The Williamson Act, also known as the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, authorizes a city or county to enter into contracts with owners of land devoted to agricultural use, whereby the owners agree to continue using the property for that purpose, and the city or county agrees to value the land accordingly for purposes of property taxation. Existing law authorizes a landowner or group of landowners to petition the board of supervisors to rescind a contract or contracts in order to simultaneously place the land subject to that contract or those contracts under a new contract designating the property as a farmland security zone, as specified. Under existing law, land under a farmland security contract is valued at 65% of the value of the land, as specified. This bill would additionally authorize a landowner or group of landowners to petition the board of supervisors to rescind a contract or contracts in order to simultaneously place the land subject to that contract or those contracts under a new contract designating the property as a farmland security and conservation zone for a period of at least 30, 40, or 50 years, as specified. This bill would require land subject to a farmland security and conservation zone contract to be valued between 61% and 65% of the value of the land based on the length of the contract, as specified.