Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District?
Where does the District get its money?
How does the District preserve land for the community?
What kind of properties does the District protect/preserve?
Why are partner agencies necessary for public access on parcels acquired for recreation?
How can I learn more about the District and its land conservation efforts?
What is the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District?
It is a Special District formed by a vote of the citizens of Sonoma County in 1990. Special Districts are government entities that are created for special purposes. The entire County is included in this District. The voters chose to form the District to acquire and preserve agricultural and open space lands as a legacy for future generations.
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Where does the District get its money?
The voters chose the mechanism of a sales tax, one of the first counties in the country to do so. Only one quarter of a cent of every dollar spent in Sonoma County funds the acquisitions. This ¼ cent sales tax generated from purchases by each individual, resident and tourist alike, amounts to only about $3 dollars a month per person on average but accumulates to about $15 to $18 million dollars a year. The District often attracts additional funding partners and is financially accountable to the public through an annual audit and oversight by the Open Space Authority.
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How does the District preserve land for the community?
The District can protect land through voluntary land protection agreements (“conservation agreements”) and through outright purchase. A Conservation Agreement is a voluntary legal agreement that a landowner makes to restrict the amount and type of development that may take place on his or her property. Each agreement is tailored to protecting the unique resources of the particular property and remains with the land forever. Conservation Agreements are an important tool used by the District to preserve agricultural land and land uses. The farmer is able to stay in farming instead of selling, while the public benefits because the agriculture sector remains economically viable in the County and it can also continue to enjoy the beauty of the County’s farming heritage.
The District also can purchase properties outright. While this can cost more, it’s often important to purchase fee title to some priority land to allow public enjoyment of it, such as for hiking trails and other recreational uses. And sometimes a landowner may not be interested in selling a conservation easement. The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District then can purchase the land and put it back into agricultural use, for instance.
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What kind of properties does the District protect/preserve?
The District is guided by a plan – Connecting Communities and the Land, A Long-Term Acquisition Plan, that was developed with extensive community input. It identifies four areas of focus: Farms & Ranches, Greenbelts & Scenic Hillsides, Water, Wildlife & Natural Areas and Recreation & Education. All of the District’s purchases are also consistent with the Sonoma County General Plan.
While the District only purchases land from willing sellers, it also proactively identifies potential land that meets criteria such as adjacency to other protected lands, ecological sensitivity or recreation potential. High priorities for the voters who created the District are the natural hillside landscapes that citizens cherish, the visual separations between and around our cities, unique plant and animal habitats, scenically beautiful watersheds that protect the quality of our water and the rich, farming properties that remind us of our rural history and serve as a stable part of our economic base.
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Why are partner agencies necessary for public access on parcels acquired for recreation?
In the original measure placed before the voters, the District was created to acquire and preserve agricultural and open space properties but was not directed to expend funds to manage or operate them. This is sometimes confusing to citizens as there is an expectation that the District can open parks and open space for the public’s use once acquired. That is where our partners come in. The District currently addresses the public’s expectations for access in several ways. Non-profit organizations work with the District to provide and lead numerous public outings to District-protected lands throughout the year. We also partner with recreation agencies like Sonoma County Regional Parks and California State Parks whose mission it is to operate and manage parklands. Riverfront Regional Park, Cloverdale River Park, Sunset Beach and Mom’s Beach are examples of new parks created for the public through property purchased by the District. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Hood Mountain Regional Park and Sonoma Coast State Beach have all been expanded through District purchases as well. Within the past 10 years, the District has protected 38 properties for public recreation.
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How can I learn more about the District and its land conservation efforts?
Submit your e-mail address at our website or your street address to the District for future newsletters and updates on our current efforts to preserve valuable farmland, scenic landscapes, natural areas and new recreational opportunities.
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