Any city or county may allow land subject to an enforceable restriction under the Williamson Act or a migratory waterfowl habitat contract to be assessed in accordance with one or more of the following:
(a) Land specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 16142 of the Government Code shall be assessed at the value determined as provided in Section 423, but not to exceed a uniformly applied percentage of its base year value pursuant to Section 110.1, adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the cost of living not to exceed 2 percent per year. In no event shall that percentage be less than 70 percent.
(b) Prime commercial rangeland shall be assessed at the value determined as provided in Section 423, but not to exceed a uniformly applied percentage of its base year value pursuant to Section 110.1, adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the cost of living not to exceed 2 percent per year. In no event shall that percentage be less than 80 percent.
For purposes of this subdivision, “prime commercial rangeland” means rangeland that meets all of the following physical-chemical parameters:
(1) Soil depth of 12 inches or more.
(2) Soil texture of fine sandy loam to clay.
(3) Soil permeability of rapid to slow.
(4) Soil with at least 2.5 inches of available water holding capacity in profile.
(5) A slope of less than 30 percent.
(6) A climate with 80 or more frost-free days per year.
(7) Ten inches or more average annual precipitation.
(8) When managed at potential, the land generally requires less than 17 acres to support one animal unit per year.
Property owners of land specified in this subdivision shall demonstrate that their land falls within the above definition when requested by the city or county.
(c) Land specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 16142 of the Government Code shall be assessed at the value determined as provided in Section 423, but not to exceed a uniformly applied percentage of its base year value pursuant to Section 110.1, adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the cost of living not to exceed 2 percent per year. In no event shall that percentage be less than 90 percent.
(d) Waterfowl habitat shall be assessed at the value determined as provided in Section 423.7 but not to exceed a uniformly applied percentage of its base year value pursuant to Section 110.1, adjusted to reflect the percentage change in the cost of living not to exceed 2 percent per year. In no event shall that percentage be less than 90 percent.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 86, Sec. 275. (SB 1171) Effective January 1, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018