Riverside County participates in the State of California Land Conservation Act or also known as the Williamson Act, agricultural land preservation program. The purpose of the Act is to preserve agricultural and open space lands by discouraging premature and unnecessary conversion to urban uses. Williamson Act contracts are established between the landowner and the County.
The Riverside County specifies local rules for processing agricultural preserve applications in Resolution No. 84-526 and specifies compatible uses within agricultural preserves in Ordinance No. 509.
Agricultural Preserves
An Agricultural Preserve is an area defined by the County in which they are willing to accept Williamson Act contracts. Land defined as an Agricultural Preserve do not have to be placed under a Williamson Act contract. An Landowner can enlarge, establish, diminish, or disestablish their Agricultural Preserve parcel(s). Although, each type requires different process and time frames for completion.
Williamson Act - Contracts
Landowners receive substantially reduced property tax assessments in return for enrollment under Williamson Act contract. Property tax assessments of Williamson Act contracted land are based upon generated income as opposed to potential market value of the property. The County of Riverside Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder provides information on assessment and valuation.
*If an Landowner's land is identified as an Agricultural Preserve and is under a Williamson Act contract, the contract must be first nullified prior to enlargement, establishment, diminishment, or disestablishment.
Non-renewal
Contracts may be exited at the option of the landowner by initiating the process of term Non-renewal. Under this process, the remaining contract term (nine years in the case of an original term of ten years) is allowed to lapse, with the contract null and void at the end of the term. During the Non-renewal process, the annual tax assessment continually increases each year until it is equivalent to current tax rates at the end of the nonrenewal period.
Cancellation
A contract may be cancelled without completing the process of term Non-renewal. Contract cancellation, however, involves a comprehensive review and approval process, and the payment of a fee by the landowner equal to 12.5 percent of the full market value and tax assessment of the property in question.
The below forms are required from the applicant and are reviewed to ensure the application package is complete. Please note that the Supplemental Information Form contains information and requires responses, as well as additional materials and documents depending on which of the types of Agricultural Preserve applications.
Required Application Forms
Additionally, below is a filing instruction checklist for Agricultural Preserve applications to ensure the submittal package is complete and contains all of the necessary components for processing:
Click here to view our fee schedule
Application Submittal
To submit a Planning application online to the Riverside County Planning Department, please use our PLUS Online System. The following link will direct you to the PLUS Online website portal submittal instructions.
Comprehensive Agricultural Preserves Technical Advisory Committee (CAPTAC) was formed according to Government Code Section 51239 to advise the Board of Supervisors on the administration of the agricultural preserves in the county per County Resolution Number 84-526, dated December 18, 1984. The CAPTAC holds public hearings on land use matters including Agricultural Preserves.
The composition of the committee consists (Division IV of the Resolution) of the following, or their designees:
- Planning Director (Chairperson)
- County of Riverside
- County Assessor
- Agricultural Commissioner
- U.S.D.A Soil Conservation Service
- University of California Cooperative Extension
Documents
Maps
Agricultural Preserve Map Exhibits
*Select Bookmarks to scroll by the name of the preserve. The document is in chronological order.
*To see if the property is under contract, search with the Assessors Parcel Number (APN), Property Identification Number (PIN), or property address. Select, "View Property," If the, "Property Type," in , "General Information," states, "AP," the parcel is currently under contract.
*Select the layer, "Agricultural Preserves," under, "Planning Layers."
California Williamson Act Enrollment Finder
Resource Links
Department of Conservation: Williamson Act Program
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