WCB 5/2015: State $$ Saves 6718 Acres from Bulldozers

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD FUNDS LAND PURCHASES

Development Rights purchased (also known as “conservation easements”): 4951 acres

Land purchased in full: 1767 acres

Taken from the May 21, 2015 Meeting Agenda

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=99693

MAPS and PHOTOS OF ALL PURCHASES: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=100450

IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND SIERRA NEVADAS:

Placer County OEST Ranch Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement, $189,000

grant to the Placer Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 36± acres of land located west of Highway 49, north of the City of Auburn in Placer County. WCB 5/21/2015

Allensworth Ecological Reserve, Expansion 58, Tulare County, $0.00

acquisition of three separate parcels of land totaling 4± acres. WCB 5/21/2015

Butte Creek Meadows Working Forest, Siskiyou County, $1,679,500

grant to Pacific Forest Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 3,468± acres of land for the protection of a mixed conifer working forest habitat linkages located near the community of Montague in Siskiyou County. WCB 5/21/2015

Spenceville Wildlife Area, Conservation Easement (Robinson Ranch) Nevada County, $2,135,000

acquisition of a conservation easement over 1,447± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for a cooperative project with The Trust for Public Land, for the protection of native oak woodlands habitat near Penn Valley in Nevada County. WCB 5/21/2015

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, Expansion 14, Yuba County, $2,630,000

acquisition in fee of 732± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. WCB 5/21/2015

Long Gulch Ranch,Tuolumne County, $876,000

grant to the Mother Lode Land Trust to acquire in fee 576± acres. WCB 5/21/2015

IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Western Riverside MSHCP (2013) – Kaelin, Riverside County, $880,675

grant to the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority to acquire 25± acres . WCB 5/21/2015

Western Riverside MSHCP (2014) – Lloyd, $118,750

grant to the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority to acquire 162± acres. WCB 5/21/2015

Metcalf Bay – 2014 RLA Grant, San Bernardino County, $731,200

grant to the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust (SBMLT)to acquire in fee 17± acres of land to promote recovery of rare and endangered plant and wildlife species, located within the City of Big Bear. WCB 5/21/2015

San Diego County Water Authority (Rancho Cielo) San Diego County, $1,520,000

grant to The Escondido Creek Conservancy (TECC)to assist with the acquisition of 251± acres. WCB 5/21/2015

WCB 1/2013 to 3/2013: A few State Wildlife board land purchases in March...

LAND PURCHASES BY CALIFORNIA'S WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

FOR JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 2013

SUMMARY:

1640 acres of development rights purchased

124 acres bought in full ownership

AGENDA FOR 3/11/2013 MEETING: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=60200&inline=1

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=68100

HUMBOLDT COUNTY: Arcata Community Forest (Humphry) 2 acres for $190,000. WCB 3/2013

MENDOCINO COUNTY: acquire 64± acres, located adjacent to the Inglenook Fen-Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve – MacKerricher State Park. WCB 3/2013

YUBA COUNTY: exchange easements between the State and two separate property owners to provide clear title to the adjoining landowners and improved access to the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Daugherty Hills Wildlife Area (Howard Hill Unit). WCB 3/2013

YUBA COUNTY: Marysville ranch--acquisition of a conservation easement over 1,277± acres of land by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) for a cooperative project with the U.S. Department of Defense, California Department of Transportation and the Trust for Public Land for the protection of oak woodland and grassland habitats and habitat linkages and open space buffers between DFW’s Spenceville Wildlife Area (SWA) and Beale Air Force Base (BAFB). $265,000. WCB 3/2013

BUTTE COUNTY: Little Chico Creek Oak Woodland, 363 acres,  $555,000.00

Conservation Easement, and Expansions 1 and 2 (Mott, Smith and Brigham). WCB 3/2013

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY: Puma Canyon, and $488,000  Expansions 1 and 2 (Swart, J. Cox, and M&B Cox)

To consider the allocation for a grant to the Transition Habitat Conservancy to acquire the fee title of three separate properties totaling 124± acres. WCB 3/2013

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There was also a WCB Board Meeting on January 24, 2013;

There were no land purchases on the agenda for that meeting

Tax $$ to save 6296 riverfront acres in Calif.

State Hands out $34 million for New 

River Parks and Trails

2012 PROPOSITION 84, ROUND 2, RIVER PARKWAYS GRANT RECIPIENTS

11/26/2012--The California Natural Resources Agency today announced over $34 million in funding for 33 proposed river parkway projects statewide. These projects will create recreation opportunities for families, restore fish and wildlife habitat, provide flood management, and enhance California’s river parkways.

…In total, the grants will fund more than 31 miles of trails and more than 7,500 acres of wildlife habitat restoration and land acquisition.

For full info release:

http://resources.ca.gov/bond/RP_Awards_2012.Final.pdf

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LIST OF LAND PURCHASES TO BE FUNDED:

Alpine County parks dept.:  6 acres--Markleeville Creek Acquisition - $136,000

El Dorado County:  American River Conservancy –2,566 acres-- Cosumnes River Parkway - $1,800,000

Yuba and Nevada Counties: Bear Yuba Land Trust – Rice’s Crossing: Yuba River Acquisition - $1,900,000

Acquire the 2,706-acre Rice’s Crossing property immediately below New Bullards Bar Dam adjacent to Yuba River State Park to provide trails for public use and improve river health for salmon fisheries.

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/yuba-121413-river-land.html

The Rice's Crossing property spans both sides of the Middle Yuba River and is bounded by Bullards Bar Reservoir to the north and South Yuba River State Park to the south.

… "This property knits together more than 8,500 acres of protected open space and contains six miles of the Yuba River," said Markley Bavinger, project manager for the Trust for Public Land.

(BELOW: RICE'S CROSSING LOCATION)

L.A./San Bernardino County line: The Conservation Fund – Mount Baldy Ranch Land Acquisition - $868,000. Acquire 237 acres along San Antonio Creek in the San Gabriel Mountains

Humboldt County: Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc. – Ryan Creek Community Forest Project - $1,000,000. Acquire approximately 1,200 acres of timberland adjacent to Ryan Creek, establishing a Community Forest for the city of Eureka, which will practice sustainable timber management.

Tulare County: Sequoia Riverlands Trust – Kaweah Oaks Preserve Acquisition $410,181

Acquire approximately 22 acres of riparian habitat adding approximately one-half mile of creek frontage along Deep Creek to the Kaweah Oaks Preserve.

Nevada County:  The Sierra Fund – Deer Creek Tribute Trail & Restoration Project (Acquisition) $739,111. Acquire approximately 32 acres of riparian habitat for the purpose of habitat restoration/enhancement and public access.

Sonoma County parks dept:  Mark West Creek Regional Park and Open Space Preserve - $1,000,000

Acquire 297 acres in the Mark West Creek watershed creating a 1,100-acre regional park and open space preserve providing hikers, cyclists and equestrians access to 20 miles of developed trails crossing grasslands, woodlands and creeks.

Placer County: Trust for Public Land – North Fork American River – Big Bend Acquisition - $1,368,000. Acquire 460 acres known as the Big Bend Property which is bisected by the North Fork American River to protect habitat and wildlife corridors and improve public access to the river.

WCB 8/2012: State to buy more wildlife habitat August 30th...

Almost 15,000 acres will be Saved from Development across the state with our Tax Dollars this month

SUMMARY:

4337 ACRES FULL(FEE) OWNERSHIP

10,466 ACRES IN DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (CONSERVATION EASEMENTS)

NOTICE OF MEETING

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

August 30, 2012

10:00 AM 1/ State Capitol, Room 112

Sacramento, California 95814

FULL PRELIMINARY AGENDA:

https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=48432&inline=1

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=57726

Lower Yuba River – Excelsior – Phase II, $549,600 (Black Swan Ranch) Nevada County

acquisition in fee of 108± acres

Thomas North, Contra Costa County, $393,755, to acquire 135± acres

Allensworth Ecological Reserve, Salo, Expansion 27,  $17,500, Tulare County, 10 acres in fee title

Millard Canyon $480,200, Los Angeles County

a grant to Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy (AFC) to acquire 13± acres

Santa Rosa Mountains (Desert Ranch II) $5,000, Expansion 17, Riverside County, acquire 763± acres

Jacumba Peak (Change of Scope) $0.00 San Diego County, acquire 1,081± acres

San Diego River (Walker) $94,000, San Diego County, acquire in fee 107± acres

Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, Expansion 13, $2,740,000, Yuba County, acquisition in fee of 679± acres

Yuba Highlands Conservation Easement – Phase II, $1,104,000, Yuba County, over 1,620± acres

Conaway Ranch Conservation Easement $7,835,000, Yolo County, totaling 6,224± acres

Campstool Ranch $2,761,055.00 Calaveras County

a grant to the Pacific Forest Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,175± acres of mixed conifer forest, oak woodlands and wildlife habitat corridors, located near the town of Railroad Flat in Calaveras County. DECISION POSTPONED TO 11/2012 MEETING

Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement (Barboni) $610,000, over 447± acres, Marin County

Ocean Meadows $910,000, Santa Barbara County, acquire in fee 63± acres of coastal wetland and watershed habitat between the upper and lower reaches of Devereux Slough in Goleta Valley

Santa Clara River Watershed (Teyton) $1.01 million, Ventura County, acquire fee title on 34± acres

Indio Trails, $1.01 million, Riverside County, acquire in fee 495± acres

Carlsbad/Northwest San Diego County $4,629,750 (Cielo del Norte) acquire in fee 240± acres

Sycuan Tribal – Sloan Canyon $1,165,000, San Diego County

grant to the Kumeyaay-Diegueño Land Conservancy to acquire in fee 609± acres

WCB 11/2010: Calif. Wildlife board to save 84,000 acres in November...

State Plans Big End of Year Land Purchases—over 84,000 acres of land and development rights

Deals include $15 million paid to the Tejon Ranch Company

NOTICE OF MEETING --WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
November 18, 2010

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=24287

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=25149

HIGHLIGHTS:

Heart K Ranch, 880 acre conservation easement, Plumas County

Lower Yuba River, Excelsior, 527± acres, Nevada and Yuba Counties

Bruin Ranch, 1,773± acres, Placer County

Oak Hills Ranch, conservation easement over 3,316 ± acres, Yolo County

Los Vaqueros Ranch Conservation Easement, 800± acres, Monterey County

Santa Clara River Watershed, 123± acres, Ventura County

Tejon Ranch -- conservation easements over 62,003± acres--$15.8 million Kern/Los Angeles Counties

Bottle Peak 418± acres $3.5 million San Diego County

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SPECIFICS ON AGENDA ITEMS


20. Heart K Ranch $1,090,000 Plumas County
To consider the acquisition of a conservation easement for the Department of Fish and Game over approximately 880± acres for protection of critical habitat for the Sloat Deer herd as well as protection of black oak woodland, montane riparian, and wet meadow habitats, located in the Genesee Valley along Indian Creek in Plumas County.

21. Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area, Expansion 6 $1,120,000 Butte County
To consider the acquisition of 222± acres of land for the Department of Fish and Game for the protection of wetland habitat, located approximately five miles west of the City of Biggs in Butte County.

22. Lower Yuba River, Excelsior, Phase I, $3,216,440 Nevada and Yuba Counties
To consider the acquisition of 527± acres of land by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) known as the Yuba Narrows Ranch for protection of deer and mountain lion habitat, located along the Yuba River within the lower Yuba River watershed, situated between the DFG Daugherty Hills and Spenceville Wildlife Areas, in Nevada and Yuba Counties.

23. Bruin Ranch Phase I, $4,515,000 Placer County
To consider the allocation for a grant to Placer Land Trust for a cooperative project with the Department of Fish and Game, Caltrans and Placer County to acquire 1,773± acres of property to protect habitat for threatened and endangered species, including blue oak woodland habitat and approximately three miles of riparian corridor along the Bear River, located in Placer County. Protection of this property will also allow the connection of a regional trail through previously protected land to Placer County's Hidden Falls Regional Park and Coon Creek.

24. Oak Hills Ranch, $2,296,000, Yolo County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the California Rangeland Trust for a conservation easement over 3,316 ± acres of native oak woodlands located south of the community of Dunnigan and north of the town of Esparto in Yolo County.

26. Los Vaqueros Ranch Conservation Easement, $1,210,000.00 Phase II Monterey County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Nature Conservancy to acquire a conservation easement over 800± acres of property to protect critical steelhead habitat as well as habitat for sensitive wildlife species including the red-legged frog, yellow-legged frog, western pond turtle and intact populations of native fish, oak woodlands, and grasslands on the west side of Salina Valley along the Arroyo Seco River in Monterey County.

27. Santa Clara River Watershed, Totlcom , $2,298,500 Ventura County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Nature Conservancy, the acceptance of a Recovery Land Acquisition Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife; and the authorization to enter into an Agreement to Subgrant to The Nature Conservancy for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy, Santa Clara River Trustee Council and the Department of Fish and Game to acquire 123± acres of land for the protection of threatened and endangered species and habitat corridors, located south of the City of Ventura in Ventura County.

29. Tejon Ranch $15,800,000 Kern/Los Angeles Counties
To consider the allocation for five grants to the Tejon Ranch Conservancy to acquire five conservation easements over 62,003± acres for the protection of significant natural landscapes and wildlife linkages and corridors, located south of the City of Bakersfield and north of the City of Los Angeles, adjacent to Interstate 5 and State Highway 138, in Kern and Los Angeles Counties.

30. Bottle Peak $3,562,900 San Diego County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Escondido Creek Conservancy to assist with the acquisition of 418± acres of property to anchor regional habitat conservation planning efforts, including a Natural Community Conservation Plan, in central San Diego County and provide a critical ecological link between coastal habitat and the higher elevation Cleveland National Forest.

NOTE: PART 2 OF THE AGENDA IS IN NEXT POST

Yuba developer agrees to conservation deal...

TPL and Owner of Yuba Highlands Create Conservation Easement

http://yubanet.com/regional/Trust-for-Public-Land-and-Owner-of-Yuba-Highlands-Create-Conservation-Easement.php

April 13 2010
TPL has worked for several years behind the scenes with the Gallelli Family (owners of the proposed Yuba Highlands project) and multiple public agencies to help create a conservation outcome on Yuba Highlands that should benefit the Spenceville Wildlife Area and Beale Air Force Base.
The idea is to create a conservation easement on as much of the 2,600 acre Yuba Highlands property as funding will allow.

The first parcels on which the easement will be placed are approximately 700 acres along Smartville Road just North of Beale AFB that would link up the two separate areas of Spenceville Wildlife Area. The proposed easement terms would eliminate development rights and allow limited public access consistent with common grazing operations

WCB 2/2010: State to help save 10,400 acres at February meeting...

-
State Wildlife Board opens checkbook a little

February 25, 2010
10:00 AM
State Capitol, Room 112
Sacramento, California 95814

https://nrmsecure.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=15856

If all purchases are completed, this would add 5699 acres to full ownership by the State and 4727 acres in conservation easements (where the land remains privately owned but the development rights are given up)

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=25146

*7. Clear Lake Conservation Area, a donation from Lake County Watershed Protection District of a conservation easement over 102± acres of wetlands.

*9. Lower Colorado River Ecological Reserve, (Travis Donation) Riverside County
To consider the acceptance of a donation to the State of two parcels of land totaling 84± acres to protect cottonwood and mesquite woodlands and riparian habitat, located just east of Highway 95 and along the Lower Colorado River, near the City of Blythe, in Riverside County.

*10. Western Riverside County MSHСP , Expansion 1 Riverside County
acquire 49± acres adjacent to the City of Temecula

*11. Iron Mountain Wildlife Area, Expansion 4, San Diego County
acquire 311± acres as an expansion to the Department of Fish and Game’s Iron Mountain Wildlife area, for the purposes of protecting undisturbed grasslands, chaparral, oak woodlands, vernal pools and riparian habitat in the San Vicente Creek watershed, located near the community of Ramona, in San Diego County.

12. Sierra Crest Conservation Easement, $6,430,000, Phases I and II Sierra and Nevada Counties. A grant to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, subject to the availability of bond funds, for a cooperative project with the Department of Fish and Game and the Northern Sierra Partnership to acquire a conservation easement over 4,365± acres of commercial timber land to promote sustainable harvesting practices, secure wildlife migration corridors, and provide public access along a two mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail, located in the vicinity of Jackson Meadows Reservoir north of the Town of Truckee, in Nevada and Sierra Counties.

13. Holmstead Farms #4, Yuba County
acquisition of a conservation easement over 260± acres of privately-owned land for a cooperative project with Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to protect seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands and upland grasslands, located in the community of Loma Rica, in Yuba County.

15. Liberty Island, Solano and Yolo Counties
To consider the acceptance by the State of a donation of fee title to approximately 5,030 acres from the Trust for Public Land to protect riparian and upland delta habitat on Liberty Island, located just west of the Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Canal, south of the City of Davis, in Yolo and Solano Counties.

17. Willow Hole Conservation Area, Expansion 1, Riverside County
acquisition of 45± acres to protect and enhance existing regional wildlife linkages and aeolian and fluvial sand transport areas within the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Preserve reserve area, located southeast of Desert Hot Springs and north of Highway 10, in Riverside County.

18. San Diego County (Helix-Lambron and Wildcat Canyon) acquisitions of two properties totaling 180± acres

Bear-Yuba Partneship launched to save land north of Sacto...

-
At least 3000 acres saved is their first goal in the north Sierras

http://yubanet.com/regional/Placer-Land-Trust-Joins-Partnership-to-protect-Bear-River.php

By: Placer Land Trust
Date: November 14, 2009

Wilderness trails, water quality and scenic open space are just a few of the reasons that three conservation groups have joined forces with willing landowners to preserve land along the Bear River.

Placer Land Trust (PLT) and the Nevada County Land Trust (NCLT) have joined with the internationally known Trust for Public Land (TPL) to form the Bear-Yuba Partnership, a new initiative designed to encourage public and private investment in protection of the Sierra Nevada foothills in the Bear River and Yuba River watersheds....

The Long Arm of Newhall Land reaches north...

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North Bay Cities and So-Cal Sprawl agency invest in Sierra dam study

AmCan, Napa help pay for report on potential Sierra site

By Kerana Todoros

August 23, 2009

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2009/08/23/news/local/doc4a90c84c413d6432096149.txt

[Forwarded by Friends of the River]

The cities of American Canyon and Napa are teaming up to help fund a study on a potential source of water — a new man-made lake in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Napa County's two biggest cities, along with four others elsewhere in the state, want to explore whether to build a reservoir and dam along the Bear River, in an area that straddles Yuba and Sutter counties.

The so-called Garden Bar Water and Power Project has been considered on and off since the 1970s. The project would include a hydroelectric power plant and would cost an estimated $500 million to construct, providing an estimated 55,000 acre-feet of water annually. That is about 15 times the annual need in American Canyon of 3,600 acre-feet.

An acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre of land one foot deep.

In addition to American Canyon and Napa, the other agencies investing in the study are the South Sutter Water District, the Castaic Lake Water Agency, the Palmdale Water District and the San Bernardino Water Municipal Water District.

The two local cities will pay a total of $167,000 for their share of the study, with Napa paying about $125,000 and American Canyon about $42,000, according to resolutions the city councils of Napa and American Canyon approved Tuesday.

Officials for both cities and a consultant on the Garden Bar project stressed the reservoir and dam will not be built for decades, if at all. "It's just an idea at this point," said Steve Brown, a consultant with Sacramento-based RMC Water and Environment Inc.

The study would evaluate the reservoir's financial viability and whether there would be enough water to make it worthwhile, among other factors. The study will take about a year to complete, Brown said.

Obstacles include delivering the water to far-flung cities such as American Canyon and Riverside, as well as the fact that the state's water delivery system is subject to complex litigation over water quality and impacts on endangered species.

Unlike the other cities in the county, American Canyon relies almost entirely on the North Bay Aqueduct to supply its residents and the Napa County Airport area with water. The city also buys a limited amount of water from the city of Vallejo and rural districts to meet demand. City officials want to avoid having to buy water from the city of Vallejo because that water is costly, they said.

The city of Napa uses state water from the North Bay Aqueduct, as well as supplies from Lake Hennessey and Milliken Reservoir. Like American Canyon, the city buys water from other regions when necessary.

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Western Aggregates and Group Announce Agreement For 180-acre Salmon Habitat Enhancement Easement Along Yuba River

Published on Oct 10, 2008 October 10, 2008;
http://yubariver.org


Marysville, California - Western Aggregates (Western) and the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) announced today that they, along with the Yuba River Preservation Foundation (YRPF) and Yuba Outdoor Adventures (YOA), have signed an Agreement in Principle to establish a conservation easement along three miles of river frontage of the Yuba River downstream of the Parks Bar Bridge. The easement area, consisting of approximately 180 acres of land owned by Western Aggregates, will be used by the four signatories for habitat restoration for salmon, trout, and other native Yuba River species.

"Western Aggregates is excited about being involved in this habitat restoration project," said David Greenblatt, Senior Vice President of Western Aggregates. "Western has teamed up with SYRCL to utilize SYRCL's expertise and experience in these salmon restoration projects to promote opportunities for salmon population growth, riparian habitat restoration, and general improvement to the Yuba River. Through months of discussion, we were able to develop a joint program that uses Western Aggregates' lands with SYRCL's knowledge about river flows, habitat restoration, and fisheries enhancement with a goal to restore habitat for salmon, trout, and other native biota of the Yuba River," added Greenblatt. Lloyd Burns, President of Western Aggregates, noted that "this project will be good for the community, good for the river, and good for the fish."

The 24 miles of the lower Yuba River below Englebright Dam support one of the last wild salmon populations in all of the San Francisco Bay watershed. With pre-Gold Rush salmon runs estimated at roughly 100,000 in the whole of the Yuba Rivers, current salmon runs have reached a critically low level of 2,600 adult spawning salmon in 2007. In addition to migration barriers, quality riparian and side channel habitat have been identified by fisheries biologists as a key factor that limits the success of juvenile salmon. This project will especially focus on opportunities for salmon recovery and the physical restoration of salmon habitat.

for full story:
http://yubanet.com/regional/Western-Aggregates-and-SYRCL.php

WCB 11/2008

-
Another 9511 Acres of Wildlife Habitat Will be Purchased With State Funds

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
November 20, 2008
10:00 A.M.
1/ State Capitol, Room 112
Sacramento, California 95814

http://www.wcb.ca.gov/

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=14456

*8. South Fork American River, Lower Canyon Unit, $410,000.00 Expansion 3, El Dorado County
a grant to the American River Conservancy for a cooperative project with the California Resources Agency to acquire 45± acres to protect riparian and upland habitat located near Folsom Lake, in El Dorado County. (Proposition 40)

*12. Burton Mesa Ecological Reserve, Expansion 1, $469,000.00 Santa Barbara County
To consider the acquisition of 20± acres to protect rare and threatened species in the community of Lompoc (Proposition 117)

*13. Western Riverside County MSHCP, $177,000.00 Expansions 4 and 5, Riverside County
To consider the allocation for two grants to the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority to acquire two properties totaling 80+ acres to protect threatened and endangered species and wildlife corridors and to further implement Natural Community Conservation Planning efforts, located near the City of Lake Elsinore (Proposition 12)

*14. Whitewater Canyon, MacKenzie Ranch, $410,000.00 Riverside County
To consider the allocation for a grant to Friends of the Desert Mountains (Friends) for a cooperative project with the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to acquire 260± acres to protect endangered species and wildlife corridors (Proposition 12)

*15. Crestridge Preserve, South Crest, Expansion 3, $250,000.00 San Diego County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Endangered Habitats League (League) Inc., to acquire 29± acres to protect threatened and endangered species and wildlife corridors, located west of the community of Crest (Proposition 84)

*16. The Environmental Trust Bankruptcy, $30,000.00 San Diego, Kern, Imperial, Riverside, San Bernardino Counties.
TET acquired most of the 3600 acres of Conserved Property (mostly in San Diego County) in connection with mitigation obligations of private third parties under federal, State or local requirements.

To consider the acceptance of properties as agreed to in negotiations surrounding the bankruptcy and reorganization of The Environmental Trust (TET). The Department of Fish and Game, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego are working cooperatively to transfer the properties previously held by TET to non-profits, State and local government entities to ensure protection of the habitat and open space on the lands. (Proposition 84)

19. Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, Expansion 11, $610,000.00 Butte County
To consider the acquisition of a conservation easement over 582± acres to protect deer winter range for the Bucks Mountain/Mooretown deer herd located near the Sierra foothill communities of Bangor and Rackersby (Proposition 117)

20. Daugherty Hill Wildlife Area, Expansion 12 $935,000.00 Yuba County
To consider a cooperative project to acquire of 529± acres with the Trust for Public Land and the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to protect oak woodlands habitat and deer winter range located near Collins Lake, in the Sierra foothills(Proposition 117)

21. Truckee Basin (Perazzo Meadows), $765,000.00, Sierra County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Truckee Donner Land Trust for a cooperative project with the Department of Fish and Game, Trust for Public Land, the Resources Agency, and the California Transportation Commission to acquire 982± acres to protect critical fawning areas and summer range for mule deer of the Loyalton-Truckee deer herd and winter migration corridors west of Highway 89, near Webber Lake (Proposition 117). For more information:

http://www.tdlandtrust.org/downloads/PerazzoMeadowsPurchaseCloser9-12-07.pdf

22. Elkhorn Basin Ranch, $3,780,000.00 Yolo County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Yolo Land Trust for a cooperative project with the Sacramento Valley Conservancy, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency and the Packard Foundation to acquire three properties totaling 685± acres to protect riparian habitat and agriculture land and to connect large tracts of land located between the Sacramento River and the Yolo Bypass, southeast of Woodland (Proposition 40)

24. Watsonville Slough Conservation Area, $5,510,500.00 and Expansion 1, Santa Cruz County
To consider an allocation for two grants to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County for cooperative projects with the Department of Fish and Game, State Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy to acquire two properties totaling 441± acres to protect coastal wetland and upland habitats, provide sustainable habitat for sensitive species, and reduce adverse impacts to the water quality and supply in the slough system located west of Highway 1 in the City of Watsonville (Proposition 84)

25. East Merced Vernal Pool Grassland Preserve, $4,400,000.00 Expansion 6, Merced County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,912± acres to protect rolling grasslands with a high density of vernal pools and associated rare and endangered species located northeast of the City of Merced (Proposition 40)

26. Midland School Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement, $4,155,000.00 Santa Barbara County;
To consider the allocation for a grant to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County for a cooperative project with the Trust for Public Land and the California Transportation Commission to acquire a conservation easement over 2,725± acres to protect and preserve oak woodland habitat in Los Olivos (Proposition 84)

27. Palo Verde Ecological Reserve, $2,585,000.00 Expansions 1 and 2, Riverside County
To consider a cooperative project with the Trust for Public Land to acquire two properties totaling 422± acres to protect desert wash and riparian habitat along the Colorado River located north of Blythe (Proposition 50)

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Voters Crush Yuba Highlands Development Plans

Measure N Defeated

Thank You For Your Vote
http://www.yubahighlands.info/

Measure N was soundly defeated in Yuba County Feb 5 by a 3 to 1 margin.

The NO on Yuba Highlands Committee thanks you for your vote.

Donations to help pay for costs associated with this referendum would be greatly appreciated. Please mail your check or money order, payable to NO on Yuba Highlands Committee to PO Box 1408, Wheatland CA 95692.

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January 2008

California Oak Report

Yuba County Folly
Last April the California Oak Foundation (COF) advised the Yuba County Board of Supervisors that the Yuba Highlands project, a 5,100 home subdivision, was unlawful because the environmental impact report (EIR) failed to comply with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) oak woodlands mitigation standards. Yuba Highlands is adjacent to the Spenceville Wildlife Refuge and Beale Air Force Base, 20 miles from any services in Yuba or Nevada counties. A major bone of contention is the loss of oaks from widening and paving an existing access road through the Spenceville Wildlife Refuge.

After Yuba Highlands was approved by the supervisors, COF contacted the California Attorney Generals office, which had already requested that Yuba County �reject the EIR� for several deficiencies. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Trankley responded in a letter thanking COF for bringing this oak woodlands violation to the attention of the AG.

COF, the Department of Fish & Game and the AG aren�t Yuba Highlands� only critics. The Sierra Club, Friends of Spenceville and Sierra Foothills Audubon Society filed a lawsuit challenging the adequacy of the EIR. Most recently, the NO On Yuba Highlands Committee easily qualified a referendum on the project for the February 2008 primary election.

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http://www.yubahighlands.org/

The Yuba Highlands project is part of the River Highlands Community Plan approved by the Yuba County Board of Supervisors as part of the 1993 General Plan.

The Yuba Highlands project is situated between Marysville and Grass Valley, in the area south of the town of Smartville and accessible by Hwy 20, Hammonton-Smartville Rd. and Smartville Rd., which ultimately reaches Camp Far West Rd. in southeastern Yuba County. Its western boundary is Beale AFB and the property is part of the former Camp Beale site used during WWII for military exercises and within the cleanup area identified by the federal government for the removal of unexploded ordnance.

The project envisions 5100 homes, a golf course, neighborhood commercial services, and light industrial or office park development. For the most part, all public services in the Plan area still need to be established. The project is adjacent to the Spenceville Wildlife and Recreation Area which is owned by the State of California.

Yuba Highlands
Voter Referendum

Scheduled for the Feb 5th, 2008 ballot

Everyone, including the developer, urge voters to vote NO on Measure N. For more information, visit the referendum web site at yubahighlands.info

Brief Notes and Updates:

The Yuba County Board of Supervisors approved the Yuba Highlands project in July 2007 after much public input.

Since that time, a group of citizens qualified a referendum for the February 8th ballot. The referendum would overturn the Board's approval of the project.

The Sierra Club, Sierra Foothills Audubon Society and the Friends of Spenceville have challenged the Environmental Impact Report's (EIR) adequacy with a lawsuit. Information about that lawsuit can be obtained by calling Richard Thomas at (530) 265-2666 or by email at info@spenceville.org

http://www.yubahighlands.org/Maps_of_the_Project_Area.html

http://www.yubahighlands.biz/water.htm developer’s website

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About-face on Yuba measure

Highlands developer now pleads for 'no' vote as market turns sour

January 18, 2008
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/644302.html

Yuba County voters, do Gary Gallelli a favor on Feb. 5: Vote against his housing development.Never mind that the developer has fought for a decade to build the Yuba Highlands – 5,100 suburban-style homes in the oak-shrouded foothills near Beale Air Force Base. And disregard the thousands of dollars he's poured into newspaper and television ads touting the controversial project as an economic savior.Gallelli doesn't want to build it anymore. At least not as proposed on the ballot. "If we win in February, we'll have to spend money on something we no longer believe in," the Rocklin developer said in an interview Thursday. "So, yes, we're asking people to vote 'no.' " Gallelli's emerging campaign against his own campaign is testament to a housing market slump that is hitting the Sacramento area harder than just about anywhere. Gallelli said he'd been pushing so hard for the Highlands, on the ballot as Measure N, that he failed to recognize how sour the market had turned."You never step back to think of the consequences of what you're doing or ask if this still is a good project," Gallelli said. "I guess you could say we were in the heat of battle."Gallelli said that if his measure passes, he would be obligated to build the project as proposed. That means getting right-of-way permits, building roads and making sewer and water improvements. In all, he estimated he'd be on the hook for $4 million to $5 million – a lot of money to invest with the specter of a recession looming.Gallelli isn't abandoning the Highlands. He plans to return later in the year with a scaled-down version featuring fewer homes, smaller lots and less retail.But the vote will go on, said Yuba County Clerk-Recorder Terry Hansen. Her office has already sent ballot sheets off to the printer. Absentee votes are trickling in."You can't call it off this close to an election," she said. "Voters wanted a referendum. So be it."Opponents of the project, one of the most polarizing issues in Yuba County, relished the news."Well, isn't that magnanimous of him?" said a gleeful Mark Augustine, a Loma Rica smart-growth advocate who's battled the Highlands at every turn. He says the Highlands would snarl traffic on Highways 20 and 65 as residents commute to jobs in Roseville or Sacramento."I think this falls under the heading of 'cut your losses and run,' " he said.As proposed on the ballot, the Highlands would transform a vast swath of pastoral grasslands into a bedroom and retirement community of up to 13,000, which would make it larger than Marysville, the county seat. The development site sits on 2,900 acres sandwiched between Beale and the Spenceville Wildlife Refuge, accessible today only by narrow, gravel roads.Yuba County supervisors approved the project in July. But citizens' groups collected more than 3,000 signatures to put the matter to a vote.

Gallelli's shrunken version would reduce the number of homes to 4,000 and make more of them condos and multifamily units. It also drops a controversial proposal to build a road through the wildlife preserve, which fueled a lawsuit by environmentalists.

John Nicoletti, a Yuba County supervisor who has backed the project, praised the revised version as more environmentally sensitive."I think this shows the promoter really listened to concerns of local citizens," he said.Augustine begs to differ."It still doesn't address traffic issues," he said. "It still doesn't make sense to build so far away from existing infrastructure."Gallelli said he plans to talk with Yuba residents about ways to improve the project and hopes to have something built within five to 10 years. In the meantime, he will be e-mailing friends and investors, telling them thanks for your support, but no thanks.