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Yolo County continues Williamson Act practice under Assembly Bill 12 65; board cites revenue trade-offs
Summary
The board held a public hearing and voted to continue implementing Assembly Bill 12 65, which shortens Williamson Act contracts from 10 to 9 years and allows the county to retain 10% of landowners' tax savings; staff projected about $1.72 million revenue from the program this year.
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 23 voted to continue implementing Assembly Bill 12 65, a statewide mechanism that lets counties shorten Williamson Act contracts from 10 years to nine and retain a portion of the tax savings landowners receive under the agricultural land-protection contracts.
County counsel Phil Puglaitich provided an overview of the Williamson Act history and AB 12 65's mechanics. Using a hypothetical example, he explained the statute reduces a contract term by one year and allows the county to keep 10% of the landowner's tax savings to offset the loss of historical state subvention funding.
Using the example in the staff presentation, Puglaitich described how a property with a restricted assessed value of $400,000 (versus a full assessed value of $1 million) would pay $4,000 in taxes under Williamson Act valuation; under AB 12 65 the landowner's tax bill would rise by $600 and the county would keep that $600. Staff estimated the county would collect about $1,720,000 under AB 12 65 this year.
Public comment and board discussion
Chris Shearing, a Davis resident and Yolo County Farm Bureau board member, urged the board to approve the resolution, calling the Williamson Act a voluntary, flexible tool that protects farmland and open space.
Supervisors discussed alternatives including nonrenewal of contracts (a process that gradually returns land to full assessed value) and selective nonrenewal used by some counties to target less-productive parcels. Puglaitich noted prior revenue estimates suggesting AB 12 65 yields roughly 40% of what full nonrenewal of all contracts would ultimately return, though implementation decisions are a long-term process.
Vote
After the public hearing the board voted to continue implementing AB 12 65 and to take the procedural steps required by statute, including mailing notices to participating landowners and allowing an opt-out process for those property owners.
Ending
Board members and staff said they will continue monitoring the statute's revenue effects and legislative developments. Staff also noted county legislative advocacy will continue to include efforts to restore Williamson Act subvention funding when feasible.
