Siskiyou supervisors approve letter opposing Nature Conservancy's Marble Peaks Ranch purchase

The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a letter of opposition to The Nature Conservancy's proposed purchase of Marble Peaks Ranch following more than an hour of debate about property tax impacts, water rights and whether past land purchases produced regulatory relief for local agriculture.

The motion to approve the letter passed on a roll call with four votes in favor and one opposed. Supervisor Valenzuela voted no; other supervisors voted yes. A board member made the motion and a second was recorded before debate; the board then returned to the issue after extended public comment and staff remarks.

The Nature Conservancy's senior project director, Amy Campbell, told the board the organization "doesn't…