Board approves Norco trail parcel transfer; one member votes no over valuation concerns

The Countywide Oversight Board approved a resolution on Jan. 15 to transfer approximately 0.34 acres of successor-agency-owned land on Lonesome Dove Court in the City of Norco to the city for continued public trail and open use. The staff presentation said the parcel is currently part of the city's equestrian trail system and that the successor agency had previously declared it surplus land.

Lizette Free, presenting for the Norco successor agency, recommended adoption of the resolution and said the city would record a use restriction to ensure continued public open use. "We are desiring to ... transfer the title from the successor agency to the city of Norco to continue to be used as part of our equestrian trail system, and related public open use," Free said. Free also said staff had not completed an appraisal and therefore did not provide a market value in the presentation.

Board members pressed staff on valuation and on guarantees that the city would preserve public use. Counsel pointed out that the resolution includes a contingency requiring the successor agency and the city to record a use restriction and that the transfer will be forwarded to the Department of Finance for review and concurrence. One board member noted the state controller's authority to claw back transfers that do not "maximize value."

The board voted 3–1 to approve the transfer; Chuck Washington, Aaron Brown and Russ Martin voted yes, and Dr. Topher Taylor cast the lone no vote. The resolution recorded the transfer as exempt from CEQA and required recording of use restrictions and Department of Finance review as part of the transfer process.