CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA PACKET

Page 2 of 3 easements. Five percent of the total available Open Space funds would be $1,254,517. DISCUSSION At the Open Space Committee’s meeting on May 17, 2024, the voting members from both the east and west acquisition priority areas recommended authorizing the expenditure of funds of $56,000 to ACRCD and CRT for an outreach and education program to ranchers/rural landowners for potential conservation easements. The $56,000 grant would cover the following program costs: • Outreach and Advertising ($1,000). ACRCD and CRT will conduct outreach and advertising of the program for forthcoming in-person workshops and a live webinar for ranchers/rural landowners in the east and west areas. • Workshops and Webinar ($4,000). A workshop for each area will include an introduction and description of the Open Space Committee’s fund, the role of the Open Space Committee, the ACRCD’s and CRT’s role in conservation and the availability of funding for permanent conservation easements. The workshop will also describe how conservation easements work, what activities are allowed under an easement, and the benefits of easements for landowners. Upon completion of the workshops, there will be a joint live webinar to address topics covered and answer questions from the workshops. • Revolving fund for appraisals ($30,000). If ACRCD and CRT successfully reach out and find rancher/rural landowners willing to establish a conservation easement on their property, the land would need to be appraised. Therefore, the grant request includes a $30,000 revolving fund for appraisals, which will be held and managed by the ACRCD. The fund would allow for up to three appraisals at a time and would be conducted by a professional certified to determine the easement's per-acre value. Appraisals funded by the revolving fund would only be authorized after CRT fully vetted and assessed the owner and land. Once the vetting process is complete, CRT will authorize a contract with an independent professional appraiser. If the appraisal is accepted and a grant for an easement is approved, the grant would cover the up-front cost of the appraisal which would then be repaid to the revolving fund for future appraisals. • ACRD and CRT Staff Costs ($10,000 and $11,000 respectively). This would fund staff work to support the administration and management of the program. Attachment 3 details the program. The $56,000 grant is within the allowable five percent of funds received annually and conforms to the Settlement Agreement requirements. As indicated in the scope of work, ACRCD and CRT will report their progress to the Open Space Committee at the start of the calendar year. Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution approving the Altamont Landfill and Resource Recovery Facility Open Space Advisory Committee expenditure for a grant related to conservation easements (Attachment 1). Page 251 of 454