$1.48 Million to Purchase Open Space Easement from Oakmont Neighbor

Eight years ago, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved a purchase deal that puts strict and permanent development restrictions on 165-acres located across from Oakmont.

The final $1.48 million purchase price was a 10% discount over the appraised $1.63 million value for the six prime Sonoma Valley home sites. The money to pay for it was raised by sales taxes that go to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District.

The owners wish was the intent to keep the property undeveloped and unspoiled with 35-acres being reserved for continued agricultural pursuits such as grapes and prunes planted on the property in the past.

The final $1.48 million purchase price was a 10% discount over the appraised $1.63 million value for the six prime Sonoma Valley home sites.

The easement protects two ridges that can be seen by most Oakmont residents, protecting oak woodlands, forested ridges, riparian corridors, and significant wildlife habitat. The property is next to two other properties that have open space easements, creating a contiguous 454 acres of wildlife habitat. According to the county staff report at the time, the acquisition protects adjacent areas from further urban growth.

Ag + Open Space promotes their conservation easements as providing “landowners who want to conserve their land a full range of options and financial benefits, while respecting private property rights. Preserving land “in perpetuity” can bring peace of mind to those who would like their land to remain as a farm or natural area for generations to come. While these particular easement-protected lands remain in private ownership and are not open to the public, they provide many benefits to the community including scenic quality, watershed protected, carbon sequestration, support for the local agricultural economy, and much more.”

Source: Ag + Open Space – http://www.sonomaopenspace.org/protect-your-land/benefits/