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Agricultural
Easements
The Land Trust holds conservation easements to protect
agricultural land, natural resources and the scenic beauty of a
dozen ranches and farms in north and south Santa Barbara County.
Our easements make sure the land is kept open for
agricultural use, and prevent it from being converted for residential
or commercial development.
Each easement is negotiated with the landowner. Some
easements are purchased by the Land Trust. Others are donated, qualifying
the owner for federal and state tax incentives. The Land Trust works
with ranch and farm owners to prepare qualifying easements, and
we are then responsible for annual monitoring to ensure that easements
are followed by the current and future owners of the land.
Agricultural easements generally do not provide for
public access, although some ranch and farm owners allow Land Trust
Events such as ranch or farm tours for our members and invited guests
to better understand agriculture in our county.
Rancho
Dos Vistas, Gaviota (1,406 acres)

At the top of Refugio Pass and just west of former President Reagans
"Western White House," Rancho Dos Vistas is now governed
by a conservation easement that allows only three home sites, and
sets aside ninety percent of the land for wildlife habitat. The
Land Trust helped landowner Cima del Mundo secure a state income
tax credit for donating this easement, under the Natural Heritage
Preservation Tax Credit Act sponsored by Senator Jack OConnell.
Cima del Mundo also donated a 2.5 mile trail easement that connects
two sections of federal land in Los Padres National Forest. Some
day Rancho Dos Vistas trails may connect to the Arroyo Hondo
Preserve and to Refugio Road, allowing a "coast-to-crest"
public trail route that is isolated from other agricultural and
private home sites.
La
Paloma Ranch, Gaviota (750 acres)

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Eric Hvolbølls great-grandparents
purchased La Paloma Ranch in 1866, and his mother has lived
her entire life there. Over the decades, the ranch in Venadito
Canyon has been a sheep and cattle operation, and farmed for
walnuts, tomatoes, lima beans, and most recently avocados.
Their love of the land led the Hvolbølls to sell a
conservation easement on the ranch in 2002.
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The Land Trust arranged grant funding
from the State Coastal Conservancy, County of Santa Barbara and
State Resources Agency to have this land permanently restricted
to agriculture. The family retained the right to build three family
homes and two employee dwellings, but gave up the right to further
subdivide or develop the property except for agricultural use. Ecologically
valuable communities of coastal sage scrub, chaparral and riparian
habitat are protected under the easement as well.
El
Capitan Ranch, Gaviota (650 acres)

The national conservation group The Trust for Public Land (TPL)
recently completed fundraising to acquire 2,500 acres on the El
Capitan Ranch, to become part of the El Capitan State Park. In a
related transaction, our local Land Trust now holds conservation
easements on the remaining 650 acres of El Capitan Ranch. These
easements provide for continued operation of the private El Capitan
Campground and the existing equestrian training ranch. Outside of
these already developed areas, only two new homes may be built,
and the land is otherwise restricted for agricultural use.
Fairview
Gardens (12 acres)

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Fairview Gardens is home to the popular organic
farm on Fairview Avenue next door to the Goleta public library.
It is one of the few remaining farms not lost to the urbanization
of Goleta. Thousands of people visit Fairview Gardens each
year to shop at its farm stand, to take the self-guided farm
tour, or to join in various fun and educational events sponsored
by the Center for Urban Agriculture. Visit Fairview Gardens
web
site.
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The Land Trust helped the Center purchase
the land at a discounted price by placing an agricultural easement
on the farm. Grant funds awarded by the County Board of Supervisors,
along with private and foundation gifts, helped complete the land
purchase.
Our 1997 agricultural easement requires
that 88% of the land be used for agricultural production, with farm
support, employee housing and educational uses allowed on the remaining
land. This easement is unique in that it requires that Fairview
Gardens use organic or biodynamic farming methods only. Conservation
easements dont typically specify agricultural methods, but
the Center for Urban Agriculture is strongly committed to organic
farming, and wanted the easement to reflect that commitment.
Rancho
Rinconada, Buellton (105 acres)

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When they decided to buy Rancho Rinconada to
build a new winery and vineyard on Santa Rosa Road, long-time
Land Trust members Richard and Thekla Sanford volunteered
to donate a conservation easement over 105 acres of the oak
woodland on their 438-acre property. Their magnificent new
winery is now open for business, and the dense oak woodland
surrounding the vineyard is permanently set aside in a Land
Trust easement.
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