The Williamson Act

The Williamson Act…What is it?


The Williamson Act, of the State of California, officially known as the California Land Conservation Act of 1965, is a California law that provides relief of property tax to owners of farmland and open-space land in exchange for a ten-year agreement that the land will not be developed or otherwise converted to another use. The motivation for the Williamson Act is to promote voluntary land conservation, particularly farmland conservation.

This Act has been the State’s premier agricultural land protection program since its enactment in 1965, and nearly 17 million of the State’s 29 million acres of farm and ranch land are currently protected. An agricultural preserve must consist of not less than 100 acres, and two or more acres may be combined to meet this requirement under certain circumstances.

Recently, the Williamson Act, and its provisions, were the target of the budget cuts in the State of California. This matter is still being resolved.

For additional details on this Act, and other matters affecting real estate property taxes, please e-mail me at ronlargent@shasta.com