Title
Consider recommendations regarding County Acceptance of Offer to Dedicate a 958-acre Portion of the Scolari Ranch to the County, Third and Fourth Districts, as follows:
a) Receive, file and consider comments provided by the California Department of Conservation regarding County acquisition of Conservation Easements on property subject to a Williamson Act contract, in connection with the Strauss Wind Energy Project;
b) Approve and authorize County acceptance of the Conservation Easement granted by LeRoy Scolari, Gerald E. Scolari and Sandra K. Scolari, and Rosebel V. Cameron, as trustees of the owners, on real property containing approximately 489.84 acres of land, located in the County of Santa Barbara, on Assessor Parcel Numbers 083-090-001 and 083-090-002, subject to County execution of the Funding Agreement, and completion of title clearance, as determined by the Director of General Services, or designee, and County Counsel;
c) Approve and authorize County acceptance of the Conservation Easement granted by LeRoy Scolari, as trustee of the owner, on real property containing approximately 467.87 acres of land, located in the County of Santa Barbara, on Assessor Parcel Number 083-080-004, subject to County execution of the Funding Agreement, and completion of title clearance, as determined by the Director of General Services or designee, and County Counsel;
d) Approve and authorize the Chair to execute the Funding Agreement in a form substantially similar to the Draft Funding Agreement, subject to the provision of final documents required by the Funding Agreement, and approval by County Counsel;
e) Authorize and direct the Clerk of the Board, following County execution of the Funding Agreement, and completion of title clearance, to be approved by the Director of General Services, or designee, and County Counsel, to execute Certificates of Acceptance in a form substantially similar to those attached to the Conservation Easements, thereby effectuating the County’s acceptance of the Conservation Easements, and direct staff to subsequently record the Conservation Easements;
f) Authorize the Director of General Services, or designee, to execute any additional related documents required to facilitate the County’s acceptance of the Conservation Easements; and
g) Find that the proposed actions are within the scope of the environmental document prepared and adopted for the Strauss Wind Energy Project (Certified Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report 18EIR-00000-00001/SCH No. 2018071002), including the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) Revision Letter dated November 12, 2019, that no substantial changes are proposed, there are no substantial changes in circumstances or new information of substantial importance regarding significant impacts or feasibility of mitigation measures and alternatives and, therefore, that no additional environmental review is required pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15162.