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County Partners on Bruin
Ranch Acquisition
Placer County is teaming up with the state to contribute to the Placer Land Trust’s acquisition of 1,773 acres of oak woodlands located outside of Auburn.
The County Board of Supervisors in December voted unanimously to approve an agreement that will allow the Placer Land Trust to complete acquisition of the property in cooperation with The Trust for Public Land. The property is part of the 2,300-acre Bruin Ranch, which is located in the Auburn Valley-Big Hill area. The ranch is west of Highway 49 and just south of the Bear River, the boundary between Placer and Nevada counties.
Under the agreement approved by the board, Placer County will invest $5 million to acquire a conservation easement on the 1,773-acre site. As part of the deal, the county also will receive a conservation easement on a 427-acre West Placer property known as the Doty Ravine Preserve, which the Placer Land Trust already owns.
Board members and county staff emphasized that, given current land values and the substantial match to be provided by the state, the timing is right and the county is getting a good deal. The agreement provides for public access over the 1,773-acre site, but the county will face minimal maintenance costs because the site ultimately will be owned by the Placer Land Trust, rather than the county.
The county funding would include $1 million from its Tree Mitigation Trust Fund and $4 million from the Placer County Open Space Fund. Both funds are reserved for one-time conservation expenditures, rather than on-going costs. The Open Space Fund includes substantial contributions by county employees and citizens.
Supervisor Robert M. Weygandt called Tuesday’s board vote historic, saying, “I think 100 years from now, when people look back, they’re going to be very pleased with some of the decisions we made.”
Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery echoed his sentiments, saying the county and its partners are preserving the land in part so it can be enjoyed by future generations.
“There is no question that this is a lot of money we’re being asked to spend today, but the time is absolutely right in terms of pricing,” she said. “This is a good deal for Placer County in the short term and the long term.”
Board members noted that Placer County will enjoy many benefits from the acquisition, including public access over the 1,773-acre property and conservation credits that would aid efforts to implement the proposed Placer County Conservation Plan (PCCP). The conservation plan would seek to balance growth and the conservation of sensitive species habitat, open space and agricultural lands over the next 50 years.
After the acquisition is complete, Placer County will work with the Placer Land Trust to develop a public trail system on the 1,773-acre site that will provide for public recreational opportunities such as hiking, biking and horseback riding.
The Placer Land Trust and The Trust for Public Land hope to protect the remaining 526 acres of Bruin Ranch by acquiring the property or a conservation easement from the ranch’s owner, Harvego Real Estate LLC.
Bruin Ranch includes several miles of ranch roads that could easily be turned into public trails. It is viewed as an important link in a trail system that ultimately could run from Placer County’s 1,197-acre Hidden Falls Regional Park to the Bear River. The regional park is southwest of Bruin Ranch between Auburn and Lincoln.
Placer Land Trust is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 1991 that is dedicated to working with willing landowners and conservation partners to permanently preserve natural and agricultural lands in Placer County.
To date, the Placer Land Trust has preserved 7,171 acres for current and future generations.
For more information about the Placer Land Trust, call 530-887-9222 or visit www.placerlandtrust.org. |