Approve the Conservation Easement and Access Easement with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy related to the County-owned Correll property near Cache Creek; and direct staff to proceed with the steps necessary to enroll the Correll property into the Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan ("Yolo HCP/NCCP") reserve system. (No general fund impact) (Cook/Sabatini)

1. Authorize the Board Chair to execute the Correll Conservation Easement with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy;
    
2. Authorize the Board Chair to execute the Access Easement and Agreement with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy; and
    
3. Direct staff to proceed with the steps necessary to enroll the Correll property in the Yolo HCP/NCCP reserve system.

Sustainable Environment

On December 2, 2014, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors ("Board") adopted Resolution No. 14-126 supporting a conservation partnership with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy in connection with implementation of the Yolo Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan ("Yolo HCP/NCCP").  The partnership envisioned easements on between 250 and 660 acres of County-owned land within the area covered by the Cache Creek Area Plan ("CCAP").

The 38.9-acre Correll property (APN #025-340-036) is within the CCAP (Attachment A) and was previously transferred to the County by Mr. Correll in 1996.  The site contains valley foothill riparian and grasslands habitat that support the conservation of Yolo HCP/NCCP covered species.  County staff have coordinated with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy to ensure that the proposed conservation easement is consistent with the biological goals and objectives of the CCAP and the HCP/NCCP, while also being compatible with the goals and objectives of the Cache Creek Parkway Plan.  The Correll property does not have direct access to any public roads.  The proposed access easement grants the Yolo Habitat Conservancy formal permission to enter the adjacent County-owned Rodgers property (APN #025-350-025) from County Road 96, a public road, for ingress to and egress from the Correll property to conduct monitoring, management, and enforcement activities consistent with the conservation easement.

The Correll Conservation Easement is based on the Yolo HCP/ NCCP conservation easement template and has been approved by the Yolo Habitat Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The Yolo HCP/NCCP will pay for on-going monitoring and management costs associated with the Correll Conservation Easement.

Staff recommends that the Board approve the proposed Correll Site Conservation Easement (Attachment B) and Access Easement and Agreement (Attachment C).  The proposed conservation easement will count towards the fulfillment of the conservation commitments of the Yolo HCP/NCCP and support the partnership between Yolo County and the Yolo Habitat Conservancy as described in Resolution No. 14-126.  The access easement provides the Yolo Habitat Conservancy with access to the site as is necessary to implement the monitoring and management obligations of the conservation easement.

Yolo Habitat Conservancy