Our Mission Statement
The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
  Through voluntary and 
Guide to Agricultural Conservation Easements    collaborative measures, The Land 
Conservancy of San Luis Obispo 
County works to permanently 
protect and enhance lands having 
important scenic, agricultural, 
habitat and cultural values for the 
benefit of people and wildlife. 

  Who is The Land Conservancy of

  San Luis Obispo County? We are
WHAT IS AN   AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT? A voluntary legal
agreement between a landowner (grantor) and a land trust (grantee), such as the a non-governmental, nonprofit land
  trust led by professional staff and
Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, that permanently protects farming
  board of trustees with the support
and ranching as a way of life while the landowner continues to own the land and
utilize it for  production purposes. The purpose of an Agricultural Conservation of approximately 500 local
Easement  is to safeguard the agricultural values of a working farm or ranch by households. We are local, working
  development or other land uses incompatible with the conservation
limiting future to protect San Luis Obispo County
 
values. Easements can cover the entire farm or ranch or only portions of the – our staff, board and volunteers,
property.   Tax Benefits and/or financial compensation are often available for work and play here too. We
grantors of  Agricultural Conservation easements and Agricultural Easements can adhere to the highest ethical
be an integral
  step in succession planning. standards of practices and are
  members of the Land Trust
  Alliance.
 
 WHAT ARE EASEMENT DO I RETAIN ANY PROPERTY For more information please
RESTRICTIONS?  The Land RIGHTS? Landowners still hold title contact:
Conservancy   will meet with the to  their property and the rights of
The Land Conservancy of
landowner  (and their attorney) to draft ownership, including the right to sell
an easement   that reflects both the the property, lease the land, use as San Luis Obispo County
 
landowner’s desires and the agricultural collateral, leave it to their heirs, and 547 Marsh Street
production  and conservation values of the right to privacy. Farming and San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
the property.  Typically, an Agricultural ranching activities are allowed and a 805-544-9096
Conservation   Easement restricts protected conservation value in the Robert Hill, Executive Director:
development,   subdivision and harmful easement. Granting an easement bobh@lcslo.org
land uses to   the degree necessary to usually restricts the right to
protect the  agricultural production and subdivide/develop those areas Margo Clark, Conservation
Project Manager:
conservation   values. covered by the easement 
margoc@lcslo.org
 
 
  www.lcslo.org
 
HOW LONG   DOES THE EASMENT LAST? An Easement “runs with the land”
meaning it  will remain in place even after the property changes ownership. The
easement is   recorded with the county, binding the original owner and subsequent
owners to the  easements restrictions.
 
  

What does The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo

Since its formation in 1984, The
Land Conservancy has led
collaborative efforts to
permanently protect over 10,000
acres of land in San Luis Obispo
County, including 6,200 acres of
working local farms and ranches.
HOW IS AN EASEMENT VALUED? The easement restricts certain
property rights, and the value of the conservation easement is the
difference  between the value of the highest market value for the property
before the  easement, and the market value of the property after the
easement  is in place. This is called the “before and after” approach to
valuation.  The “after” value typically reflects the property’s restricted
value. A qualified, credentialed appraisal is always used to determine
the easement value. The value of an easement may be donated or sold
(if funding is available), or some portion of the value donated with the
remaining portion sold.
County do?
9 Natural Resources: Protect San Luis Obispo County
working farms and ranches, local drinking water
sources, natural areas, and wildlife habitat for our
benefit and the benefit of future generations.
9 Quality of Life (i.e. the “SLO-Life”): Ensure that
we will always have areas to grow and produce food,
to hike, bike, fish, hunt, and to simply enjoy our
beautiful scenery and rural countryside.
9 Community Involvement: Communicate our shared
responsibility to protect local lands by engaging the
community through docent led hikes, informative
newsletter and website, visits to local working farms
and ranches and volunteer events.
9 Economic vitality: By preserving our local working
farms and ranches, by protecting our scenic views,
rural landscapes, and outdoor activities that connect
us with nature, we help San Luis Obispo County
remain a special place to live and visit as a tourist
destination,
  as well as reap the benefits our natural
resources provide.

ARE THERE TAX BENEFITS?

It is important for the landowner
to secure the advice of a
qualified tax advisor to obtain
information regarding the tax
consequences for either the “If Families don’t have to leave town
donation or sale of an to have a recreational experience, if
easement. There are potential our food is grown locally and
tax benefits for both estate sustainably, and if our air and
taxes and income tax. The water are clean, then we have a
affect on property taxes and successful conservation strategy.”
capital gains taxes should be Robert Hill, Executive Director
also be considered.