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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2507-4985CITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL Monday, November 17, 2025 Council Chambers & Hybrid 5:30 PM     Agenda Item     5.Review and Approve the Williamson Act Contract Renewals Within Palo Alto City Limits (2025). City Council Staff Report From: City Manager Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR Lead Department: Planning and Development Services Meeting Date: November 17, 2025 Report #:2507-4985 TITLE Review and Approve the Williamson Act Contract Renewals Within Palo Alto City Limits (2025). RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council take the following actions: 1. Find that the project is exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15317; and 2. Approve the renewal of Williamson Act contracts listed in Attachment A. BACKGROUND The Williamson Act is a state program that discourages conversion of agricultural lands to urban uses, preserves open space, and promotes efficient urban growth patterns. Under the Williamson Act, private landowners can voluntarily restrict their land to agricultural and compatible open space land uses under a minimum 10-year rolling term contract. These contracts are administered by the respective jurisdictions. In return, the state assesses the restricted parcels for property taxes at a rate consistent with their actual use or generated income, rather than potential market value. The program provides property tax relief to owners of agricultural land who agree to limit the use of their property to agricultural or other approved compatible uses. On July 24, 1974, the City of Palo Alto adopted the rules for both establishing and administering Williamson Act contracts for Palo Alto properties. The rules regarding the administration of established contracts limit the allowable uses of the property to what is described in the contract. The regulations also provide that the contract must remain in place when a property is sold, ensuring that the new owners are subject to the same use restrictions. The contracts are for a rolling 10-year term with a renewal date of January 1 each year, at which time one year is added to the contract term. The term would remain a total of 10 years unless the City or property owner provides notice of non-renewal. Previously, the California Department of Conservation’s Williamson Act Program required participating cities and counties to complete and submit applications for an Open Space Subvention Act payment as per Government Code Section 16144, but now with the suspension of the subvention payments, reporting of Williamson Act enrollment is no longer collected through the Open Space Subvention Survey; instead, enrollment reporting is through the collection of data via GIS files before January 30 of each year. It now requires each city or county in which an agricultural preserve is located to provide the Department of Conservation with geographical information system (GIS) data files of all agricultural preserves and Williamson Act contracted land in existence at the end of the preceding year. Every year, prior to the January 1 renewal date, the City Council reviews the contracts. At that time, the Council may initiate a notice of non-renewal for any contract or approve a notice of non-renewal submitted by a landowner. If the Council takes such action, then that contract does not renew on January 1 and terminates 10 years later. Under certain conditions, the Council may also approve a landowner’s request to cancel a contract. Should Council not approve a notice of non-renewal or cancellation, the contract automatically renews for the 10-year term each January 1. The City did not receive any request for nonrenewal during this reporting cycle. Following Council action, the City will submit its annual report to the California Department of Conservation by January 31, 2026. ANALYSIS The Williamson Act Property Report for the calendar year 2025 (Attachment A) includes information on the 23 existing parcels in Palo Alto currently under contract, in addition to one parcel undergoing the process of non-renewal. Attachment A lists 2025 assessed land values, acreages, and the land class (prime and non-prime land) for these parcels. Attachment B is a map showing the locations of these individual parcels. The Williamson Act Status Report 2020-21,1 last published by the California Department of Conservation in May 2022, provides a detailed report of all lands enrolled in the program throughout the State of California from January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2021. FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT This is a required annual report for the Department of Conservation. The City does not typically perform public outreach or contact affected property owners unless the property owners initiate changes. This type of reporting does not require any additional public engagement. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The proposed project is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15317 (Open Space Contracts or Easements) of the CEQA Guidelines. ATTACHMENTS APPROVED BY: Jonathan Lait, Planning and Development Services Director 1 Williamson Act Status Report 2020-2021: https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/wa/Documents/stats_reports/2022%20WA%20Status%20Report.pdf Number APN Street Name Full Address Owner Name Williamson Act Land Ownership Zoning Acreage after Deducting Homesite Exclusion Homesite Exclusion Land Class Contract Start Date Contract Status Assessed Land Value 20211 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2021) Factored Base Year Value 2021 Assessed Land Value 20221 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2022) Factored Base Year Value 2022 Assessed Land Value 20231 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2023) Factored Base Year Value 2023 Assessed Land Value 20241 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2024) Factored Base Year Value 2024 Assessed Land Value 20251 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2025 Factored Base Year Value 2025 1 120-31-0012 El Camino Real 103 El Camino Real Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land PF 0.72 No acreage deducted Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $12,988 $54,771 $12,988 $55,866 $12,988 $56,983 $12,266 $58,122 $11,040 $59,284 2 120-31-0092 El Camino Real 103 El Camino Real Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land PF 10.00 No acreage deducted Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $180,705 $1,695,534 $180,705 $1,729,444 $180,705 $1,764,032 $170,666 $1,799,312 $153,600 $1,835,298 3 142-16-052 Coyote Hill Road No Street Number Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land AC (D) 36.02 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $17,421 $1,130,471 $17,421 $1,153,080 $17,421 $1,176,141 $16,453 $1,199,663 $14,808 $1,223,656 4 142-16-057 Coyote Hill Road No Street Number Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land AC( D) 15.33 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $9,605 $1,590,936 $9,605 $1,622,754 $9,605 $1,655,209 $9,072 $1,688,313 $8,165 $1,722,079 5 142-16-064 Deer Creek Road No Street Number Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land AC( D) 4.04 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $2,964 $490,693 $2,964 $500,506 $2,964 $510,516 $2,799 $520,726 $2,520 $531,141 6 142-16-065 Deer Creek Road No Street Number Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land AC( D) 16.70 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $10,411 $1,723,851 $10,411 $1,758,328 $10,411 $1,793,494 $9,833 $1,829,363 $8,850 $1,865,950 7 142-16-069 Coyote Hill Road No Street Number Leland Stanford Jr., Univ. Board of Trustees Stanford University Land AC( D) 12.48 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $7,929 $1,312,489 $7,929 $1,338,738 $7,929 $1,365,512 $7,488 $1,392,822 $6,740 $1,420,678 8 182-33-0143 Arastradero Rd 1525 Arastrader o Rd City of Palo Alto City of Palo Alto Land PF 11.42 No acreage deducted Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $0 $4,763,432 $0 $4,858,700 $0 $4,955,874 $0 $5,054,991 $0 $5,156,091 9 182-35-008 Alexis Dr Alexis Dr Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, Inc. Private Ownership OS 5.52 No acreage deducted Prime 5/1/1973 Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $56,600 $56,600 $57,732 $57,732 $58,886 $58,886 $60,063 $60,063 $61,264 $61,264 10 182-35-035 Alexis Dr 3000 Alexis Dr Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club, Inc. Private Ownership OS 119.92 No acreage deducted Prime 5/1/1973 Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $1,559,988 $1,559,988 $1,591,187 $1,591,187 $1,623,010 $1,623,010 $1,655,470 $1,655,470 $1,688,579 $1,688,579 11 351-05-024 Page Mill Rd 3845 Page Mill Rd Judith A. Block Trustee Private Ownership OS 7.72 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime 2/16/1976 Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $57,145 $108,840 $58,277 $111,016 $59,430 $113,236 $60,577 $115,500 $61,726 $117,810 List of Parcels under Williamson Act Contract to Renew on January 1, 2026 Number APN Street Name Full Address Owner Name Williamson Act Land Ownership Zoning Acreage after Deducting Homesite Exclusion Homesite Exclusion Land Class Contract Start Date Contract Status Assessed Land Value 20211 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2021) Factored Base Year Value 2021 Assessed Land Value 20221 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2022) Factored Base Year Value 2022 Assessed Land Value 20231 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2023) Factored Base Year Value 2023 Assessed Land Value 20241 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2024) Factored Base Year Value 2024 Assessed Land Value 20251 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2025 Factored Base Year Value 2025 List of Parcels under Williamson Act Contract to Renew on January 1, 2026 12 351-05-042 Page Mill Rd 3837 Page Mill Rd David P. and Cynthia Lautzenhei ser Trustee Private Ownership OS 9.00 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $434,050 $674,223 $442,718 $687,707 $451,559 $701,461 $460,542 $715,490 $469,680 $729,800 13 351-05-043 Page Mill Rd No Street Number Richard D. Guhse Trustee Private Ownership OS 19.01 No acreage deducted Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $1,411 $448,222 $1,411 $457,186 $1,411 $466,329 $1,333 $475,655 $1,200 $485,168 14 351-05-044 Page Mill Rd 3905 Page Mill Rd Michael R. Lowry Private Ownership OS 5.43 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $198,854 $198,854 $202,831 $202,831 $206,887 $206,887 $211,024 $211,024 $215,244 $215,244 15 351-05-045 Page Mill Rd 3895 Page Mill Rd Marc and Lesley Wilkinson Private Ownership OS 9.00 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $1,137,647 $1,137,647 $1,160,399 $1,160,399 $1,183,606 $1,183,606 $1,207,278 $1,207,278 $1,231,424 $1,231,424 16 351-05-046 Page Mill Rd 3885 Page Mill Rd William W. and Sharon T. Luciw Trustee Private Ownership OS 7.45 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $1,136,471 $1,146,594 $1,159,190 $1,159,190 $1,200,525 $2,410,000 $1,224,496 $2,458,200 $1,248,927 $2,507,364 17 351-05-047 Page Mill Rd 3875 Page Mill Rd Richard D. Kniss Trustee & Et Al Private Ownership OS 10.00 No acreage deducted Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $705 $3,003,170 $705 $3,093,233 $705 $3,155,097 $666 $3,218,198 $600 $3,282,562 18 351-05-048 Page Mill Rd 3865 Page Mill Rd Grace Carland Trustee Private Ownership OS 9.00 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $39,306 $223,849 $40,079 $228,325 $40,868 $232,891 $1,700,600 $2,040,000 $1,734,540 $2,080,800 19 351-05-049 Page Mill Rd 3855 Page Mill Rd Patrick K. Suppes Private Ownership OS 10.00 No acreage deducted Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $566,399 $566,399 $577,726 $577,726 $589,280 $589,280 $601,065 $601,065 $613,086 $613,086 20 351-12-062 Skyline Blvd 5061 Skyline Blvd Rogers Noah Private Ownership OS 10.39 No acerage deducted Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $223,058 $555,698 $227,503 $566,811 $232,037 $578,147 $236,619 $589,709 $241,263 $601,503 21 351-12-063 Skyline Blvd 5065 Skyline Blvd Robert Schulte Trustee Et al Private Ownership OS 11.35 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $523,314 $523,314 $533,780 $533,780 $544,455 $544,455 $555,344 $555,344 $566,450 $566,450 22 351-12-066 Skyline Blvd 2287 Skyline Blvd Robert Schulte Trustee Et al Private Ownership OS -0.76 No acreage deducted Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $30 $66,890 $30 $68,227 $30 $69,591 $28 $70,982 $25 $72,402 Number APN Street Name Full Address Owner Name Williamson Act Land Ownership Zoning Acreage after Deducting Homesite Exclusion Homesite Exclusion Land Class Contract Start Date Contract Status Assessed Land Value 20211 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2021) Factored Base Year Value 2021 Assessed Land Value 20221 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2022) Factored Base Year Value 2022 Assessed Land Value 20231 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2023) Factored Base Year Value 2023 Assessed Land Value 20241 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2024) Factored Base Year Value 2024 Assessed Land Value 20251 (Assessed Information as of 6/30/2025 Factored Base Year Value 2025 List of Parcels under Williamson Act Contract to Renew on January 1, 2026 23 351-25-015 Page Mill Rd 4201 Page Mill Rd Bruce A Leak Private Ownership OS 10.31 One acre deducted for homesite Non Prime Unknown Unchanged; contract will continue for at least another 10 years. $1,740,820 $1,774,209 $1,775,580 $1,809,693 $1,811,035 $1,845,886 $1,847,043 $1,882,803 $1,883,664 $1,920,459 24 351-12-006 Skyline Blvd 1405 Skyline Blvd Midpenins ula Regional Open Space District Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District OS 138.59 Non Prime 2/26/1973 Contract Terminates 12/31/24 $0 $174,386 $0 $177,873 $0 $181,430 $0 $185,058 $0 $188,759 25 351-05-050 Page Mill Rd 3849 Page Mill Rd Jeffrey A. and Mary L. Thomas Private Ownership OS 10 Non Prime 2/7/1977 Contract Terminates 12/31/26 $1,608,303 $1,608,303 $1,606,500 $1,640,469 $1,673,278 $1,673,278 $1,706,743 $1,706,743 $1,740,877 $1,740,877 Source: City of Palo Alto, Williamson Act Parcel Database 2023. Note 1 Note 2 Note 3 Santa Clara County Assessors Office, Website:https://www.sccassessor.org/online-services/property-search/real-property The City of Palo Alto leases this land for public use; however, it is privately owned. Value not assessed because land is owned by public agency. List of Parcels undergoing Non-Renewal Process Arastradero Lake Felt Lake Boronda Lake 351-12-006 351-05-050 HeritagePark Foothills Park Los Trancos Open Space Preserve Monte Bello Open Space Preserve Upper Stevens Creek Canyon County Park Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve Long Ridge Open Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve Coal Creek Open Space Preserve Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve Foothill Open Space Preserve Arastradero Preserve Cameron Park Weisshaar Park Mayflield Park Peers Park El Palo Alto Park Lytton Plaza Cogswell Plaza Scott Park Kellogg Park Bol Park Rinconada Park Bowden Park Johnson Park Eleanor Pardee Park Boulware Park Terman Park Robles Park Monroe Park Mitchell Park D Jesus Ramos Park Hoover Park Greer Park Baylands Atheletic Byxbee Park Bowling Green Henry Seale Park Sarah Wallis Park Werry Park Juana Briones Park Esther Clark Park WilliamsPark Stanford/Palo Alto Community Playing Fields San Antonio Rd 280 Boulevard Alameda de las Pulgas S and H i l l Road 2 8 0 Jun ipero Serra Boulevard Page Mi l l Road Arastradero Road E l Cami n o Re a l San Antoni o Av e n u e Char le ston Ro ad G 5 M o n t e B e l l o R o a d Moody Road A l t a m o n t R o a d Oregon Expr e ssway Middlefie l d R oad Unive 101 Al m a Street A l p i n e R o a d F oo thill Expressway H i g h w a y 2 8 0 Lo s Tr ancos Road Hillview East Bayshore West Bayshore Fabian El Monte Road Sand Hill Road Road MillPage Skyline Embarcadero Road StanfordUniversity Mountain View Los AltosLos Altos Hills Santa Clara County San Mateo County Portola Valley El Camino Park This map is a product of the City of Palo Alto GIS This document is a graphic representation only of best available sources. Legend Williamson Act Parcels Under Contract for 2025 Parcels with Non Renewal Notices Approved 0'7000' Williamson Act Parcels 2025 CITYOF PALOALTO I NC O R P O R A TE D CALIFORNIA P a l o A l t o T h e C i t y o f APRI L 1 6 189 4 The City of Palo Alto assumes no responsibility for any errors ©1989 to 2016 City of Palo Alto