CHAPTER 5. Conservancy’s Powers [66907. - 66907.12.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 5.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907. Section 66907.

The conservancy may select and acquire real property or interests therein in the name of and on behalf of the state, for the purposes of protecting the natural environment, providing public access or public recreational facilities, preserving wildlife habitat areas, or providing access to or management of acquired lands. The conservancy is hereby designated as the principal agency responsible for acquiring real property pursuant to Title 7.43 (commencing with Section 66950).

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.1. Section 66907.1.

(a) The conservancy may acquire interests in land by means of land exchanges and is authorized to enter into all alternatives to the acquisition of fee interests in land, including, but not limited to, the acquisition of easements, development rights, life estates, leases, and leaseback agreements. Land acquisition policy shall be set by the conservancy by resolution and the establishment of the policy is not subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2. (b) The conservancy may appoint advisory bodies on land acquisition as it deems advisable.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.2. Section 66907.2.

The conservancy is authorized to accept and hold real property or any interest therein acquired through gift, exchange, donation, or dedication.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.3. Section 66907.3.

The conservancy may designate or enter into an agreement with any public agency to provide real estate services and assign authority to execute agreements for the acquisition or disposal of real property or interests therein.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.4. Section 66907.4.

(a) Acquisition of real property or interests therein under this title, when the value is in excess of five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($550,000) per lot or parcel, is subject to the Property Acquisition Law (Part 11 (commencing with Section 15850) of Division 3 of Title 2). (b) Except as set forth in subdivision (a), acquisition of real property or interests under this title is not subject to the Property Acquisition Law. However, the conservancy may request the State Public Works Board to review and approve specific acquisitions.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.5. Section 66907.5.

The conservancy may request the State Public Works Board to exercise the power of eminent domain pursuant to the Property Acquisition Law (Part 11 (commencing with Section 15850) of Division 3 of Title 2), if the requirements of Section 66906.4 are met and the conservancy finds that all reasonable efforts to acquire the property have failed and that the action is necessary to remove an impediment to an otherwise voluntary acquisition or is needed to achieve the purposes of other related acquisitions.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.6. Section 66907.6.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the conservancy may enter into an option to purchase lands in fee or lesser interest.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.7. Section 66907.7.

(a) The conservancy may award grants to local public agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, the Tahoe transportation district established under Section 66801, and nonprofit organizations, for the purposes of this title. (b) Grants to nonprofit organizations for the acquisition of real property or interests therein shall be subject to all of the following conditions: (1) The purchase price of any interest in land acquired by the nonprofit organization may not exceed fair market value as established by an appraisal approved by the conservancy. (2) The conservancy approves the terms under which the interest in land is acquired. (3) The interest in land acquired pursuant to a grant from the conservancy may not be used as security for any debt to be incurred by the nonprofit organization unless the conservancy approves the transaction. (4) The transfer of land acquired pursuant to a grant shall be subject to the approval of the conservancy and the execution of an agreement between the conservancy and the transferee sufficient to protect the interest of the people of California. (5) The state shall have a right of entry and power of termination in and over all interests in real property acquired with state funds, which may be exercised if any essential term or condition of the grant is violated. (6) If the existence of the nonprofit organization is terminated for any reason, title to all interest in real property acquired with state funds shall immediately vest in the state, except that, prior to that termination, another public agency or nonprofit organization may receive title to all or a portion of that interest in real property, by recording its acceptance of title, together with the conservancy’s approval, in writing. (c) Any deed or other instrument of conveyance whereby real property is being acquired by a nonprofit organization pursuant to this section shall be recorded and shall set forth the executory interest or right of entry on the part of the state. (d) A public agency is eligible to receive soil erosion grant funds for up to two-thirds of the costs of relocating water or sewer-related infrastructure owned by a publicly owned utility, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The conservancy finds that the relocation is necessary to complete an erosion control project. (2) The utility is not otherwise required to relocate the infrastructure at its own cost under the terms of a permit or franchise agreement. (3) The relocation cost is not eligible for funding from any other public funds.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.8. Section 66907.8.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law and except as provided in subdivision (b), the conservancy may lease, rent, sell, exchange, or otherwise transfer any real property or interest therein, or option acquired under this title to local public agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, individuals, corporate entities, or partnerships to fulfill the purposes of this title and to promote the state’s planning priorities, consistent with subdivision (i) of Section 79707 of the Water Code. The conservancy may request the Director of General Services to undertake these actions on its behalf. (b) The conservancy shall not sell any real property, or interest therein, acquired pursuant to Section 66907.5. (c) (1) On or before January 1, 2018, the conservancy shall submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on its progress toward promoting the state’s planning priorities described in subdivision (a). (2) This subdivision is inoperative on January 1, 2022, pursuant to Section 10231.5.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.9. Section 66907.9.

The conservancy shall take whatever actions are reasonably necessary and incidental to the management of lands and facilities under its ownership or control. In order to carry out the purposes of this title, the conservancy may do all of the following: (a) Adopt and enforce regulations governing the use of those lands and facilities. (b) Initiate, negotiate, and participate in agreements for the management of those lands and facilities with a public agency, a corporate entity, an individual, a partnership, or other entity. (c) Enter into any other agreement authorized by state or federal law.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.10. Section 66907.10.

The conservancy may improve and develop lands for the purpose of protecting the natural environment or otherwise meeting the objectives of this title. The conservancy may not develop and may not enter into any contract or agreement which would result in the development of any land under its ownership or control, except in conformance with a basinwide management plan.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.11. Section 66907.11.

The conservancy may merge or split parcels, adjust boundary lines, or take similar actions as part of the acquisition of land or as needed in order to facilitate the management of land.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66907.12. Section 66907.12.

On an annual basis or as may be required, the executive officer of the conservancy shall report to the Director of General Services regarding privately owned properties within the conservancy’s jurisdiction which have special significance and which might appropriately be the subject of trades for lands owned by the state for the purposes of preserving natural resources and moderating the impacts of regulation within the Tahoe Basin. A particular property shall be included in any report only upon agreement of the owner. For purposes of this section, “special significance” means having importance because of the land’s value for (1) public access, (2) public recreation, (3) wetlands, riparian, or other natural habitat, (4) open space, (5) protection of the waters of the region, or (6) any other purposes and objectives of this title.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026