ARTICLE 2. Conservation Lands Acquisition Procedures [5096.510. - 5096.518.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 2.

in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.510. Section 5096.510.

(a) (1) If more than one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) of state funds are proposed for expenditure or grant by an acquisition agency of conservation lands, the acquisition agency or the project partner shall contract for an independent appraisal of the land in compliance with this section. (2) The project partner or landowner may contribute to the costs of the appraisal, be identified as an intended user of the appraisal, and be named as the coclient of the appraiser or firm preparing the appraisal. However, on and after January 1, 2015, a landowner shall not be named as a coclient of the appraiser or firm preparing the appraisal. (b) The appraisal shall meet all of the following requirements: (1) The appraisal shall meet all applicable requirements of this chapter and any other applicable state laws and policies, and shall conform to Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. (2) The appraisal shall not involve a fee based on a percentage of the property’s appraised value or the allowed deduction. (3) The appraisal shall not be prepared by an appraiser that has a financial interest in the property being appraised, including, but not limited to, being the seller or donor, a party to the seller’s acquisition of the property, or employed by or related to any of the above. (c) The acquisition agency or project partner that contracts for the appraisal shall select an appraiser that is qualified to appraise the specific property based upon verifiable education, experience, and knowledge of appropriate methodologies, techniques, and the real estate market relevant to the specific property. The following requirements shall also apply: (1) If the project to be appraised is a conservation easement, the appraiser’s education shall include advanced-level educational courses or certifications in the valuation of conservation easements. (2) If the project to be appraised includes more than nominal value for specialty interests, the acquisition agency or project partner that contracts for the appraisal shall include provisions in the contract that effectuate the following, as applicable: (A) The professional valuing the specialty interest shall comply with the requirements of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 5096.517. (B) The professional valuing the specialty interests shall be qualified to appraise the specific specialty interests based upon verifiable education, experience, and knowledge of appropriate methodologies, techniques, and the markets relevant to the specific specialty interests.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.512. Section 5096.512.

(a) In addition to the review by the Department of General Services pursuant to Section 1348.2 of the Fish and Game Code, the appraisal prepared for a major acquisition of land shall be reviewed by a qualified independent appraiser retained by the acquisition agency for this purpose, and who meets the following conditions: (1) The review appraiser did not conduct the appraisal pursuant to Section 5096.510 and has no financial interest in the major acquisition. (2) The review appraiser is licensed pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 11300) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code. (b) The review appraiser shall review the appraisal and prepare an appraisal review report, in a narrative format, that does all of the following: (1) Summarizes the appraisal. (2) States the basis on which the value of the land was established. (3) Describes the standards used to prepare the appraisal. (4) Determines whether or not the appraisal meets the standards established under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. (c) The appraisal review report need not include any proprietary information provided by or on behalf of the seller or that is otherwise exempt from public disclosure pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code). (d) (1) If a major acquisition of conservation lands will be approved by more than one acquisition agency and each acquisition agency complies with paragraph (2), not more than one independent appraisal is required pursuant to Section 5096.510, and not more than one appraisal review report is required pursuant to this section. (2) Paragraph (1) is applicable if each acquisition agency does all of the following: (A) Utilizes the independent appraisal and appraisal review report, as required by this chapter. (B) Makes an independent determination of whether to approve the major acquisition of conservation lands. (C) Complies with all of the public disclosure and independent review requirements of this chapter. (e) An acquisition agency shall not utilize property acreage as a categorical threshold to impose an independent review of an appraisal pursuant to this section. However, this prohibition does not prohibit an agency from otherwise considering possible impacts from the acquisition of a large acreage property.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.513. Section 5096.513.

Not less than 30 calendar days prior to holding a public hearing for the purpose of authorizing a major acquisition of conservation lands, an acquisition agency shall make available for public review information, except information that is exempt from being disclosed pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code), that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following: (a) A copy of the independent appraisal review prepared pursuant to Section 5096.512. (b) A summary of the basis for the recommendation of approval for the major acquisition of the land made by the acquisition agency. (c) Any relevant environmental studies, documents, or other information.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.514. Section 5096.514.

Not more than 10 working days after the close of escrow for a major acquisition of conservation land by an acquisition agency, the acquisition agency shall make available to the public all of the following information, unless it is exempt from being disclosed pursuant to the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code): (a) A copy of the appraisal for the conservation land approved by the Department of General Services, and from which fair market value was determined. (b) A copy of all other documents relevant to the purchase of the conservation land, including, but not limited to, environmental assessments or other documents not already disclosed pursuant to Section 5096.513.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.515. Section 5096.515.

The procedures and requirements established pursuant to this chapter are in addition to, and do not amend, modify, or supplant, any procedures or requirements established pursuant to the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002 (Division 26.5 (commencing with Section 79500) of the Water Code) or the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and Coastal Protection Act of 2002 (Chapter 1.696 (commencing with Section 5096.600)), for the acquisition of conservation lands.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.516. Section 5096.516.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), conservation lands may not be sold to another owner, or have possession and control transferred to another agency, unless all of the following occur: (1) The selling or transferring agency prepares and makes available to the public a detailed report that identifies why the conservation lands no longer serve a needed conservation purpose. (2) The selling or transferring agency holds a duly noticed public hearing to accept public comment on the proposed sale or transfer of conservation lands. (3) After compliance with paragraphs (1) and (2), the selling or transferring agency finds, based on substantial evidence, that the property no longer serves a needed conservation purpose. (4) The sale or transfer of the land is authorized or approved as part of the annual Budget Act or pursuant to specific legislation authorizing the sale or transfer. (b) Proceeds from the sale or transfer of conservation lands shall be used solely for one or more of the following purposes: (1) The acquisition of conservation lands to achieve the same or equivalent objectives as the original acquisition of the property that was sold or transferred. (2) To further the purposes of Division 21 (commencing with Section 31000). (3) The acquisition of wildlife habitat to further the purposes of the Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947 (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 1300) of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code). (4) The acquisition of wildlife habitat to further the purposes of Article 2 (commencing with Section 1410) of Chapter 4.3 of Division 2 of the Fish and Game Code. (c) This section does not apply to any of the following: (1) The sale or transfer of conservation lands solely for the purpose of boundary adjustments or consolidation of property ownership. (2) The sale or transfer of lands subject to a conservation easement to keep lands in agricultural production. (3) The sale or transfer to other public agencies or nonprofit organizations to improve conservation management, public access, historic preservation, or to protect or enhance the biological value of conservation lands. (4) The sale or transfer of conservation lands by the State Coastal Conservancy when the sale or transfer of interests in land is provided for, consistent with Division 21 (commencing with Section 31000), at the time of acquisition of real property. (5) The exchange of conservation lands for land of greater biological value as wildlife habitat. (6) The sale or transfer of conservation lands that have a fair market value of less than one million dollars ($1,000,000). (d) The requirements imposed by this section are in addition to any other requirements imposed by law or regulation.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.517. Section 5096.517.

(a) In addition to any other requirements or standards prescribed by law, appraisal reports prepared for the acquisition of any land or interest therein by or with funding from an “acquisition agency,” as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 5096.501, shall include all of the following to be considered for appraisal review by the state: (1) A collection of descriptive photographs and maps of sufficient quality and detail to clearly depict the subject property and any market data relied upon, including the relationship between the location of the subject property and the market data. (2) A complete description of the subject property land, site characteristics, and improvements. Valuations based on a property’s development potential shall include: (A) Verifiable data on the development potential of the land. (B) A description of what would be required for a development project to proceed, such as legal entitlements, and infrastructure needs. (C) Presentation of evidence that sufficient demand exists, or is likely to exist in the future, to provide market support for the development. (3) A statement by the appraiser indicating to what extent land title conditions were investigated and considered in the analysis and value conclusion. The appraisal shall also include a preliminary title report when such a report is available. (4) A discussion of implied dedication, prescriptive rights, or other unrecorded rights as described in Sections 801 to 813, inclusive, and Sections 1006 to 1009, inclusive, of the Civil Code, that may affect value, indicating the extent of investigation and any knowledge or observation of conditions that might indicate evidence of public use. If the appraiser has no knowledge of, or has not observed, those conditions, a statement to that effect shall be included in the appraisal report. (5) An appraisal report that includes more than nominal value for specialty interests, including, but not limited to, timber, water, minerals, or carbon credits, shall include a separate valuation prepared and signed by a certified or registered professional qualified in the field of specialty interest. This valuation shall be reviewed and approved by a second qualified, certified or registered professional, considered by the appraiser, and appended to the appraisal report. (b) Each appraisal report shall be prepared by, and include a signature by an appropriately licensed or certified real estate appraiser in good standing pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 11300) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code, and its implementing regulations.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5096.518. Section 5096.518.

For a charitable contribution claimed by a seller that is over five thousand dollars ($5,000) on conservation lands acquired using state funds, in order to substantiate the amount of the charitable contribution deduction claimed by the seller pursuant to Part 10 (commencing with Section 17001) or Part 11 (commencing with Section 23001) of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, both of the following requirements shall apply: (a) The seller shall attach to his or her California income tax return a copy of the appraisal of the charitable contribution relied on by the acquisition agency. (b) The appraisal attached to the return shall be prepared by an appraiser licensed by the Office of Real Estate Appraisers pursuant to Part 3 (commencing with Section 11300) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code and shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Revenue and Taxation Code and the Internal Revenue Code for purposes of substantiating the amount of the contribution for California income and franchise tax purposes and federal income tax purposes.

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