Williamson Act eligibility check (free)
- Parcels, acreage and owner
- Agricultural preserve status
- Current farm use
- Farmland map category and soils
- Contract type and term
- County application steps
California farm and ranch landowners
Which county and parcels are you enrolling?
Free check for a California Williamson Act contract: preserve size, farm use and the 10-year rolling term, plus where to apply in your county.
- Free to read
- No sign-up until the draft
- Hands off to the right door
ePlan fills in
- Parcels and acreage
- Existing contracts nearby
- Farmland map category
- Soils
- Land cover
How it works
Williamson Act eligibility check, from one answer
- Enter the county and parcels.
- ePlan checks acreage, farmland category and nearby enrolled land and lists your county's steps.
- Read the check free. Need the county's CEQA paperwork? Find the exemption and draft the notice.
What you get
Williamson Act eligibility check and 1 more document
The check is free. The paperwork after it is drafted at the CEQA exemption finder door.
CEQA notice of exemption (Class 17)
- Project and location
- Exemption class and section
- Reasons for exemption
- Lead agency
From public data
What ePlan fills in, and from where
- Parcels and acreage (or county assessor)Regrid nationwide parcel data (or the county assessor)
- Williamson Act enrollmentCalifornia DOC Williamson Act Enrollment Finder
- Farmland map categoryCalifornia DOC Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program
- SoilsUSDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
- Land coverUSGS/MRLC National Land Cover Database
10 years
is the minimum term of a Williamson Act contract, and the term renews automatically on each anniversary
Source: California Department of Conservation
Ready for the paperwork?
Match your project to a CEQA categorical or statutory exemption, check the §15300.2 exceptions and draft the Notice of Exemption. Free to read.
Questions
Williamson Act Contract: what people ask
How do I apply for a Williamson Act contract?
Contact the planning department of the city or county where the land is. Each local government offers contracts under its own locally created rules and regulations.
How many acres do I need?
The Act says an agricultural preserve should be at least 100 acres, and parcels can be combined if contiguous or in common ownership. A county or city may form smaller preserves when local farming makes them necessary and its general plan agrees.
Does a new contract need CEQA review?
Usually not. Forming agricultural preserves and making or renewing Williamson Act contracts fall under CEQA's Class 17 categorical exemption (Guidelines 15317). Cancelling a contract is not covered and normally goes through CEQA.
The rules this door follows
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Williamson Act Contract: check it free
Answer it and ePlan opens the CEQA exemption finder door, which drafts the paperwork.