California Court of Appeal

In an action by county to assess property taxes on defendants for parcels transferred to third party purchasers, decision in favor of defendants is reversed where: 1) subsequent to the adoption of the 1978 Guidelines, which set forth revised regulations governing agricultural preserves, the parties voluntarily renewed their contract numerous times; 2) the new contract created with each renewal incorporated the 1978 Guidelines; and 3) thus, the 1978 Guidelines can be applied constitutionally to a Williamson Act contract executed in 1977.

Appellate Information

• Decided 08/15/2008
• Published 08/15/2008

Judges

• SIMONS, Acting P.J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Morgan Miller Blair,Christian M. Carrigan, Kevin R. Brodehl, Todd A. Williams, and Bryan W. Wenter, Walnut Creek;  Wendy B. Chaitin, Interim County Counsel, Richard D. Hendry, Deputy County Counsel and Deputy District Attorney, for Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and Appellant, and Cross-defendant and Appellant., Edmund G. Brown, Jr., Attorney General, Mary E. Hackenbracht, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Richard M. Thalhammer and Ellyn S. Levinson, Deputy Attorneys General, as Amicus Curiae for California Department of Conservation on behalf of Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and Appellant and Cross-defendant and Appellant., Jennifer B. Henning for California State Association of County on behalf of Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and Appellant, and Cross-defendant and Appellant., Christian C. Schuering and Jack L. Rice for California Farm Bureau Federation and Sierra Club on behalf of Plaintiff, Cross-defendant and Appellant, and Cross-defendant and Appellant., Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP, James L. Meeder, Michael P. Durkee and David H. Blackwell, Walnut Creek, for Defendants, Cross-complainants and Respondents.