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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-13-2011, C2- CONSERVATION EASEMENT ON A 38 ACRE PROPERTYcounci l acen6a RepoRtA Meeting Dateml/3/ 11 Item Numb e &. C I T Y O F S A N L U I S O B I S P O FROM : Michael Codron, Assistant City Manage r Prepared By : Neil Havlik, Natural Resources Manage r SUBJECT : AUTHORIZATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF A CONSERVATIO N EASEMENT ON A 38 ACRE PROPERTY AT 2877 SOUTH HIGUER A STREET FROM KATHERINE FOSTER AND MICHAEL SPANGLE R RECOMMENDATIO N Approve a resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept an offer to donate a conservation easemen t covering approximately 38 .3 acres at 2877 South Higuera Street, offered by Katherine Foster an d Michael Spangler, subject to a finding by the Planning Commission that acceptance of th e conservation easement is consistent with the City of San Luis Obispo General Plan . DISCUSSIO N Backgroun d This donation, offered by long-time local residents Michael Spangler and Katherine Foster , covers a 38 .3 acre property at the western end of the South Hills . Of the total acreage, 37 .2 acres is designed as open space and includes a significant communication site (which is a permitte d use in the C/OS zone), and 1 .1 acres along South Higuera Street designated for commercia l development which is steep and quite difficult to develop . Continued use and reasonabl e expansion of the communication site would be permitted under the easement ; however , development of the commercially zoned area would be prohibited . This is the intent of the donor s and will be discussed further below . Natural Resource Value of the Propert y The property is comprised of a portion of the South Hills, a ridge of serpentine rocks that extends from South Higuera Street on the west to Broad Street on the east . Approximately 131 acres o f this ridge is currently owned or controlled by the City of San Luis Obispo, which is referred to a s the South Hills Natural Reserve (SHNR). This donation will increase the size of the Reserve b y about 30%, to 168 acres . SHNR contains a number of sensitive or otherwise important natural features, and one notabl e cultural feature, including : a.Several wetland seeps or springs at scattered locations within the Reserve ; b.Several plant species of concern, including San Luis Obispo mariposa lily, Sa n Luis Obispo dudleya, purple spineflower, and adobe sanicle ; an d c.A restored rock cistern which once provided water to the agricultura l properties nearby (now developed). Council Agenda Report — Donation of Conservation Easemen t Page 2 Additionally, a large spring which contains a population of the (Federally-listed) endangere d Chorro Creek bog thistle is located on the subject property . In 2006 City staff prepared a Conservation Plan for SHNR, which, although it did not include th e subject property, contained policies and programs that guided management of the City owne d and controlled properties, and would apply to the subject property, including : a.Completion of an improvement program for the access road to th e communication sites located on private property to the west of the Reserv e (i .e ., the subject property), using Natural Resources Conservation Servic e (NRCS) standards commonly applied to farm and ranch roads ; b.Development of a formally identified trail system for pedestrians an d bicyclists, including certain routes restricted to pedestrians only ; c.Placement of protective fencing at identified locations within the Reserve , especially on the southwest, to protect sensitive resources in those locations ; d.Development of interpretive and informational signage to assist visitors ; e.Ultimate removal of livestock grazing on the property ; and f.A wildfire preparedness plan, involving management of fuel loading at th e urban/wildland interface . The Conservation Plan was adopted by the City Council in December 2006 . Acceptance of thi s easement donation would serve as an important component of implementation of th e Conservation Plan, especially in the matter of protection and enhancement of the bog thistl e stand, which suffers from heavy grazing pressure by livestock, and in legitimizing public use o f the site which now occurs on a daily basi s Reasons for Acquiring the Easement The site is within City limits and therefore technically not part of the greenbelt . However, it is a n important part of the City's natural landscape and as such is identified as an important ope n space resource, for which fee or easement interest is warranted . The easement grants to the Cit y the right of public access and would permit City staff to undertake reasonable management an d enhancement efforts thereon . This is supported by Open Space Goal 8 .22 and the related Polic y 8 .22 .1, which call for the City to secure and maintain a diverse network of open lan d encompassing particularly valuable natural and agricultural resources . The Planning Commissio n will again be asked to evaluate these issues and, if it determines there is a General Pla n inconsistency, the Mayor will not be authorized to complete the transaction and the matter wil l return to the Council for further consideration . Permanent protection of the 37 .2 acre open space designated portion of the property is full y consistent with the City's General Plan . Staff also feels that the donation of a conservatio n restriction on the 1 .1 acre commercially zoned portion of the property is consistent because in th e past site-specific evaluation of similar situations has found that such zoning conflicts with othe r protective policies of the General Plan which apply regardless of zoning . The best examples o f this are the two donations of land along San Luis Obispo Creek near Higuera Street and Prad o Road, where commercial zoning was in conflict with the Creek Setback ordinance, and th e Planning Commission therefore found that the offers of donation of these lands (one from John Council Agenda Report — Donation of Conservation Easement Page 3 Kuden and the other from Rob Olson) was consistent with the General Plan based upon site - specific evaluation of each of those properties . The subject property falls within a portion of the San Luis Obispo Airport Safety Zone, and a s such is within the jurisdiction of the San Luis Obispo County Airport Land Use Commission . The 1 .1 acre commercially-designated portion of the property is relatively steep and the provisio n of reasonable vehicular access is difficult . Although possibly more suited to residential use , changing the land use designation to residential would be counter to Airport zone rules an d therefore unlikely . Also, any development would require extensive grading and this seem s undesirable for such a highly visible site . The owners have considered these possibilities and determined that, in their view, the highest and best use of the commercially zoned portion of th e property is in fact as open space . This donation essentially asks the City to confirm its agreemen t with that view . The Planning Commission was originally scheduled to discuss the proposed donation at it s regular meeting of November 16, 2011, but because of delays in negotiations this consideratio n was postponed . In order to remain on a schedule that would permit Mr . Spangler and Ms . Foster to claim tax credit for the transaction this year, staff has condensed the two actions such that th e Council action, if favorable, would be conditioned upon a favorable finding by the Plannin g Commission at its meeting of December 14, 2011 . Staff has prepared the necessary resolution s to reflect this special scheduling . FISCAL IMPAC T This transaction will not have a significant fiscal impact . This is because the major cos t associated with conservation easements is monitoring . Monitoring only involves minor amount s of staff time, often in conjunction with activities staff is undertaking nearby such as checking sit e conditions on adjacent or nearby City-owned properties . In this instance, City Natural Resource s and Ranger staff regularly patrol the adjacent South Hills Natural Reserve and can easily includ e brief site visits or even routine surveillance from the City property . This is typical of the City's 3,000+ acre easement holdings . No significant City-instigated improvements such as new trail s are planned . Finally, as a donation there is little cost to the City from the legal transaction ; closing costs and recording fees are expected to total only a few hundred dollars at most, an d there is adequate funding in the Natural Resource Program operating budget to handle thi s amount . ATTACHMENT S 1.Location Map 2.Letter Offer from Michael Spangler and Katherine Foster 3.Deed of Conservation Easement 4.Resolution G:IStafflHAVLIKICouncilagenda\Spangler Foster donation acceptance .doc ATTACHMENT 1 City of San Luis Obisp oGreenbelt Protection Progra m Foster/Spangler Propert y 38.3 Acre s 1" = 600' approx . ATTACHMENT 2 October 25, 201 1 Hon . Jan Howell Marx, Mayo r City of San Luis Obisp o 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA . 9340 1 Re : South Hills Natural Reserve Easement Donation Offe r Dear Mayor Marx : We the undersigned are owners of record of certain real property lying within the cit y limits of the City of San Luis Obispo, California . The property's address is 2877 South Higuera Street (San Luis Obispo County APN 053-021-031). The property consists of approximatel y 38 .3 acres of hillside land at the western end of the ridge commonly known as the South Hills . Of this acreage, 37 .2 acres is zoned as Conservation/Open Space and 1 .1 acre along Sout h Higuera Street is zoned Commercial . It is our desire that the property remain in its current largely natural condition . We wis h to do this through the donation of a conservation easement covering the property . The severa l communication facilities along the ridge on the property would remain and possibly eve n increase in the future with City approval ; however, the steeply sloping commercial site would b e permanently retained in its natural condition by this donation . In addition, authority would b e granted to the City of San Luis Obispo to manage the property for its natural resource an d passive recreational values . This includes a large spring on the property which supports a population of a Federally listed endange'red species, the Chorro Creek bog thistle . We are pleased to be able to make this offer and look forward to the City's acceptance thereof . Sincerely , Katherine Foste r Michael Spangle r 0/4-A sto rim.at i ATTACHMENT 3 DEED OF CONSERVATION EASEMEN T THIS DEED OF CONSERVATION EASEMENT dated December 13, 2011 b y Katherine Foster and Michael Spangler, 644 Marsh Street, San Luis Obispo, CA . 9340 1 ("Grantor"), in favor of the City of San Luis Obispo, a chartered municipal corporation o f the State of California, having an address at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 ("Grantee"), is made with respect to the following : RECITAL S WHEREAS, Grantor is the owner in fee simple of certain real property consistin g of one Assessor's parcel in San Luis Obispo County, California, identified as APN 053 - 021-031, commonly referred to as 2877 South Higuera Street, and shown in Ma p Attachment A attached hereto and incorporated by this reference (the "Property"); an d WHEREAS, the Property possesses natural resource values including wildlif e and plant resources, and scenic open space values (collectively, the conservatio n values) of great importance to Grantor, the people of the City of San Luis Obispo, an d the people of the State of California ; an d WHEREAS, the Property, by virtue of its position, is valuable as a location for a variety of communication functions, including emergency communications, o f importance to the City of San Luis Obispo and to its citizens, an d WHEREAS, certain other portions of the Property, although indicated for urba n development in the General Plan of the City of San Luis Obispo, would be difficult an d environmentally damaging to develop, an d WHEREAS, in light of the above facts, Grantor desires that the conservatio n values of the property be preserved by the continuation of currently existing land us epatterns; an d WHEREAS, Grantee is a chartered municipal corporation of the State o f California that is authorized to accept Conservation Easements ; an d WHEREAS, Grantee agrees by accepting this grant to honor the intentions o f Grantor stated herein and to preserve and protect in perpetuity the conservation value s of the Property for the benefit of this generation and the generations to come ; NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the above and the mutual covenants , terms, conditions, and restrictions contained herein, and pursuant to the laws o f California and in particular Sections 815 and 816 of the Civil Code - Conservatio n Easements, Grantor hereby voluntarily grants and conveys to the Grantee a Conservation Easement in gross in perpetuity over the Property, in order to preserv e the values described above . ATTACHMENT 3 1 .Purpose .It is the purpose of this Easement to assure that the property , subject to the existing uses described herein, will be retained forever in it s predominantly natural, scenic, and open space condition and to preven t any use of the Property that will significantly impair or interfere with th e conservation values of the Property . The conservation values of particular importance include the grassland communities existing on th e site and their importance to wildlife, Habitat for a population of th e endangered Chorro Creek bog thistle, the scenic quality of th e undeveloped land that is visible from the surrounding community, and th e value of the land as a watershed providing protection from erosion an dprotection of water quality . 2 .Rights of Grantee .To accomplish the purpose of this Easement, th e following rights are conveyed to Grantee by this Easement : (a)To manage for the public benefit all activities incidental t o management of the Property involving public access, safety, an dconservation of natural resources . Specifically, Grantor allows non - motorized public access to the Property consistent with reasonable rule sand regulations established by Grantee . Grantor also allows Grantee t o undertake minor improvements for the purpose of protection of natura l resources or for public safety . (b)To enter upon the Easement Area at reasonable times in order t o monitor Grantor's compliance with and otherwise enforce the terms of thi sEasement; provided that such entry shall be upon prior reasonable notic e to Grantor, and Grantee shall not unreasonably interfere with Grantor'suse and quiet enjoyment of the property ; an d (c)To prevent any activity on or use of the property that is inconsisten t with the purpose of this Easement and to require the restoration of suc h areas or features of the property that may be damaged by an yinconsistent activity or use . 3 .Prohibited Activities .Any activity on or use of the Easement Are a inconsistent with the purpose of this Easement is prohibited . Withou t limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following activities and uses ar e prohibited from being established : (a)Subdivision of the land pursuant to the California Subdivision Ma pAct. (b)Building or erection of structures, except as permitted by the City o f San Luis Obispo for furtherance of the existing communication sites an duses. ATTACHMENT 3 (c)Cutting or removal of trees, except as may be necessary for health o f the remaining trees or for public safety . (d)Mining or other mineral exploration or exploitation of the property . (e)The exploration, collection of and delivery of water to any othe r property, except as may be permitted by City regulations . (f)Grading, other than for purposes of providing hiking or riding trails o n the site consistent with generally accepted standards, or for th e reasonable maintenance or improvement of communication site whic h currently exists on the Property . 4.Access Road to Communication Site .Grantee and Grantor agree t o jointly enforce standards upon the condition of, and use of, the roa d currently used for access to the several communication sites on th e Property . Such standards may include, but are not limited to : installin g proper grading, surfacing, drainage facilities and undercrossing for natura l waterway flows, and protection of sensitive resources and natural habita t that exists alongside said access road . Grantee and Grantor further agre e to require users of said road to provide funding for the improvement s necessary to bring the road to acceptable standards and for ongoin g maintenance . The standards to be applied shall be no less than th e design and construction standards utilized by the Natural Resource s Conservation Service, U . S . Department of Agriculture (NRCS-USDA), i n that agency's private landowner assistance programs . 5.Reserved Rights .Grantor reserves to himself, and to his persona l representatives, heirs, successors, and assigns, all rights accruing fro m ownership of the Property, including the right to engage in or permit o r invite others to engage in all uses of the property that are not expressl y prohibited herein or are inconsistent with the purpose of this Easement . 6.Baseline Documentation .The parties agree that the specifi c conservation values of the property shall be documented in a report ("th e Baseline Report") that shall be completed within thirty days of the transfe r of this Deed of Conservation Easement, and that both Grantee an d Grantor shall receive true copies of this report. The Report shall consist o f maps, photographs, and other documentation that, the parties must agre e in writing, provide an accurate representation of the Property at the time of this grant and which is intended to serve as an objective informatio n baseline for monitoring compliance with the terms of this gran t 7.Arbitration .Any controversy arising from this Easement or its breach shall be determined by three arbitrators appointed as set out below : ATTACHMENT 3 (a)Within thirty (30) days after a notice by either party to the othe r requesting arbitration and stating the basis of the party's claim, on e arbitrator shall be appointed by each party . Notice of the appointment shall be given to each party and to the other party when made . (b)The two arbitrators shall immediately choose a third arbitrator to act with them . If a party fails to select an arbitrator within the time allowed o r if the two arbitrators fail to select a third arbitrator within 14 days after thei r appointment, on application by either party the third arbitrator shall b e promptly appointed by the then presiding judge of the Superior Court o f the State of California in and for the County of San Luis Obispo acting a s an individual within 14 days . The party making the application shall giv e the other party 14 days' notice of the application . The arbitration shall be conducted under the Code of Civil Procedure s (Section 1280-1294 .2). Hearings shall be held in San Luis Obisp o County, California . Both parties agree by signing this Easement that they are agreeing t o have any dispute arising from the matters included in the Arbitratio n provisions of this Easement decided by neutral arbitration as provided b y California law and that each party is giving up any rights to have th e dispute litigated in a court or by a jury trial . By signing this Easement , each party is giving up their judicial rights to discovery and appeal unles s such rights are specially requested in the notice requesting Arbitration o r as permitted by CCP 1280 et .seq . If either party refuses to submit t o arbitration, they may be compelled to arbitrate under the authority of th e California Code of Civil Procedure . 8 .Grantee's Remedies .If Grantee determines that Grantor is in violation o f the terms of this Easement or that a violation is threatened, Grantee shal l give written notice to Grantor of such violation and demand correctiv e action sufficient to cure the violation and, where the violation involve s injury to the property resulting from any use or activity inconsistent wit h the purpose of this Easement, to restore the portion of the property s o injured . If Grantor fails to cure the violation within a thirty (30) days afte r receipt of notice thereof from Grantee, or under circumstances where th e violation cannot reasonably be cured within a thirty (30)-day period, fails t o begin curing such violation within the thirty (30)-day period, or fails t o continue diligently to cure such violation until finally cured, Grantee ma y bring an action at law or in equity in a court of competent jurisdiction t o enforce the terms of the Easement, to enjoin the violation, ex parte a s necessary, by temporary or permanent injunction, to recover any damage s to which it may be entitled for violation of the terms of this Easement o r injury to any conservation values protected by this Easement, includin g damages for the loss of scenic, aesthetic, or environmental values, and to ATTACHMENT 3 require the restoration of the Property to the condition that existed prior to any such injury . Without limiting Grantor's liability therefore, Grantee, i n its sole discretion, may apply any damages recovered to the cost of undertaking any correction action on the Property . If Grantee, in its sol e discretion, determines that circumstances require immediate action t o prevent or mitigate significant damage to the conservation values of th e Property, Grantee may pursue its remedies under this Paragraph withou t prior notice to Grantor or without waiting for the period provided for cure toexpire. Grantee's rights under this Paragraph apply equally in the event o f either actual or threatened violation of the terms of this Easement, an d Grantor agrees that Grantee's remedies at law for any violation of th e terms of this Easement are inadequate and that Grantee shall be entitle d to the injunctive relief described in this Paragraph, both prohibitive an d mandatory, in addition to such other relief to which Grantee may b e entitled, including specific performance of the terms of this Easement , without the necessary of proving either actual damages or the inadequac y of otherwise available legal remedies . Grantee's remedies described i n this Paragraph shall be cumulative and shall be in addition to all remedie snow or hereafter existing at law or in equity . 9.Costs of Enforcement .Any costs incurred by Grantee in enforcing th e terms of this Easement against Grantor, including, without limitation, cost s of suit and attorneys' fees, and any costs of restoration necessitated b y Grantor's violation of the terms of this Easement shall be borne b yGrantor. If Grantor prevails in any action to enforce the terms of thi s Easement, Grantor's costs of suit, including, without limitation, attorneys ' fee, shall be borne by Grantee . If Grantee prevails in any action t o enforce the terms of this Easement, Grantee's costs of suit, includin g without limitation, attorneys' fees, shall be borne by Grantor . 10.Grantee's Discretion .Enforcement of the terms of this Easement shall b e at the discretion of Grantee, and any forbearance by Grantee to exercis e its rights under this Easement in the event of any breach of any term o f this Easement by Grantor shall not be deemed or construed to be a waive r by Grantee of such term or of any of Grantee's rights under thi sEasement. No delay or omission by Grantee in the exercise of any righ t or remedy upon any beach by Grantor shall impair such right or remedy o rbe construed as a waiver . 11.Waiver of Certain Defenses .Grantor and Grantee hereby mutually waiv eany defense of !aches, estoppel, or prescription . 12.Acts Beyond Grantor's Control .Nothing contained in this Easement shal l be construed to entitle Grantee to bring any action against Grantor for an y injury to or change in the Property resulting from causes beyond Grantor's control, including, without limitation, fire, flood, storm, and earth C2-10 ATTACHMENT 3 movement, or from any prudent action taken by Grantor under emergenc y conditions to prevent, abate, or mitigate significant injury to the Propert y resulting from such causes . 13.No Undue Expense to Grantor .Under the express terms of this Deed o f Conservation Easement, Grantor shall not incur any expense wit h maintaining the property as open space, except for costs of necessar y annual fire hazard abatement in accordance with City fire regulations an d costs of maintenance of fencing currently used to contain livestock on th e Property . All other expenses associated with specific conservation efforts Grantee determines to be necessary to preserve the open spac e easement shall be borne by Grantee, unless and to the extent Grantor i s in violation of this Deed of Conservation Easement, in which cas e provisions herein shall control . 14.Taxes .Grantor shall pay all taxes, assessments, fees, and charges o f whatever description levied on or assessed against the property b y competent authority (collectively "taxes"), including any taxes impose d upon, or incurred as a result of, this Easement, and shall furnish Grante e with satisfactory evidence of payment upon request subject to the right t o contest any such taxes . 15.Hold Harmless .Grantor shall hold harmless, indemnify, and defen d Grantee and its directors, officers, employees, agents, and contractor s and their heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of eac h of them (collectively "Indemnified Parties") from and against all liabilities , penalties, costs, losses, damages, expenses, causes of action, claims , demands, or judgments, including, without limitation, reasonabl e attorney's fees, arising from or in any way connected with : (1) injury to o r death of any person ; (2) physical damage to any property, resulting fro m any act, omission, condition, or other matter related to or occurring on o r about the Property, regardless of cause, unless due to the sole negligenc e of any of the Indemnified parties ; (3) the obligations specified in paragrap h 12 ; or (4) the existence of this Easement . Grantee shall hold harmless, indemnify, and defend Grantor and it s directors, officers, employees, agents, and contractors and their heirs , personal representatives, successors and assigns of each of the m (collectively "Indemnified Parties") from and against all liabilities, penalties , costs, losses, damages, expenses, causes of action, claims, demands, o r judgments, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney's fees, arisin g from or in any way connected with : (1) injury to or death of any person ; (2) physical damage to any property, resulting from any act, omission , condition, or other matter related to or occurring on or about the Property , regardless of cause, unless due to the sole negligence of any of the C2-11 ATTACHMENT 3 Indemnified parties ; (3) the obligations specified in paragraph 12 ; or (4 ) the existence of this Easemen t 16.Extinguishment .If circumstances arise in the future such as render th e purpose of this Easement impossible to accomplish, this Easement ca n only be terminated or extinguished, whether in whole or in part, by judicia l proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction, and the amount of th e proceeds (if any) to which Grantee shall be entitled, after the satisfactio n or prior claims, from any sale, exchange, or involuntary conversion of all o r any portion of the Property subsequent to such termination o r extinguishment, shall be determined as provided by California law . 17.Condemnation .If the Easement is taken, in whole or in part, by exercis e of the power of eminent domain, Grantee shall be entitled t o compensation in accordance with applicable law . 18.Assignment .This Easement is transferable, but Grantee may assign it s rights and obligations under this Easement only to an organization that i s a qualified organization at the time of transfer under Section 170(h) of th e Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended (or any successor provisio n then applicable), and the applicable regulations promulgated thereunder , and authorized to acquire and hold conservation easements under stat e statue (or any successor provision then applicable). 19.Subsequent Transfers .Grantor agrees to incorporate the terms of thi s Easement in any deed or other legal instrument by which they dives t themselves of any interest in all or a portion of the Property, including , without limitation, a leasehold interest . Grantor further agrees to giv e written notice to Grantee of the transfer of any interest at least twenty (20 ) days prior to the date of such transfer . The failure of Grantor to perfor m any act required by this paragraph shall not impair the validity of thi s Easement or limit its enforceability in any way . 20.Certificates .Upon request by Grantor, Grantee shall within twenty (20 ) days execute and deliver to Grantor any document, including an estoppe l certificate, which certifies Grantor's compliance with any obligation o f Grantor contained in this Easement and otherwise evidences the status o f this Easement as may be requested by Grantor . 21.Notices .Any notice, demand, request, consent, approval, o r communication that either party desires or is required to give to the othe r shall be in writing and either served personally or sent by first class mail , postage prepaid, addressed as follows : C2-12 ATTACHMENT 3 To Grantor : Michael Spangler and Katherine Foste r 644 Marsh Stree t San Luis Obispo, CA . 9340 1 To Grantee : City of San Luis Obisp o 990 Palm Stree t San Luis Obispo, CA 9340 1 or to such other address as either party from time to time shall designat e by written notice to the other . 21.Recordation .Grantee shall record this instrument in a timely fashion i n the official records of San Luis Obispo County, California, and may re - record it at any time as may be required to preserve its rights in thi s Easement . 22.Monitorinq .The Grantee or its designee shall conduct annual monitorin g of the conservation values within the Property . Such monitoring shall b e done in accordance with a systematic and routine checklist designed t o facilitate the identification of trends and changes of the conservatio n values over time . A copy of each monitoring report shall be given to th e Grantor . 23.General Provisions . (a)Controllinq Law.The interpretation and performance of thi s Easement shall be government by the laws of the State of California . (b)Liberal Construction .Any general rule of construction to th e contrary notwithstanding, this Easement shall be liberally construed i n favor of the grant to effect the purpose of this Easement and the polic y and purpose of the Conservation Act of 1979 as described in Sections 81 5 through 816 of the California Civil Code . If any provision in this instrumen t is found to be ambiguous, an interpretation consistent with the purpose o f this Easement that would render the provision valid shall be favored ove r any interpretation that would render it invalid . (c)Severability .If any provision of this Easement, or the applicatio n thereof to any person or circumstance, is found to be invalid, th e remainder of the provisions of this Easement, or the application of suc h provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it i s found to be invalid, as the case may be, shall not be affected thereby . ATTACHMENT 3 (d)Entire Agreement .This instrument sets forth the entire agreemen t of the parties with respect to the Easement and superseded all prio r discussions, negotiations, understandings, or agreements relating to th e Easement, all of-which are merged herein . (e)Successors .The covenants, terms, conditions, and restrictions o f this Easement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, th e parties hereto and their respective personal representatives, heirs , successors, and assigns and shall continue as a servitude runnin g perpetually with the Property . (f)Captions .The captions in this instrument have been inserte d solely for convenience of reference and are not a part of this instrumen t and shall have no effect upon construction or interpretation . (g)Counterparts .The parties may execute this instrument in two o r more counterparts, which shall, in the aggregate, be signed by both parties ; each counterpart shall be deemed an original instrument a s against any party who has signed it . In the event of any disparity betwee n the counterparts produced, the recorded counterpart shall be controlling . TO HAVE AND TO HOLD unto Grantee ; its successors, and assigns forever . IN WITNESS WHEREOF Grantor has set their hand On the day and year firs t written above . C2-14 REVISIONS l I.S.1 DATE f 11-066 09-28-10 . 0. C.1 053- 02 1 200 ' 13 CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPf 7 ASSESSORS MAP COUNTY OF ZSAN LUIS OBISPC, CA .BOOK 053 PAGE 02 1 PTN.4. 155 2 15±AC.AC. 354.76 R.M.A-123 ~0J LOT B 3 1 40. AC . (O2 N TRACT 744, VILLA FONTANA, R. M. BK. 10, PG. 35. HARFORDS ADDITION, R.M. BK. A, PG. 123. T. 31 S.; R. 12E.; SECTION 3 . M.D.B.&M. GP THIS MAP IS PREPARED FO R 07-14-00 ASSESSMENT PURPOSES ONLY. H5957W N4443•W w ATTACHMENT 3 CERTIFICATE OF ACCEPTANC E ************ THIS IS TO CERTIFY that the interest in real property conveyed by DEED O F CONSERVATION dated December 13, 2011, by and between Katherine Foster an d Michael Spangler , ("Grantor"), and the CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, a municipal corporatio n ("Grantee"), is hereby accepted by the undersigned officer on behalf of the City Counci l pursuant to authority conferred by Resolution No . 5370 (1984 Series) recorded June 15 , 1984, in Volume 2604, Official Records, Page 878, San Luis Obispo County, California, an d Grantor hereby consents to recordation thereof by its duly authorized officer or his agent . Date : CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISP O by : Jan Howell Marx, Mayo r ATTEST : Elaina Cano, City Clerk ATTACHMENT 4 RESOLUTION NO . (2011 SERIES ) RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISP O AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF A CONSERVATION EASEMEN T AFFECTING REAL PROPERTY AT 2877SOUTH HIGUERA STREE T WHEREAS, Katherine Foster and Michael Spangler ("Grantors") are the join t owners of certain real property in San Luis Obispo County, California, within the City o f San Luis Obispo, at 2877 South Higuera Street and described as Assessor's Parce l Number 053-021-031 (the "Property"); an d WHEREAS, portions of said Property possess significant natural resource value s including wildlife and plant resources, scenic open space values, and passiv e recreational uses (the "Conservation Values") of great importance to Grantors, th e people of the City of San Luis Obispo, and the people of the State of California ; an d WHEREAS, Grantors desire, as owners of the Property, to convey to the City o f San Luis Obispo the right to preserve and protect the conservation values of th e Property in perpetuity ; and have so proposed in a letter offer dated October 25, 2011 ; and WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo is a chartered municipal corporation o f the State of California that is authorized by law to accept Conservation Easements ; an d WHEREAS, the City of San Luis Obispo agrees by accepting this grant to hono r the intentions of Grantors stated herein and to preserve and protect in perpetuity th e conservation values of the Property for the benefit of this generation and th e generations to come . NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Sa n Luis Obispo hereby : 1 . Authorizes acceptance of the offer of donation of a Conservatio n Easement for Assessor's Parcel Number 053-021-031 as outlined i n the letter offer of January 19, 2006, subject to a finding by th e Planning Commission of the City of San Luis Obispo that th e acquisition of a conservation easement covering the property i s consistent with the City's General Plan ; an d Authorizes and directs the Mayor to accept said Conservatio n Easement on behalf of the City of San Luis Obispo upon the findin g described above . C2-17 ATTACHMENT 4 Approved and adopted this 13 th day of December, 2011 . On motion of , seconded by an d on the following roll call vote : AYES : NOES : ABSENT : Jan Howell Marx, Mayo r ATTEST : Elaina Cano, City Cler k APPROVED AS TO FORM : ristine Dietrick, City Attorney