It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to provide a means whereby any county or city may acquire, by purchase, gift, grant, bequest, devise, lease or otherwise, and through the expenditure of public funds, the fee or any lesser interest or right in real property in order to preserve, through limitation of their future use, open spaces and areas for public use and enjoyment.
Chapter 12Purchase of Interests and Rights in Real Property
Section § 6950
This law allows cities and counties to acquire land in various ways like buying or leasing, using public money. The goal is to protect open spaces and make sure they can be enjoyed by everyone in the future.
land acquisition public funds open spaces real property rights preservation public use future use limitation gift grant bequest devise lease county city public enjoyment
Section § 6951
This law acknowledges that as cities grow quickly, urban development is taking over or removing many open areas and spaces that have scenic or aesthetic value. If these spaces are preserved, they can serve as important assets for urban development in physical, social, aesthetic, or economic ways.
The Legislature finds that the rapid growth and spread of urban development is encroaching upon, or eliminating, many open areas and spaces of varied size and character, including many having significant scenic or esthetic values, which areas and spaces if preserved and maintained in their present open state would constitute important physical, social, esthetic or economic assets to existing or impending urban and metropolitan development.
urban development open spaces scenic value aesthetic value urban growth preservation important assets physical assets social assets economic assets metropolitan development urban expansion open space preservation urban encroachment development impact
Section § 6952
This law states that cities and counties in California can use public money to buy or otherwise obtain land to conserve open spaces. This is considered important for proper urban growth and benefits the public.
The Legislature hereby declares that it is necessary for sound and proper urban and metropolitan development, and in the public interest of the people of this State for any county or city to expend or advance public funds for, or to accept by, purchase, gift, grant, bequest, devise, lease or otherwise, the fee or any lesser interest or right in real property to acquire, maintain, improve, protect, limit the future use of or otherwise conserve open spaces and areas within their respective jurisdictions.
urban development metropolitan development public interest open space conservation public funds real property acquisition land conservation urban planning environmental protection future land use public land purchase city jurisdiction county jurisdiction land maintenance open spaces
Section § 6953
This law says that the government can use public money to buy or lease land if it's for preserving open spaces. Counties and cities in California can acquire land by buying it or through gifts and agreements. They can even sell or lease it back to the original owners with rules in place to keep the land as open space.
The Legislature further declares that the acquisition of interests or rights in real property for the preservation of open spaces and areas constitutes a public purpose for which public funds may be expended or advanced, and that any county or city may acquire, by purchase, gift, grant, bequest, devise, lease or otherwise, the fee or any lesser interest, development right, easement, covenant or other contractual right necessary to achieve the purposes of this chapter. Any county or city may also acquire the fee to any property for the purpose of conveying or leasing said property back to its original owner or other person under such covenants or other contractual arrangements as will limit the future use of the property in accordance with the purposes of this chapter.
open spaces preservation public funds use real property rights acquisition by purchase gifts of land development rights easement covenant contractual rights fee acquisition lease back agreements property conveyance future use limitation
Section § 6954
An "open space" or "open area" is defined as any space with significant natural beauty or a space that should remain as it is because it adds value to nearby urban areas or helps conserve natural or scenic resources.
For the purposes of this chapter an “open space” or “open area” is any space or area characterized by (1) great natural scenic beauty or (2) whose existing openness, natural condition, or present state of use, if retained, would enhance the present or potential value of abutting or surrounding urban development, or would maintain or enhance the conservation of natural or scenic resources.
open space open area natural scenic beauty existing openness natural condition value enhancement urban development conservation scenic resources natural resources preservation land use visual appeal environmental conservation urban planning
