Conaway Ranch eminent domain takeover is dead

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors cut a deal to let the Conaway Ranch sell 1,500 acres in exchange for paying for the County's legal bills, about 2 million dollars.
What a fiasco.

What has been a drawn out battle regarding land and water ownership came to an abrupt end yesterday when The Yolo County Board of Supervisors announced that a settlement agreement was reached with the Conaway Preservation Group.

The main reason the County was trying to take the ranch was to keep the water here in Yolo County and to keep the owners from developing the ranch. The County seems to have structured the deal to allow the CPG to sell only surplus water. Ok, what about stopping development? (sounds of crickets chirping)

There is nothing in the deal to preclude the CPG from asking for a zoning change. Believe me, if the County had a provision to keep the CPG from developing the ranch, it would be on the front page.

At best the deal keeps the CPG from selling the water rights from the ranch to some municipality in southern California, at worst the 1,500 acres the County will allow the CPG to sell in order to pay the Board's legal bills is just the first step in developing the areas of the ranch not in the deep water flood plane.

I just hope Frank Sieferman doesn't strain his arm patting himself on the back.
He is up for re-election in November and taking the Conaway Ranch by the use of eminent domain was an anchor around his neck.