Land Trust of Napa County (LTNC) is pleased to announce the completion of a Conservation Easement protecting 73.5 acres on the valley floor. The property is just north of the City of Napa, with frontage on Big Ranch Road and extends northeast from Big Ranch all the way to the Napa River, where it also includes 1,000 feet of riparian frontage.
The landowner donated the Conservation Easement to the Land Trust. The property is in the Oak Knoll AVA and has been in vineyards for 60 years, long before the AVA was designated. The easement will permanently protect the agricultural and scenic views along Big Ranch Road by permanently removing the potential to subdivide the property and eliminating the potential to develop wineries and two residences. The land will remain in private ownership and the easement will not interfere in the vineyard operation.
“We are so grateful to the landowner for making this very generous donation,” said Doug Parker, CEO of the Land Trust. “This is a valuable site for both wineries and houses, so this was a very significant charitable contribution by the landowner toward the goal of permanently protecting this area as open space on into the future.”
The owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “We can act by saving the ground that we are connected to. There’s no new land being made and we all need to save what we have now, because if we don’t it will not be there anymore. I thought, if I don’t do it, who will? But anyone can do this – it was wonderful working with the Land Trust on this project.”
The land will protect scenic views for residents in the area, but also for everyone traveling along either Big Ranch Road or Silverado Trail.
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