214.02
. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), property
that is used exclusively for the preservation of native plants or
animals, biotic communities, geological or geographical formations of
scientific or educational interest, or open-space lands used solely
for recreation and for the enjoyment of scenic beauty, is open to the
general public subject to reasonable restrictions concerning the
needs of the land, and is owned and operated by a scientific or
charitable fund, foundation, limited liability company, or
corporation, the primary interest of which is to preserve those
natural areas, and that meets all the requirements of Section 214,
shall be deemed to be within the exemption provided for in
subdivision (b) of Sections 4 and 5 of Article XIII of the
Constitution of the State of California and Section 214.
(b) The exemption provided by this section shall not apply to any
property of an organization that owns in the aggregate 30,000 acres
or more in one county that were exempt under this section prior to
March 1, 1983, or that are proposed to be exempt, unless the
nonprofit organization that holds the property is fully independent
of the owner of any taxable real property that is adjacent to the
property otherwise qualifying for tax exemption under this section.
For purposes of this section, the nonprofit organization that holds
the property shall be considered fully independent if the exempt
property is not used or operated by that organization or by any other
person so as to benefit any officer, trustee, director, shareholder,
member, employee, contributor or bondholder of the exempt
organization or operator, or the owner of any adjacent property, or
any other person, through the distribution of profits, payment of
excessive charges or compensations, or the more advantageous pursuit
of their business or profession.
(c) The exemption provided by this section shall not apply to
property that is reserved for future development.
(d) (1) For the purposes of determining whether the property is
used for the actual operation of the exempt activity as required by
subdivision (a), consideration shall not be given to the use of the
property for either of the following:
(A) Activities resulting in direct or in-kind revenues provided
that the activities further the conservation objectives of the
property as provided in a qualified conservation management plan for
the property. These revenues include those revenues derived from
grazing leases, hunting and camping permits, rents from persons
performing caretaking activities who reside in dwellings on the
property, and admission fees collected for purposes of public
enjoyment.
(B) Any lease of the property for a purpose that furthers the
conservation objectives of the property as provided in a qualified
conservation management plan for the property.
(2) The activities and lease described in paragraph (1) may not
generate unrelated business income.
(3) For purposes of this subdivision, a "qualified conservation
management plan" means a plan that satisfies all of the following:
(A) Identifies both of the following:
(i) That the foremost purpose and use of the property is for the
preservation of native plants or animals, biotic communities,
geological or geographical formations of scientific or educational
interest, or as open-space lands used solely for recreation and for
the enjoyment of scenic beauty.
(ii) The overall conservation management goals, including, but not
limited to, identification of permitted activities, and actions
necessary to achieve the goals.
(B) Describes both of the following:
(i) The natural resources and recreational attributes of the
property.
(ii) Potential threats to the conservation values or areas of
special concern.
(C) Contains a timeline for planned management activities and for
regular inspections of the property, including existing structures
and improvements.
(e) This section shall be operative from the lien date in 1983 to
and including the lien date in 2022, after which date this section
shall become inoperative, and as of January 1, 2023, this section is
repealed.
(f) The amendments made by Section 4 of Chapter 354 of the
Statutes of 2004 shall apply with respect to lien dates occurring on
and after January 1, 2005.
(g) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this
subdivision shall apply commencing with the lien date for the 2013-14
fiscal year.