245-ACRE RANCH GETS OK FOR OPEN SPACE

A 245-acre ranch in the Sonoma County dairy belt west of Petaluma will be

permanently protected from development under a deal approved Tuesday by Sonoma

County supervisors.

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District will

pay the Maffia family $1.2 million for a conservation easement over the land

on Valley Ford Road between Petaluma and Bodega Bay. The easement allows the

family to continue ranching, but permanently prevents the land from being

subdivided. The ranch, used to raise heifer replacements for local dairies,

will remain in private ownership.

Without the easement, the property could be carved up into six lots for

estate homes, according to an appraisal done for the open space district.

The district has purchased conservation easements over about 10,000 acres

of agricultural lands between Petaluma and Bodega Bay. It is negotiating with

property owners to protect an additional 5,500 acres in that area, said Maria

Cipriani, the district's assistant general manager.

-- Spencer Soper