CONSERVATION PROGRAM TO ADD ALMOST 1,096 ACRES.

Byline: David Greenberg Daily News Staff Writer

Nearly 1,100 acres of farmland is expected to be placed in a Ventura County program designed to protect it from development for at least a decade.

In what will be the largest addition to the Land Conservation Act program, 1,096 acres of unincorporated land will be added to 400 acres that were placed in the program in June.

``I think that it's a good indication of interest in the county for further protection of agricultural land,'' said Nancy Settle, the county's regional planning supervisor. ``I hope this shows there's a reawakening of the opportunity of the Land Conservation Act program and what it has to offer.'' With this agreement, the 18-year-old program will have 171,000 acres of farm land, including 138,000 of tillable land, under protection.

``It voluntarily takes the developable property off the General Plan and makes it rural,'' said Supervisor Frank Schillo.

The program offers farm owners a 30 percent property tax break in exchange for a no-development agreement on parcels of at least 80 acres.

The agreement must last at least 10 years, so as to prevent abuse of the legislation by farm owners who want tax breaks for a few years before selling or developing their land.

Land owners who terminate the agreement before the 10-year period expires must pay the county all property taxes they would have saved under the agreement.

Owners pay 1 percent of the assessed value of their property upon purchase and absorb an increase of 2 percent each year.

By year's end, the county will have placed about 1,496 additional acres in the program, but one landowner withdrew 281 acres earlier this year, according to Settle.

Schillo said he expects the board to approve the measure.

``I don't see why anybody would complain about it because (land owners) already (volunteer) to do it,'' he said.