Section 37015.

The board shall approve only contributions of properties that meet one or more of the following criteria:

(a) The property will help meet the goals of a habitat conservation plan, multispecies conservation plan, natural community conservation plan, or any other similar plan subsequently authorized by statute that is designed to benefit native species of plants, including, but not limited to, protecting forests, old growth trees, or oak woodlands, and animals and development. In proposing and approving the acceptance of contributed property pursuant to this subdivision, the recovery benefits for listed species, the habitat value of the property, the value of the property as a wildlife corridor, and similar habitat-related considerations shall be the criteria on which the acceptance is based.

(b) The property will provide corridors or reserves for native plants and wildlife that will help improve the recovery possibilities of listed species and increase the chances that the species will recover sufficiently to be eligible to be removed from the list, or will help avoid the listing of species pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code) or the federal Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.), or protect wetlands, waterfowl habitat, or river or stream corridors, or promote the biological viability of important California species.

(c) The property interest is a perpetual conservation easement over agricultural land, or is a permanent contribution of agricultural land, that is threatened by development and is located in an unincorporated area certified by the secretary to be zoned for agricultural use by the county. Property accepted pursuant to this subdivision shall be accepted pursuant to the California Farmland Conservancy Program Act established by Division 10.2 (commencing with Section 10200), pursuant to the agricultural conservation program of the Coastal Conservancy, or pursuant to the Bay Area Conservancy Program established pursuant to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 31160) of Division 21.

(d) (1) The property interest is a water right, or land with an associated water right, and the contribution of the property will help improve the chances of recovery of a listed species, will reduce the likelihood that any species of fish or other aquatic organism will be listed pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act (Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 2050) of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code)) or the federal Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.), will improve the protection of listed species, or will improve the viability and health of fish species of economic importance to the state. The donee receiving the water right, or land with an associated water right, shall ensure that it shall retain title to the water right, and that the water shall be used to fulfill the purposes for which the water right or land associated with a water right is being accepted.

(2) Any contribution of a water right that includes a change in the point of diversion, place of use, or purpose of use may be made only if the proposed change will not injure any legal user of the water involved and is made in accordance with either Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 1700), or Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 1725), of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Water Code.

(e) The property will be used as a park or open space or will augment public access to or enjoyment of existing regional or local park, beach, or open-space facilities, or will preserve archaeological resources.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 113) by Stats. 2000, Ch. 900, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2001.)