Title
Recommend the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors:
a) Approve a Grazing Lease Agreement with Heartland Mark LLC in the amount of $28,672 for year one increasing annually by 2.5-percent, from November 1, 2026, through October 31, 2036, for grazing lands located at the Nacimiento 5 lease area; and
b) Authorize the General Manager of the Agency to execute the lease agreement, subject to approval as to form by the County Counsel’s Office. (Staff: Shaunna Murray)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommend the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors:
a) Approve a Grazing Lease Agreement with Heartland Mark LLC in the amount of $28,672 for year one increasing annually by 2.5-percent, from November 1, 2026, through October 31, 2036, for grazing lands located at the Nacimiento 5 lease area; and
b) Authorize the General Manager of the Agency to execute the lease agreement, subject to approval as to form by the County Counsel’s Office.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (Agency) manages various grazing leases on Agency-owned lands surrounding Nacimiento and San Antonio Reservoirs. The Grazing Lease Program supports responsible livestock grazing while promoting watershed protection, vegetation management, wildfire fuel reduction, infrastructure stewardship, and long-term land management objectives. The program encompasses approximately 16,400 acres of Agency-owned rangelands associated with the Nacimiento and San Antonio Reservoir systems. These lands include a mix of open grazing areas, rolling rangelands, oak woodlands, road and utility access corridors, and areas containing Agency infrastructure.
The current grazing leases are set to expire on October 31, 2026. The Agency has prepared an updated Grazing Lease Agreement (attachment 1) and is in the final phase of the bid process for five of the leases: San Antonio 1 & 2; San Antonio 3; San Antonio 4 & Nacimiento 1; Nacimiento 2; and Nacimiento 3A & ...
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