SANTA CLARA COUNTY – The Conservation Fund purchased the Richmond Ranch on Monday, a 3,653-acre property in southern Santa Clara County.
The Fund is a national organization that provides money to bridge the acquisition of conservation lands by private and public sources. In this case, they are buying the land from Chinese developer Z&N and selling it piecemeal over years to Santa Clara County.
The land itself is a bridge of sorts. From its location at the southern neck of San Felipe Road, it will allow the county to expand the Bay Area Ridge Trail with connections between the East Foothills, Coyote Valley, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Appraised at $37 million, the Conservation Fund bought it for $16 million, according to Edmond Sullivan, executive director of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency. His agency paired up with Valley Water to buy an initial 955.23-acre parcel for $4.5 million, which will be deeded to them from the fund by week’s end, he said.