The minimum contract for the Williamson Act is 10 years and is automatically renewed every year.  However the renewal may be stopped by advance notice by either the local government or the land owner.  The contract may also be canceled at any other time if  it is determined to be in the best interest of the public.

If for some reason the land is not being used for commercial agricultural production the contract could be canceled, may not be renewed, or may be exchanged for the Open Space Easement. 

The Open Space Easement does not require the land to be for commercial agricultural production, but does require the land to be relatively undeveloped in order to preserve natural resources.  A single family residence is usually found to be compatible with the Open Space Easement but it must again comply with specific criteria.

It seems that it is always a good idea to protect our natural resources, however protectiong them through easement or contractual restrictions is a decision one would have to carefully consider.   The Williamson Act is a binding contract  and is not just binding on the land owner, but also it’s successors.   Anytime an easement or restriction is present, property values may be affected, as may be the enjoyment of your land. 

Your local government has all the information you need to make an educated decision on wether the Williamson Act or the Open Space Easement is right for you.  Please take advantage of all information available to you before putting your land under any restrictions or allowing any easements!