Negotiating a Settlement to Retain a Property Owner's Oil Rights

We represented Coldwater Farms in an eminent domain action filed by the County of Santa Barbara (County) for a conservation easement.

The conservation easement threatened to acquire substantial quantities of oil owned by Coldwater Farms as the owner of the mineral estate.

We successfully negotiated a settlement that resulted in the County limiting its acquisition to the surface and entirely preserving Coldwater Farms' significant mineral estate.  County of Santa Barbara v. Coldwater Farms.