REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 16, 2025
FROM
TERRY W. THOMPSON, Director, Real Estate Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Public Parks Proceeds Agreement with the City of Ontario
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Public Parks Proceeds Agreement with the City of Ontario, for a term of 20 years, to provide incentives backed by the City of Ontario for San Bernardino County to sell County-owned properties, located within the City of Ontario, to the City of Ontario for the benefit of the Grand Park and other related City of Ontario parks and projects by funding and facilitating the City of Ontario’s ability to acquire and develop land for enlargement and development of the Grand Park through the City of Ontario’s resale of eligible properties.
2. Authorize the Director of Real Estate Services Department to execute any non-substantive documents necessary to complete this transaction, subject to County Counsel review.
(Presenter: Terry W. Thompson, Director, 387-5000)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
Under the Public Parks Proceeds Agreement, the City of Ontario (City) will pay fair market value for eligible real property that the City approves and acquires from San Bernardino County (County) as established by an appraisal and negotiations between the parties. When the City resells any property to a bona fide third party, the City shall receive 60% of net proceeds and the County shall receive 40% of net proceeds for each sale (net of closing costs pursuant to each subsequent resale).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Throughout the 1990s, the County acquired 366.55 acres of dairy properties in the cities of Chino and Ontario with a $20 million Wildlife, Coastal, and Park Land Conservation Bond Act (Proposition 70) grant for the purposes of funding the “acquisition, development, rehabilitation, protection, or restoration of park, wildlife, coastal and natural lands in California, including lands supporting unique or endangered plants or animals.” Approximately 201.25 acres are located in the City.
Separately, the City has adopted a Master Plan to deliver a recreational and open space public facility in South Ontario, commonly known as the Grand Park. The Grand Park is envisioned as a 340-acre passive park, although to date, the City only owns 120 acres within the Grand Park footprint. The City desires to encourage the County to acquire property within the City for park and/or open space uses, or make investments in existing City park property, including but not limited to property associated with the Grand Park.
The City and County are desirous of advancing the quality of life of their respective residents and protecting the natural environment by supporting and encouraging long term development of high-quality parks, recreation and open space for the benefit of present and future residents. To that end, the parties developed the Public Parks Proceeds Agreement (Agreement).
Under the Agreement, the County may sell one or more County-owned properties previously acquired by the County pursuant to Proposition 70, as modified by Senate Bill 1124 (SB 1124), located within the city, to the City for the benefit of the Grand Park and other related City parks and projects (Project). This partnership will allow both entities to serve the residents of both the City and County by funding and facilitating the City’s ability to acquire and develop land for the Project through the City’s resale of eligible City purchased properties. The City will pay fair market value for eligible real property that the City approves and acquires from the County as established by an appraisal and negotiations between the parties. When the City resells any Property to a third party, the City shall receive 60% of the net proceeds and the County shall receive 40% of net proceeds for each sale. Pursuant to the Agreement, the City shall not resell any such property to a third party for any amount equal to or less than the purchase price the City paid the County for such property.
This item will authorize the Director of Real Estate Services Department (RESD) to execute non-substantive documents necessary to complete this transaction, subject to County Counsel review. The RESD Director will not be authorized to execute any documents that would bind the County to any actions not contemplated by, or arising from, the transaction which is the subject of these Recommendations.
For all future transactions under this Agreement, the parties shall comply with the Surplus Land Act (Government Code §§ 54220 et seq.) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code § 21000 et seq.), as may be applicable. The approval of this agreement does not constitute a project under CEQA.
Future transactions under this agreement will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval at such time as they are finalized, and said transactions will comply with Proposition 70, SB 1124, and any applicable Government Code Sections.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (John Tubbs II, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 24, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Eduardo Mora, Administrative Analyst, 387-4376) on December 1, 2025.
(BJO: 659-4676)