Ste. Marie v. Riverside County Regional Park & Open-Space District

Opinion

WERDEGAR, J.

We address today a question of statutory interpretation, the answer to which will have a profound effect on how regional park and open space districts can manage their real property holdings. The dispute in this case centers on a purported conflict between Public Resources Code 1 section 5565, which suggests real property is deemed “dedicated” for park or open space purposes at the moment of acquisition by a district, and section 5540, which suggests land is “actually dedicated” only after a district’s board of directors adopts a formal resolution for such purposes. The…