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RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
CALIFORNIA-PACIFIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE
OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
This Resolution was passed by written consent of the Board of Trustees of the California-
Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church("the California-Pacific Conference"or
"Conference"),with reference to the following facts and circumstances:
A. WHEREAS the California-Pacific Conference is a regional body of The United
Methodist Church, made up of some 80,000 members in almost 360 local churches throughout
Southern California,parts of Central California,Hawaii,the Pacific Islands,Guam and Saipan,and
whose people have been dedicated for more than a century to realizing the vision of inspiring the
world as followers of Jesus Christ and through God's life-giving love;
B. WHEREAS the California-Pacific Conference is a California nonprofit religious
corporation that provides programs and support services to,and on behalf of,the member churches,
and requires that, following the "Book of Discipline and the connectional structure of The United
Methodist church,all assets and equity of the Conference are held"in trust," such that they shall be
kept,maintained,and disposed of for the benefit of The United Methodist Church and subject to the
usages and the Discipline of The United Methodist Church."
C. WHEREAS the mission and ministry of the Conference has included throughout its
history the United Methodist camp and retreat ministries,which create environments of Christian
hospitality and learning within natural settings designed specifically to help persons and groups
affirm and expand their faith in God,learn and practice Christian discipleship, grow in wisdom and
in healthy self-esteem,establish relationships with one another and all creation,develop as spiritual
leaders who move out to inspire faith communities and society at large to "seek God and to do
justice," and find renewal, encouragement, and support as leaders and participants from a host of
religiously affiliated and non-profit organizations;
D. WHEREAS the California-Pacific Conference has six camping and retreat ministry
sites located throughout Southern California that provide a wide range of opportunities for people
who wish to retreat to affirm and expand their faith in God in a natural setting. These sites include
Aldersgate,Arroyo Grande,Cedar'Glen,Colby Ranch,Lazy W Ranch,and Wrightwood. Each site
is different,providing a unique place for people'to dialogue together or to bealone,but ultimately to
help individuals draw closer to God;
E. WHEREAS the Conference's Arroyo Grande camping and retreat ministry site
originated with that certain grant deed dated June 17, 1897,recorded in Book 34,Pages 467-470 of
the records of San Luis Obispo County,whereby J.F.Beckett and Souria B.Beckett granted to the
Arroyo Grande M.E. Church approximately fifteen(15) acres of land as described therein, "to be
held . . . in trust for the use and benefit of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of San
Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Kern, Kings, Tulare and Fresno Counties, as a religious,
educational and pleasure resort," subject to the proviso that"should said property for any reason
cease to be used for the purposes herein before set forth,then in that case the title to said property --- -
shall immediately revert to the grantors. . .";
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F. WHEREAS the Conference's Arroyo Grande camping and retreat ministry site
increased in size with that certain grant deed dated September 19, 1910 recorded in Deeds Book 87,
pp.42-43, of the records of San Luis Obispo County,whereby J.F. Beckett granted to the Arroyo
Grande Methodist Episcopal Church approximately 29 acres of land(the"Property") as described
therein,including the acres previously conveyed by the deed dated June 17, 1897 described above,
provided that the Property "shall be held by said grantee corporation . . . in trust for the use and
benefit of the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara,
Ventura,Kern,Kings,Tulare and Fresno Counties . . .";
G. WHEREAS at all times from the execution of the 1897 Deed to the execution of the
1910 Deed,J.F.Beckett was directly affiliated with the Arroyo Grande Methodist Episcopal Church
and, in connection with his conveyances to the Arroyo Grande Methodist Episcopal Church by
means of the 1897 Deed and the 1910 Deed, the church expressly or impliedly agreed to use the
Property for church purposes and did in fact so use the Property, as evidenced by construction of a
tabernacle on the site conveyed by the 1897 Deed,the use of the tabernacle for church prayer and
church meetings, and the continuous use of the land for camp and retreat ministry purposes;
H. WHEREAS subsequent to the 1897 Deed and the 1910 Deed,the Property has been
conveyed to diverse successors in interest,each successor an entity of or person associated with the
Methodist Church, with title presently held to Assessor's Parcel Number 007-011-022 by the
California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church,as legally described on the
attached Exhibit A, and with title to Assessor's Parcel Numbers 007-011-021 and 007-011-049
presently held by the California Pacific Annual Conference Camp Commission of the Methodist
Church,an entity which has merged into the Conference,as legally described on attached Exhibit B;
I. WHEREAS the right of reverter as referenced in the 1897 Deed became void as of
January 1, 1987, due to lapase of time and failure to comply with the requirements of Civil Code
section 885.030 et seq.;
J. WHEREAS with the passage of years,use of the tabernacle and surrounding land for
church purposes has become increasingly infeasible, and the costs of maintaining,preserving and
operating the campground has become a burden which detracts from the ability of the Conference to
carry out its mission and ministry, such that continued ownership of the Property is no longer in
accord with the policies or best interests of the Conference;
K. WHEREAS the Conference has in good faith concluded that use of the Property for
the general purposes of the Conference as effectuated by a sale of the Property in lieu of the specific
purpose for which the Property was contributed is warranted and necessary in order best to carry
forward the mission and ministry of the Conference;
L. WHEREAS the First United Methodist Church of Arroyo Grande,formerly known
as the Arroyo Grande Methodist Episcopal Church,has likewise in good faith concluded that use of
the Property for the general purposes of the Conference-as effectuated by sale of the Property in lieu
of the specific purpose for which the Property was contributed is warranted and necessary in order
best to carry forward the mission and ministry of the First United Methodist Church of Arroyo
Grande, as a member of the Conference;
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M. WHEREAS the good faith decisions of the Conference and the First United
Methodist Church of Arroyo Grande to sell the Property were made in recognition of their
increasingly infrequent use of the site, the unsuitability of the site to the current needs and
membership of the Conference and the church,the unending and escalating costs associated with the
maintenance of the Property's land and structures, the inability of the Conference to defray this
financial burden through rentals of the Property to church groups and non-profit individuals and
organizations whose camping and retreat purposes must be consistent with the ministry of the
Conference, and the financial understanding that the Property has no continuing use within the
mission of the California-Pacific Conference except as an important source of revenue to be
generated by a sale,the proceeds of which will further the ministry of The United Methodist Church;
N. WHEREAS the California-Pacific Conference engaged the services of a professional
real estate brokerage firm to market and offer the Property for sale in November 2015, received
inquiries from several prospective purchases including developers who wish to build housing on the
Property in place of the current camp and tabernacle structures,has not entered into an agreement to
sell the Property, has been advised by its real estate broker that the receipt of offers and the
consummation of a sale have been impeded by the recent initiation by the City of Arroyo Grande
(the"City")of the historic designation process described below,and has been further advised by its
real estate broker that any historic designation of the Property by the City will substantially reduce
the field of prospective purchasers and the Property's purchase price because the designation will
impose new City limitations,constraints and discretionary approvals on the future use,development
and maintenance of the Property;
0. WHEREAS the California-Pacific Conference learned in April 2016 that voice
messages had been left by the City for the on-site camp director of the Property advising him that the
Historical Resources Committee of the City of Arroyo Grande had scheduled hearings to consider
designating the Property as a historical resource of the City;
P. WHEREAS the Conference thereafter concluded that,because no advance written
notice was published or provided to the California-Pacific Conference of public hearings held by the
City's Historical Resources Committee on March 11 and April 15, 2016, at which the historical
designation of the Property was discussed, the City of Arroyo Grande did not follow its own
municipal code procedures in initiating the designation of the Property as a historic resource;
Q. WHEREAS in response to the oral and written request of the California-Pacific
Conference on May 3 and 4, 2016, the City has required its Historical Resources Committee to
restart its proceedings to initiate consideration of designation of the Property as a historic resource,
and formally notified the Conference in writing on June 3,2016 that the rescheduled consideration
by the Historical Resources Committee will occur at a public hearing on June 10,2016;
R. WHEREAS California Government Code section 37361 ("Section 37361") provides
in subdivision(b)that the legislative body of a city"may provide for places,buildings,structures,
works of art,and other objects,having a special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or
value,special conditions or regulations for their protection,enhancement,perpetuation or use,which
may include appropriate and reasonable control of the use or appearance of neighboring private
property within public view, or both.";
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S. WHEREAS subdivision(c) of Section 37361 provides: "Subdivision(b)shall not
apply to noncommercial property owned by any association or corporation that is religiously
affiliated and not organized for private profit,whether the corporation is organized as a religious
corporation, or as a public benefit corporation,provided that both of the following occur: (1)The
association or corporation objects to the application of the subdivision to its property. (2) The
association or corporation determines in a public forum that it will suffer substantial hardship,which
is likely to deprive the association or corporation of economic return on its property,the reasonable
use of its property,or the appropriate use of its property in the furtherance of its religious mission,if
the application is approved.";
T. WHEREAS the California Supreme Court has confirmed that that the exemption
provisions of Section 37361 "prohibit application of any local landmark preservation law to property
owned by a religious entity that satisfies the statutory criteria through which the-owner may exempt
its noncommercial property." East Bay Asian Local Development Corp.v.State of California(2000)
24 Ca1.4th 693, 102 Cal.Rptr.2d 280, 13 P.3d 1122; and
U. WHEREAS,to satisfy the exemption criteria of Section 37361,the California-Pacific
Conference must object to designation of the Property as a historic resource by the City of Arroyo
Grande, and must determine in a public forum that, if designation by the City is approved, the
Conference will suffer substantial hardship which is likely to deprive it of economic return on its
Property,the reasonable use of its Property,or the appropriate use of its Property in the furtherance
of the religious mission of the Conference. -
NO W THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the California-Pacific Annual Conference
of The United Methodist Church:
1. Objects to the City's application of its historic resource designation process to the
Property and to designation of the Property as a historic resource of the City of Arroyo Grande.
2. Determines that, if the City continues its historic resource designation process or
approves a historic resource designation,the Conference will suffer substantial hardship which is
likely to deprive it of economic return on the Property and the reasonable and appropriate use of the
Property as a source of revenue to be generated by the Property's sale, which revenue shall be
applied to further the religious mission of the California-Pacific Conference and The United
Methodist Church.
3. Determines that it is impractical or impossible for the Conference to devote the
Property to the specific purpose for which it was contributed to the First United Methodist Church
and in good faith concludes and hereby records in writing that the stated purpose for which the
Property was contributed is no longer in accord with the policies or best interests of the Conference,
thereby ratifying use of the Property for general purposes of the Conference rather than the specific
purpose for which its was contributed.
4. Instructs its Chancellor to take all necessary and appropriate actions to ensure that this
Resolution, including its contents and its determination regarding the Property, are stated in the
public forum of the Historical Resources Committee hearing that the City of Arroyo Grande has
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calendared in this matter for June 10,2016, or at another near-term public forum provided by the
City if the June 10,2016 hearing date is changed.
5. Directs its Chancellor to work cooperatively with the City of Arroyo Grande to
donate the tabernacle structure to the City,without charge or payment to the Conference of any kind,
subject to the obligation of the City and/or its designees to relocate the tabernacle structure by
December 31,2016(or by such other reasonable date that will not deprive the Conference of sales
revenue) from the Property to an off-site location of the City's choosing, so long as all costs,
expenses and liabilities arising out of the effort to relocate the tabernacle are borne by the City
and/or its designees,with appropriate insurance and indemnification agreements for the benefit and
protection of the California-Pacific Conference.
6. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,that the Chancellor shall report back to the Board
of Trustees as maybe necessary and appropriate regarding the Property and the matters that are the
subject of this Resolution.
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42111/14
Archana Carey I Date
Conference Treasurer
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CERTIFICATE OF SECRETARY
The undersigned hereby certifies that he/she is the duly elected and qualified
Secretary (Interim) of the California-Pacific Annual Conference of The United
Methodist Church, a nonprofit religious corporation duly formed pursuant to the
laws of the state of California, and that the foregoing is a true_record of a
resolution duly adopted by the Board of Trustee of the California-Pacific Annual
Conference of The United Methodist Church,in accordance with state law and the
Bylaws of the above named Corporation, and that said resolution is now in full
force and effect without modification or rescission.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,I have executed my name as Secretary (Interim)this
7 of June 2016.
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aPNILI-L.-1'
Rev.Dan Lewis
Conference Secretary(Interim)
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