Decision will be entered for respondent.
KROUPA,
Some of the facts have been stipulated and are so found. We incorporate the stipulation of facts, the first supplemental stipulation of facts, the second supplemental stipulation of facts and the accompanying exhibits by this reference. Petitioner 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*141 resided in California when he filed the petition.
Petitioner owned 882 acres of largely undeveloped land in Lake County, California, known as Blue Lakes Ranch (the ranch) through the Michael S. Mountanos Living Trust. Petitioner bought the property for recreational use for his family, such as deer hunting. Except for one small area, Federal land surrounded the ranch. The access roads to the ranch ran through neighboring properties, including Federal land that the Bureau of Land Management (Land Management Bureau) managed. The neighboring property owners granted petitioner easements to pass over their land for purposes of accessing the ranch. *140 The Land Management Bureau's easement granted limited access to the ranch for single-family use.
The Black Oak Springs Creek traverses the ranch. A permit is required to divert water from the Black Oak Springs Creek for private use. Petitioner did not have the required permit. The ranch also included other springs and two ponds.
The ranch was under a contract (Williamson Act contract) with Lake County that limited the ranch's use and development according to the California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act).
Petitioner timely filed an individual Federal income tax return for 2005 claiming a $4,691,500 charitable contribution deduction for the conservation easement he placed on the ranch. Petitioner could use only $1,343,704 of the deduction in 2005 because of the limitations of
Respondent issued petitioner a deficiency notice disallowing the claimed carryover deductions. Petitioner timely filed a petition challenging respondent's determination.
We must decide whether petitioner is entitled to any portion of the claimed charitable contribution deduction for placing a conservation easement on the undeveloped and rugged land the ranch encompassed. 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*143 A taxpayer may generally deduct any charitable contribution only if the contribution is verified under regulations the Secretary prescribed.
Respondent does not challenge that the conservation easement was a "qualified conservation contribution." Instead, respondent contends that the value *142 of the conservation easement was overstated and therefore challenges the amount of the claimed charitable contribution deduction. 22013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*144
We begin with the burden of proof. Deductions are a matter of legislative grace, and a taxpayer bears the burden of proving he or she is entitled to any claimed deductions.
The burden of proof, however, on factual issues that affect the taxpayer's tax liability may shift to the Commissioner where the taxpayer complies with all requirements.
We now consider the value of the conservation easement placed on the ranch. The amount of a charitable contribution of a conservation easement is the fair market value of the conservation easement when contributed.
Fair market value is defined as the "price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any *144 compulsion to buy or sell and both having reasonable knowledge of relevant facts."
Accordingly, we now consider the highest and best use of the ranch before and after petitioner established the conservation easement. The highest and best use of the ranch is the highest and most profitable use for which it is adaptable and needed or likely to be needed in the reasonably near future.
Petitioner presented reports and testimony of three expert witnesses to prove the highest and best use of the ranch before and after he established the conservation easement. 3 Petitioner's expert Mark Welch concluded that 287 acres of the ranch were suitable for vineyard use. Petitioner's expert Chris Bell concluded that the highest and best use of the ranch was vineyard use for 287 *146 acres of it and residential development use for the remaining acreage. Petitioner's expert John Lazaro concluded that the ranch's highest and best use was for vineyard use and "subdivision." 42013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*149 Both Mr. Bell and Mr. Lazaro determined that recreational use was the highest and best 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*148 use of the ranch after petitioner established the conservation easement. Respondent did not call any expert witnesses. Respondent relied on cross-examination instead.
We agree with petitioner's experts that the ranch's highest and best use was recreation after petitioner established the conservation easement. We find, however, that petitioner failed to show that either residential development and vineyard use, as Mr. Bell contends, or subdivision and vineyard use, as Mr. Lazaro contends, was the highest and best use of the ranch before petitioner established the conservation easement. We explain each reason we so find.
Petitioner failed to show that vineyard use was a legally permissible, physically possible and economically feasible use of the ranch.
Second, petitioner failed to establish that the ranch possessed an adequate water supply for vineyard use. Mr. Welch's determination that there was sufficient water for vineyard use depended on using water from Black Oak Springs Creek. A permit was required, however, to use or divert the Black Oak Springs Creek water for private use. Petitioner lacked a permit. Respondent contends, and petitioner fails to dispute, that petitioner could not have obtained the required permit. In addition, petitioner failed to establish that he had the legal right to use water from other springs that his expert identified as a potential water source. In any event, petitioner failed to show that water from 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*151 sources on the ranch other than Black Oak Springs was sufficient to support vineyard use.
*148 Third, petitioner failed to show there was demand for 287 acres of vineyard-suitable property in Lake County.
Finally, petitioner failed to show that vineyard use was economically feasible.
In conclusion, we find that petitioner 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*152 failed to establish that vineyard use was reasonably probable in the near future so as to affect the value of the ranch when the conservation easement was placed on it.
We now consider Mr. Bell's contention that the ranch's highest and best use was in part residential development. Mr. Bell opined that the ranch could be subdivided into up to 22 parcels for residential development. Mr. Bell failed to take into account, however, various legal restrictions prohibiting the subdivision of the ranch for residential development.
The Williamson Act contract made the ranch subject to the Williamson Act at the time the conservation easement was placed on the ranch. The Williamson Act's purpose is to preserve agricultural and open space land and to discourage premature urban development.
These land conservation contracts limit the land to agricultural and compatible uses for 10 or more years and may also include terms 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*153 and conditions more restrictive than those the Williamson Act requires.
The record does not reflect that petitioner or Lake County had given notice of non-renewal with respect to the Williamson Act contract before petitioner established the conservation easement. Additionally, petitioner did not argue or otherwise show that the Williamson Act contract could be cancelled. Accordingly, we consider whether residential development of the ranch would violate the Williamson Act and the Williamson Act contract.
The Williamson Act expressly prohibits the subdivision of land it governs except for transfers to immediate family members and for purposes of agricultural laborer housing.
*151 Petitioner also failed to show that residential development would not violate the Williamson Act contract. As previously mentioned, a land conservation contract entered into in accordance with the Williamson Act may restrict the use of a property to a greater extent than that provided in the Williamson Act.
Subdividing land subject to the Williamson Act for residential development purposes is also prohibited by
*153 We find that petitioner failed to establish that subdividing 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*157 the ranch for residential development was a probable use of the ranch in the near future at the time petitioner established the conservation easement.
Mr. Lazaro concluded that subdivision was in part the ranch's highest and best use but did not specify a purpose or use for which the ranch would be subdivided. Like Mr. Bell, Mr. Lazaro failed to take into account that the Williamson Act prohibits subdivision of land except for two narrow exceptions requiring stringent conditions be met.
We ultimately find that petitioner failed to show that the before and after highest and best use of the ranch differed.
We now 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*158 consider the fair market value of the ranch. Petitioner contends that the ranch's fair market value after he established the conservation easement was less than its fair market value before he established the conservation easement. Petitioner's contention is predicated on the ranch's losing its potential highest and best uses; i.e., residential development and vineyard use as Mr. Bell contends or subdivision and vineyard use as Mr. Lazaro contends. Because we found that petitioner failed to prove that the ranch's before and after highest and best use differed, it follows that petitioner also failed to show that the conservation easement diminished the ranch's after fair market value. Thus, petitioner failed to show that the conservation easement had any value. We hold therefore that petitioner is not entitled to the claimed charitable contribution carryover deductions for the years at issue.
Respondent determined a 40% gross valuation misstatement penalty for each year at issue. A taxpayer may be liable for a 40% penalty on that portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more gross valuation misstatements.
Respondent bears the burden of production on the applicability of the accuracy-related penalty in that he must come forward with sufficient evidence indicating that it is 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*160 proper to impose the penalty.
We have considered all the arguments of the parties, and, to the extent we have not addressed 2013 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 140">*161 them, we find them to be irrelevant, moot or meritless.
To reflect the foregoing,
1. All section references are to the Internal Revenue Code in effect for the years at issue, and all Rule references are to the Tax Court Rules of Practice and Procedure, unless otherwise indicated.↩
2. Respondent also asserts that petitioner did not meet certain substantiation requirements. In particular, he asserts that petitioner did not acquire a "contemporaneous written acknowledgment" from the donee organization or a "qualified appraisal" as required.
3. As the trier of fact, the Court must weigh the evidence the experts presented in light of their demonstrated qualifications in addition to all other credible evidence.
4. We note that we give little to no weight to Mr. Lazaro's report and testimony because petitioner failed to establish that he was qualified to appraise real estate. Although Mr. Lazaro has been a real estate broker for a number of years, he does not hold an appraisal designation from a recognized professional appraiser organization. Additionally, the record does not reflect that Mr. Lazaro has any formal training or education in appraising real estate or that he regularly performs real estate appraisals.
5. We note that where a party who has the burden of proof fails to introduce evidence within his control and which, if true, would be favorable to him, it gives rise to a presumption that, if produced, the evidence would be unfavorable.
6. The Subdivision Map Act,
7. Petitioner does not claim nor has he shown that any proposed residential development would be incidental to the commercial or agriculture use of the ranch.↩
8.
9. We note that for returns filed after Aug. 17, 2006, the applicable percentage in