CC - Item 6A - SB 355 (Lara) Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Board Representation (5/
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ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
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CIVIC PRIDE STAFF REPORT
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TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGER /,//
DATE: MAY 26, 2015
SUBJECT: SB 355 (Lara) Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Board Representation
SUMMARY
Mayor Clark, who serves on the Board of Directors for the San Gabriel and Lower Los
Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC), has placed this item on the agenda
for consideration by the City Council. At issue is SB 355 (Lara) which seeks to change
the representation on the RMC board of directors. A position letter on this bill is being
presented for City Council for consideration.
Staff Recommendation: That the City Council provide direction on this matter.
BACKGROUND
Attached is a copy of SB 355 introduced by Senator Lara with Assembly Member
Rendon as the principal co-author. The bill proposes to change the criteria by which
representation on the RMC board representing Orange County is selected. Existing law
provides that the RMC board, among other voting members, include 2 members of the
Orange County Division of the League of California Cities. This bill instead would
require that only one member of the Orange County Division of the League of California
Cities be a voting member, and that one member be appointed by the Governor as a
voting member. The bill would also increase the number of non-voting members from 7
members to 9 members.
Also attached is a letter that has been prepared for signature of the Mayor.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process.
Attachments
ITEM NUMBER: 10-N
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 6, 2015
SENATE BILL No. 355
Introduced by Senator Lara
(Principal coauthor:Assembly Member Rendon)
February 24, 2015
An act to amend Section 32605 of the Public Resources Code,relating
to the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains
Conservancy.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 355, as amended, Lara. San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy.
Existing law establishes the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, which is responsible for the
preservation and protection of specified lands within the San Gabriel
and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains area,as defined.Existing
law prescribes the duties of the conservancy, and requires that it be
comprised of 13 voting members and 7 nonvoting members,as specified.
Existing law requires that the voting members include, among other
members, 2 members of the Orange County Division of the League of
California Cities,both of whom shall be a mayor or city council member
of a city bordering the San Gabriel River or tributary thereof.
This bill would instead require that only one member of the Orange
County Division of the League of California Cities be a voting member,
and would require that a resident of a city, not otherwise represented
on the board at the time of the appointment and bordering the Lower
Los Angeles River, be appointed by the Senator Committee on Rules,
be Governor as prescribed, as a voting member. The bill would also
increase the number of nonvoting members to 9,and would require that
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SB 355 —2—
one Member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules, and one Member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of
the Assembly,serve as those nonvoting members.The bill would require
that those legislators serving as nonvoting members represent a district
that is at least partially contained within the territory of the conservancy
and participate in activities of the conservancy only to the extent that
participation is compatible with his or her duties as a legislator.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 32605 of the Public Resources Code is
2 amended to read:
3 32605. The board shall consist of 13 voting members and nine
4 nonvoting members, as follows:
5 (a) The 13 voting members of the board shall consist of all of
6 the following:
7 (1) One member of the Board of Supervisors of the County of
8 Los Angeles, or his or her designee, who represents the area or a
9 portion thereof contained within the territory of the conservancy,
10 appointed by the Governor.
11 (2) Two members of the board of dircctors Governing Board
12 of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, one of whom
13 shall be a mayor or city council member of a city bordering along
14 the San Gabriel River, and one of whom shall be a mayor or city
15 council member of a city bordering the San Gabriel Mountains
16 area. One member shall be appointed by a majority of the
17 membership of that board of directors, and one member shall be
18 appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules from a list of two or
19 more potential members submitted by the board of directors. If
20 the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments fails to provide
21 to the Senate Committee on Rules a list of two or more potential
22 members, at least 30 days prior to the date a current member's
23 term of office expires,the Senate Committee on Rules may appoint
24 a mayor or city council member of a city bordering along the San
25 Gabriel River or the San Gabriel Mountains, or a member of the
26 public who resides within the territory of the conservancy.
27 (3) Two members of the board of dircctors Board of Directors
28 of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments,one of whom shall
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1 be the mayor of the City of Long Beach or a city council member
2 of the City of Long Beach appointed by the mayor, and one of
3 whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly from a
4 list of two or more potential members submitted by the executive
5 committee of the board of dircctors Board of Directors of the
6 Gateway Cities Council of Governments.The executive committee
7 shall submit lists of potential members to the Speaker of the
8 Assembly until an acceptable member is appointed.
9 (4) One member of the Orange County Division of the League
10 of California Cities,who shall be a mayor or city council member
11 of a city bordering along the San Gabriel River or a tributary
12 thereof. The member shall be appointed by the Governor from a
13 list of two or more potential members submitted by the city
14 selection committee.
15 (5) One member shall be a representative of a member of the
16 San Gabriel Valley Water Association appointed by a majority of
17 the membership of the board of directors of the San Gabriel Valley
18 Water Association.
19 (6) One member shall be a representative of the Central Basin
20 Water Association appointed by a majority of the membership of
21 the board of directors of the Central Basin Water Association.
22 (7) One member shall be a resident of Los Angeles County
23 appointed by the Governor from a list of potential members
24 submitted by local,state,and national environmental organizations
25 that operate within the County of Los Angeles and within the
26 territory of the conservancy and that have participated in planning
27 for river restoration or open space, or both, or river preservation.
28 : O -- --- -- :„ , •• :: ' : - :- - f a city bordering the Lower
29 Los Angeles River, appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
30 (8) One member, appointed by the Governor, who is a resident
31 of a city, not otherwise represented on the board at the time of the
32 member's appointment, bordering the Lower Los Angeles Riven
33 The Governor shall make the appointment from a list of two or
34 more potential members submitted by the executive committee of
35 the Board of Directors of the Gateway Cities Council of
36 Governments. The executive committee shall submit lists of
37 potential members to the Governor until he or she appoints a
38 member.
39 (9) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, or his or
40 her designee.
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SB 355 —4—
1 (10) The Secretary for Environmental Protection, or his or her
2 designee.
3 (11) The Director of Finance, or his or her designee.
4 (b) (1) Seven of the ex officio,nonvoting members shall consist
5 of the following officers or an employee of each agency designated
6 annually by that officer to represent the office or agency:
7 (A) The District Engineer of the United States Army Corps of
8 Engineers.
9 (B) The Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region of
10 the United States Forest Service.
11 (C) The Director of the Los Angeles County Department of
12 Public Works.
13 (D) The Director of the Orange County Public Facility and
14 Resource Department.
15 (E) A member of the San Gabriel River Watermaster,appointed
16 by a majority of the members of the San Gabriel River
17 Watermaster.
18 (F) The Director of Parks and Recreation.
19 (G) The Executive Officer of the Wildlife Conservation Board.
20 (2) Two of the nonvoting member shall be the following:
21 (A) One Member of the Senate, appointed by the Senate
22 Committee on Rules, whose Senate district is at least partially
23 contained within the territory of the conservancy.
24 (B) One Member of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker
25 of the Assembly, whose Assembly district is at least partially
26 contained within the territory of the conservancy.
27 (C) A member appointed pursuant to this paragraph shall meet
28 with the conservancy and participate in its activities to the extent
29 that participation is compatible with his or her duties as a Member
30 of the Legislator.
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MARGARET CLARK
MAYOR PRO TEM:
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COUNCIL MEMBERS:
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WILLIAM ALARCON °"'°0""'E°,0 TELEPHONE(626)569-2100
PoLLY Low FAX(626)307-9218
STEVEN LY
May 21, 2015
The Honorable Ricardo Lara
California State Senate
State Capitol,Room 5050
Sacramento, California 95814
SUBJECT: OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED — SB 355 — San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy.
On behalf of the City of Rosemead, we are writing to advise you of our opposition to SB 355 while
respectfully requesting amendments that we believe will fulfill your interest in adding a voting seat to the
conservancy board while retaining critical voting representation for Orange County. We support the
following amendments to the bill:
1. Switch the Orange County City seat being dropped in the bill's current language to eliminate the
governor-appointed seat as recommended by the City Selection Committee of Orange County.
The seat that would remain would be the Orange County City seat that is chosen by a majority
vote of the City Selection Committee of Orange County. (This is requested because the
governor-appointed OC seat has been vacant since April 2009. We do not wish to lose the only
one of our voting seats that currently is filled!)
2. Move the Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works form nonvoting to
voting status.
3. Move the Director of the Orange County Public Works Department from nonvoting to voting
status—and amend the name of the department,which has changed.
The City of Rosemead opposes any legislation that would reduce Orange County's representation on the
regional boards, as SB 355 currently contemplates. We have been active partners with Los Angeles
County and area cities in fulfilling the mission of the conservancy, whose area includes portions of
Orange County. There is much important work ahead for the conservancy and we desire full participation
by our representatives.
For these reasons, the City of Rosemead is respectfully seeking amendments to the bill that we believe
would honor your desire to add representation to the conservancy board without diminishing Orange
County's participation.
Sincerely,
Margaret Clark
Mayor, City of Rosemead
Cc Senator Ed Hernandez,Fax (916) 445-0485
Assembly Member Ed Chau, Fax (916) 319-2149