Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04122005 - C31 e i TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS _ - CENTRA .:: COSTA FROM: John Sweeten,County Administrator , COUNTY DATE: April 12,2005 SUBJECT: SB 200 (Machado)- Support SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S)& BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): SUPPORT SB 200 (Machado) which would expand the authority of the State Coastal Conservancy to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Area, establish a conservancy program and account for the Delta area and take related actions. BACKGROUND/REASON(S)FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): Contra Costa County does not have a specific state policy position on this issue; however for several years, the County's federal platform has included positions on regional watershed plug and regional habitat planning and conservation programs, all of which encompass the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Area. SB 200 (Machado)is consistent with the Board's adopted federal position. SB 200 (Machado) would expand the authority of the State Coastal Conservancy to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Area, add a representative to the Conservancy from this area, establish a conservancy program for the Delta and a program account. The purpose of the bill is protect, enhance and restore the overall quality of the Delta environment with respect to resources, including but not limited to, agriculture, wildlife habitat, public access and recreational opportunities. SB 200 provides for a mechanism for a coordinated, comprehensive and more effective approach to achieving these objectives. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: u/ ES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMIMSTRATOR RECOMMENDATION COMMITTEE OVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S). �- ACTION OF BO APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED217 OTHER 7 VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS(ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Sara Hoffirnan,3354050 ATTESTED cc: CAO JOHN SWEETEN,(CLERK OF Community Development THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Nielsen, Merksamer(via CAO) AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR DEPUTY SENATin" T No. 200 E JUILIUJU Introduced by Senator Machado February 10,2005 An act to amend Section 31100.5 of,, and to add Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 31180) to Division 21 of, the Public Resources Code,relating to coastal resources. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 200, as introduced, Machado. Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Program. Existing law authorizes the State Coastal Conservancy to acquire, manage, direct the management of, and conserve specified coastal lands and wetlands in the state. Existing law requires 6 Members of the Legislature, appointed as specified,to meet with the State Coastal Conservancy and participate in its activities to the extent not incompatible with their legislative positions. This bill would additionally provide that these appointments shall balance representation among coastal California, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Delta appropriate to the conservancy's activities. This bill would establish the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Program,to be administered by the conservancy,for the purpose of restoring, enhancing, and protecting the unique agricultural, economic, natural, cultural, recreational, public access, and urban waterfront resources and opportunities of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, as defined, in a coordinated, comprehensive, and effective manner, as prescribed. The bill would create the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy Program Account in the State Coastal Conservancy Fund, for the purpose of depositing and disbursing funds for the administration and implementation of the program. The bill would require that the money in the account be segregated into 2 99 SB 200 2 subaccounts; one of which would contain state funds that are appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program; and one of which would contain nonstate funds that are derived from other sources,exclusive of federal funds, for the purposes of the program. 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 31100.5 of the Public Resources Code is 2 amended to read: 3 31100.5 Three Members of the Senate, appointed by the 4 Senate Rules Committee, and three Members of the Assembly, 5 appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, shall meet with the 6 conservancy and participate in its activities to the extent that such 7 participation is not incompatible with their respective positions 8 as Members of the Legislature. These appointments shall balance 9 representation among coastal California, the San Francisco Bay 10 Area, and the Delta appropriate to the conservancy's activities, 11 and shall assure that each area is represented by at least one 12 Member of the Legislature. 13 SEC. 2. Chapter 4.6 (commencing with Section 31180) is 14 added to Division 21 of the Public Resources Code,to read: 15 16 CHAPTER 4.6. SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA 17 CONSERVANCY PROGRAM 18 19 31180. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy 20 Program is established pursuant to this chapter, to be 21 administered by the conservancy, for the purpose of restoring, 22 enhancing, and protecting the unique agricultural, economic, 23 natural,cultural,historical,recreational,public access,and urban 24 waterfront resources and opportunities of the Sacramento-San 25 Joaquin Delta in a coordinated, comprehensive, and effective 26 manner. 27 31181. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the 28 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta constitutes a region of significant 29 statewide importance to the people of California. The Legislature 30 further finds and declares that one of the state's primary goals for 31 the delta is to protect, maintain, enhance, and restore the overall 99 T SB 200 1 quality of the delta environment with respect to resources, 2 including, but not limited to, agriculture, wildlife habitat, public 3 access,and recreational opportunities. 4 (b) The Legislature further fmds that, in order to protect the 5 delta, it is important that urban development not occur in the 6 primary zone, as defined in Section 29728, so that agriculture, 7 wildlife,and recreation are allowed to flourish. 8 31182. For purposes of this chapter,the following terms have 9 the following meanings: 10 (a) "Commission"means the Delta Protection Commission as 11 established pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12 29735) of Division 19.5. 13 (b) "Delta" means the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, as 14 defined in Section 12220 of the Water Code,and,in addition,the 15 area within the incorporated limits of the City of Rio Vista. 16 (c) "Program" means the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta 17 Conservancy Program established pursuant to this chapter. 18 31183. The conservancy may undertake projects in the delta 19 and may award grants or make loans to public agencies and 20 nonprofit organizations to achieve the following goals of the 21 program: 22 (a) Promotion of farming in a manner that integrates 23 agricultural activities with environmental protection and that also 24 sustains the economics of the region through wildlife-friendly 25 farming practices, implementation of innovative farming 26 technology, improvement of water quality and water usability, 27 enhancement of habitat, integrated pest management practices, 28 and other approaches. 29 (b) Protection of farmland and promotion of agricultural 30 viability, including, but not limited to, land used or usable for 31 grazing. 32 (c) Restoration, enhancement, provision, and protection of 33 open space and natural areas. 34 (d) Furthering compatibility of agricultural and other private 35 land uses, recreational and educational uses, and wildlife 36 protection. 37 (e) Collaboration with public or private entities and 38 individuals that support the economy of the communities and 39 rural areas of the delta,including urban waterfronts. 40 (f) Provision of public access and recreational opportunities. 99 SB 200 —4— 1 (g) Protection, restoration, and support of the economy of 2 culturally and historically important places. 3 31184. For purposes of this chapter only, the conservancy 4 may not undertake or fund an acquisition of property rights 5 where there is not a willing seller. 6 31185. In developing projects under the program, the 7 conservancy shall give priority to those projects that meet all of 8 the following criteria: 9 (a) Supported by adopted local or regional plans. 10 (b) Serve a multijurisdictional or regional constituency. 11 (c) Have multiple objectives. 12 (d) Include matching funds from other sources of funding or 13 assistance. The matching funds obligation can be satisfied by the 14 provision of in-kind activities that further the goals of the 15 conservancy. 16 (d) Can be implemented in a timely manner. 17 (e) Serve more than one of the goals described in Section 18 31183. 19 31186. (a) The conservancy shall work with the commission 20 to implement appropriate goals and policies of the resource 21 management plan adopted by the commission pursuant to Section 22 29760. The conservancy shall conduct, in conjunction with the 23 commission,an assessment of the conservation needs of the delta 24 that describes the actions needed to fulfill the program's goals 25 described in Section 31183. 26 (b) The commission may request conservancy action through 27 the program by resolution, or may adopt a list of priority areas or 28 concerns that shall also provide guidance to the program. 29 (c) At least 60 days prior to the conservancy approving a 30 project, the conservancy shall submit a project description 31 summary to the commission for review. 32 31187. (a) The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy 33 Program Account is hereby created in the State Coastal 34 Conservancy Fund for the purpose of depositing and disbursing 35 funds for the administration and implementation of the program. 36 (b) (1) The money in the account created pursuant to 37 subdivision (a), which shall be available for expenditure upon 38 appropriation by the Legislature, shall be segregated into two 39 subaccounts,as follows: 99 ■ u SB 200 1 (A) One subaccount shall contain state funds that are 2 appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of this chapter. 3 All interest that accrues on the funds in this subaccount shall be 4 transferred to, and deposited into, the General Fund. The 5 conservancy shall account for all deposits of funds in this 6 subaccount that are derived from funds that were appropriated by 7 the Legislature for the purposes of this chapter. 8 (B) One subaccount shall contain nonstate funds that are 9 derived from other sources, exclusive of federal funds, for the 14 purposes of this chapter, including, but not limited to, private 11 donations made for the purposes of this chapter,regulatory fees, 12 and local government contributions made for the purposes of this 13 chapter. All interest that accrues on the funds in this subaccount 14 shall be retained in the subaccount and shall be available for 15 expenditure by the conservancy for the purposes of this chapter, 16 Not more than 3 percent of the funds that are deposited in this 17 subaccount shall be utilized by the conservancy for general 18 administration and planning purposes. No funds may be 19 expended from this subaccount for an activity that would require 20 a commitment of state funds in the future.The conservancy shall 21 account for all deposits of funds in this subaccount for the 22 purposes of this chapter. 23 (2) All reimbursements, proceeds of sale, or other money 24 received by the conservancy for the purposes of this chapter that 25 are not expended on projects authorized under the program shall 26 be deposited in the appropriate subaccount of the account. 27 (c) The conservancy is not required to undertake an activity 28 pursuant to this chapter until funds from new sources that are not 29 available to the conservancy as of January 1, 2006, are 30 appropriated by the Legislature or otherwise made available to 31 the conservancy for those purposes, and until the State Coastal 32 Conservancy Fund is reimbursed from moneys in the account for 33 all administrative or general planning funds expended by the 34 conservancy for the purposes of this chapter prior to the 35 appropriation of funds to, or the availability of funds in, the 36 account for those purposes. In accomplishing the objectives of 37 this chapter, the conservancy may exercise its authority as 38 provided for in this division, as well as pursuant to all other 39 express or implied authority granted to the conservancy. 99 SB 200 —6 1 31188. In the report to the Governor and the Legislature 2 required by Section 31108, the conservancy shall discuss its 3 progress in addressing the goals of this chapter, including, but 4 not limited to, implementation of the long-term resource 5 management plan adopted by the commission under Section 6 29760. 0