BILL ANALYSIS Ó ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1201| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: SB 1201 Author: De León (D) Amended: 5/29/12 Vote: 21 SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM : 5-2, 4/10/12 AYES: Pavley, Kehoe, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk NOES: La Malfa, Cannella NO VOTE RECORDED: Evans, Fuller SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 5-2, 5/24/12 AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Lieu, Price, Steinberg NOES: Walters, Dutton SUBJECT : Los Angeles River SOURCE : Friends of the Los Angeles River DIGEST : This bill creates the Los Angeles River Interagency Access Council, consisting of state and local representatives, in order to coordinate those agencies efforts in developing and administering public access and safety policies for the Los Angeles River. ANALYSIS : Existing law establishes in state government the Natural Resources Agency, consisting of various departments, including the State Lands Commission. The Los Angeles County Flood Control Act establishes the Los Angeles County Flood Control District and authorizes the district to control and conserve the flood, storm, and CONTINUED SB 1201 Page 2 other wastewater of the district. This bill establishes the Los Angeles River Interagency Council comprised of state and local representatives, to conduct various duties including promoting public access to and enhancing safety features along the river, developing and providing safety warning systems, and coordinating permitting processes for public access to the river. This bill also modifies the Los Angeles County Flood Control Act of 1915 to provide for public use of navigable waterways for recreational and educational purposes. Background Multiple state agencies have jurisdiction over elements of the Los Angeles River and its tributaries including the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the River and Mountains Conservancy, the State Lands Commission, the Mountain and Rivers Conservation Authority, the Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the State Coastal Conservancy, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Department of Water Resources, and Department of Transportation. Additionally, numerous local agencies have jurisdiction over elements of the Los Angeles River including the County of Los Angeles and the 13 cities which the river passes through. There is strong, long-standing interest in the revitalization and promotion of the re-integration of the Los Angeles River and its tributaries into the adjacent neighborhoods. The Los Angeles County's River Master Plan, completed in 1996, described how economic growth could be spurred along the river through zoning changes and the development of open space, recreational, cultural, artistic, educational, and other opportunities. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, ongoing costs of $70,000 from the General Fund, starting in 2013, for staffing and travel needs by the Natural Resources Agency, State Lands Commission, and the California Environmental Protection Agency. CONTINUED SB 1201 Page 3 SUPPORT : (Verified 5/29/12) Friends of the Los Angeles River (source) Trust for Public Land California League of Conservation Voters Santa Monica Bay Keeper Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy OPPOSITION : (Verified 5/29/12) Los Angeles County ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "SB 1201 establishes the Los Angeles River Interagency Council to ensure that open and accessible areas of the LA River are identified for recreational purposes. This measure provides the framework and policy goals needed to identify and eliminate the barriers to public use. Many areas surrounding the LA River have limited access to open space and there are significant disparities in park access in lower-income neighborhoods, as they have dramatically less access to park space than more affluent areas. Without bike pathways, pocket parks or other recreational amenities, many of our communities are further challenged to live healthier, more prosperous lives. This measure ensures that we use an existing resource for the public benefit and that we address the public needs in this process." According to the Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR), "?since channelization of the river Ý?] agency policies generally exclude the public from river access and use except under a restrictive and difficult permit process. In spite of this, we are now witnessing rapidly increasing public interest in the Los Angeles River accompanied by a significant increase in actual use for a number of recreational purposes." FoLAR continues that public access to and use of the river is "greatly complicated by a multiplicity of federal, state and local agencies with river-related jurisdiction" and current coordination policies are inadequate. ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors opposed an earlier version of this bill. Of CONTINUED SB 1201 Page 4 continuing relevance, the Executive Officer states "The proposed Council Ý...] would duplicate current, successful local efforts of the County and other entities that directly address environmental, recreational and other issues relating to the Los Angeles River watershed. Specifically, the effectiveness of the existing Los Angeles River Master Plan is the direct result of the collaboration of public and private sector stakeholders, local/state/federal agencies, and environmental organizations interested in the future of the Los Angeles River. It addresses the recreational, flood management and water conservation, environmental quality, economic development, aesthetic, public access, and jurisdictional considerations of all communities along the river. It also provides a mechanism for the coordination of local projects by the County of Los Angeles and the many cities along the River and the Tujunga Wash. The effectiveness of the Master Plan is complemented by the City of Los Angeles' own similar river revitalization master plan, and by the River Cooperation Committee, a collaborative undertaking of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District and the City of Los Angeles, with the Army Corps of Engineers serving in an advisory capacity." CTW:nl 5/29/12 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END **** CONTINUED