BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de León, Chair
SB 1428 (Evans) - Sonoma Developmental Center: land use.
Amended: April 21, 2014 Policy Vote: GO 6-2
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: April 28, 2014
Consultant: Mark McKenzie
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill Summary: SB 1428 would require the Department of
Developmental Services (DDS) and the Department of General
Services (DGS) to coordinate with specified public and private
entities and develop a plan for the improvement and
redevelopment of the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC).
Fiscal Impact:
One-time General Fund costs, likely in the range of
$100,000 to $150,000, for the lead state agency (either DDS
or DGS) to develop a plan for the future use of the SDC site
in coordination with specified public and private entities.
Unknown potential foregone revenues related to the future
sale of surplus state property at the SDC site. To the
extent that the improvement and redevelopment plan developed
by the specified stakeholders limits the use of the property
to purposes that would not yield the highest value, there
could be a negative impact on the fair market value of state
property offered for sale in the future at the SDC site.
(General Fund)
Unknown, likely minor impacts to state entities cooperating
in the development of the improvement and redevelopment plan
(The Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of
Fish and Wildlife, and the State Coastal Conservancy).
Background: DDS currently operates four developmental centers
and one state-operated community facility that provide care for
approximately 1,300 residents statewide. The resident
population served by the state's developmental centers has been
in decline for years as the model of care is shifting towards a
community-based services approach. There is currently a
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moratorium on admissions to developmental centers, except in
limited circumstances, and an average of 175-200 residents move
out of state developmental centers each year. The SDC currently
has the largest population among the remaining developmental
centers, with 451 residents. The original site consisted of
nearly 1670 acres; approximately 741 acres have been transferred
to state and county parks and conservation easements, while the
remaining 863 acres are considered fully utilized.
Existing law authorizes DGS to dispose of state real property
declared surplus by the Legislature by sale, lease, exchange, or
any other manner, and upon terms deemed to be in the state's
best interests. If surplus property is not needed by any other
state agency, it must first be offered to local agencies, then
to nonprofit affordable housing sponsors, prior to being offered
for sale to private entities or individuals. DGS is generally
required to sell surplus property at fair market value, except
in specified circumstances for affordable housing or parks and
open-space purposes.
Pursuant to the provisions of Proposition 60A, the proceeds of
state surplus property sales are deposited into the Deficit
Recovery Bond Retirement Sinking Fund and used to pay off the
state's deficit reduction bonds, which were authorized by
Proposition 57 in March 2004. Once these bonds are retired, all
proceeds go to the General Fund. These provisions do not apply
to properties purchased with transportation monies or other
special funds.
Proposed Law: Prior to the development or implementation of any
plan for the sale, lease, transfer, or major change of use of
any portion of the SDC, SB 1428 would require DDS and DGS to
confer and cooperate with public and private entities in the
development of an improvement and redevelopment plan for the
SDC.
The bill requires DDS and DGS to coordinate with the Department
of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Fish and Wildlife,
the San Francisco Bay Conservancy Program of the State Coastal
Conservancy, representatives of Sonoma County and other local
governmental entities, organizations representing the residents
of the SDC, and other interested local entities and nonprofit
organizations.
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The bill also specifies that the improvement and redevelopment
plan may include all of the following elements: (1) development
of new or improved public or private core resident care
facilities on the SDC site; (2) the permanent protection,
maintenance, operation, or expansion of the wildlife habitat
corridor through the property connecting the Sonoma and
Mayacamas Mountain ranges; (3) creation of public recreational
facilities; and (4) potential expansion of water supply
facilities consistent with natural resource protection.
Related Legislation: SB 1344 (Evans), currently pending in this
Committee, would require DDS to establish the SDC as the "center
of last resort" for Northern California, as specified, and to
confer and cooperate with Sonoma County to develop a detailed
action plan for transitioning the SDC to a facility that serves
a smaller population.
Staff Comments: SB 1428 requires DDS and DGS to cooperate with
specified entities in the development of an improvement and
redevelopment plan for the SDC prior to any sale or change in
use of property on the site. Under existing law, DDS
administers the provision of residential care to persons with
developmental disabilities at state developmental centers, while
DGS administers the disposition of state property that is deemed
surplus. The bill does not clearly identify whether DDS or DGS
would be the lead state agency responsible for coordinating
public meetings and delivering the final improvement and
redevelopment plan. Staff estimates that the lead agency would
incur the equivalent of one full-time PY of staff time to
administer the bill.
The property on the SDC site has not been deemed surplus and
there have been no final decisions at the state level concerning
the future of developmental centers in general. To the extent
that the plan specified in this bill places limits on the use of
any state property at the SDC site that could be deemed surplus
in the future, there would likely be a negative impact on the
fair market value of state lands that are offered for sale.
Recommended Amendments: Staff recommends the following technical
amendment on page 2, line 28:
strike out "Department of General Services"
insert "Department of Developmental Services"
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