BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER
Senator Fran Pavley, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 530 Hearing Date: July 14,
2015
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|Author: |Rendon | | |
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|Version: |June 1, 2015 Amended |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |Yes |
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|Consultant:|Katharine Moore |
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Subject: Lower Los Angeles River Working Group.
BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW
The Los Angeles River (River) forms from its headwaters in the
western San Fernando Valley and flows easterly across the Valley
through Griffith Park where the river turns to the south, and
passes through downtown Los Angeles and additional downstream
cities en route to its estuary in Long Beach. The River is
entirely with the County of Los Angeles (County).
The approximately 32 miles of the River upstream of the City of
Vernon is considered to be the upper River and is within the
bounds of the City of Los Angeles. The approximately 19 miles
of the lower River includes the cities of Vernon, Commerce,
Maywood, Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, South Gate, Lynwood,
Compton, Paramount, Carson and Long Beach.
The areas surrounding the River are widely considered to have
relatively few open space and park areas. Particularly along the
lower River, industrial activity and railyards immediately
adjacent to the River serve to isolate the River from the
surrounding communities.
As urbanization of the Los Angeles basin increased over the
years, River flooding caused increasing impacts. The
devastating flooding in 1914 led to the passage of the Los
Angeles Flood Control District Act (c. 755, Statutes of 1915).
Following serious flooding, the US Congress in 1936 directed the
US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to "channelize" the river
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(with concrete) to help control flooding. The Flood Control
District and the Corps share the responsibility for the
operation and management of these flood control and water
conservation facilities.
The San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains
Conservancy (RMC) was created by the Legislature in 1999 (SB
216, Solis, c. 89 and AB 1355, Havice, c. 90, Statutes of
1999)(Public Resources Code (PRC) §§32600 et seq.). The RMC's
mission is, among other things, to preserve open space and
habitat in order to provide for low-impact recreation and
educational uses, wildlife habitat restoration and protection,
and watershed improvements within its jurisdiction. It is one
of ten conservancies located in the Natural Resources Agency
(agency). The RMC's territory includes the lower Los Angeles
River.
In the early 1990s, community activism over turning a railyard
adjacent to the River into open space coincided with the County
beginning a process that - after considerable input from
stakeholders and community outreach - resulted in the County's
Los Angeles River Master Plan (Master Plan) in 1996. The Master
Plan described how economic growth could be spurred along the
River in the County through zoning changes and the development
of open space, recreational, cultural, artistic, educational and
other opportunities. Ultimately over several decades, the River
will be returned to a less-polluted, functioning riparian
environment in as many reaches as possible, while still
controlling flooding and providing recreational opportunities.
The City of Los Angeles' Los Angeles River Revitalization Master
Plan (Revitalization Master Plan) was released in 2007.
Continuing the long-term goals of the County Master Plan, the
Revitalization Master Plan also promoted the revitalization of
the River as a multi-benefit solution to addressing and
enhancing water quality and flood control while enabling safe
access to the River and restoring a functional river ecosystem.
The City's Revitalization Master Plan focused on the upper
River.
Both plans contain a list of River projects to be completed and
seek to re-focus the surrounding neighborhoods on the River to
help form a sense of identity, improve the quality of life and
boost civic pride. Since the Master Plan and Revitalization
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Master Plan were developed, numerous River restoration efforts
including the creation of habitat, pocket parks and bikeways
have been undertaken, as well as guidelines established for
signage and other features. In 2014 the Corps recommended the
most extensive restoration alternative provided by its Los
Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Report be
undertaken at an estimated cost of $1.08 billion. The area to
be restored focuses on the 11 mile soft-bottomed stretch of the
River from roughly Griffith Park to downtown called the ARBOR
reach.
Existing law designates the River as a traditional navigable
waterway protected under the Clean Water Act. In recent years,
stretches of the River have been opened annually for kayaking
and other recreational activities. These activities on the
River itself have received considerable media coverage and have
been publicly popular.
In 2014, California voters approved the Water Quality, Supply,
and infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Proposition 1) which
includes $60 million for the River split equally between the
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the RMC. These funds are
for the purpose of multi-benefit water quality, water supply,
watershed protection and restoration projects for the
watersheds. In addition, River projects are eligible for
certain other Proposition 1-funded purposes, such as the $100
million for urban rivers and streams.
PROPOSED LAW
This bill would require the creation of a local working group to
develop a revitalization plan for the lower River by March 1,
2017. Specifically this bill would:
1)Direct the Secretary of the agency, in coordination with the
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, to appoint a local
working group, the Lower Los Angeles River Working Group
(working group), to develop a revitalization plan for the
lower Los Angeles River by March 1, 2017.
2)Require the working group to include at least representatives
from
a) the RMC,
b) the County of Los Angeles,
c) the Gateway Cities Council of Governments,
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d) the Los Angeles Gateway Region Integrated Regional Water
Management Joint Powers Authority,
e) elected officials from cities riparian to the River, and
f) non-profit organizations serving the region.
3)Specify that the working group use watershed-based planning
methods to develop the revitalization plan.
4)Specify that the plan shall include watershed education
programs that help lower River communities recognize the value
of the river, as specified, recognize the unique and diverse
needs of the these same communities and be consistent with,
enhance and be incorporated into the county's master plan.
5)Direct the RMC to provide necessary staffing to the working
group for plan development.
6)Provide the development and implementation of the plan will be
eligible for any public or private source of funding,
including, but not limited to, from Proposition 1, and
specifies eligible plan implementing entities.
7)Declare the need for this special law, and
8)Make a series of supporting legislative findings.
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT
According to the author, "[t]he County of Los Angeles adopted a
Master Plan for the entire Los Angeles River in 1996. Since
then, the City of Los Angeles has done substantial work on
developing a "revitalization plan" for the upper Los Angeles
River, within the City's boundaries. After almost two decades,
the time has come to update the Master Plan, focusing more
attention and resources on the lower Los Angeles River."
This bill requires the appointment of "a local working group to
develop a "revitalization plan" for the lower Los Angeles River,
just as the upper Los Angeles River has its plan. This
revitalization plan would be consistent with and designed to
enhance the County's Master Plan for the entire river."
"AB 530 starts a conversation about how to improve the lower Los
Angeles River in concert with the revitalization of the upper
Los Angeles River, so that the entire Los Angeles River
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watershed could be managed collaboratively."
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION
None received
COMMENTS
Working group membership. There is overlap/potential overlap
between organizations represented on the working group and on
the RMC's board. These include the County of Los Angeles, the
Gateway Cities Council of Governments, elected officials from
riparian cities, and the non-profit organization. Membership of
the working group is not limited in number and there is evidence
of significant community interest in River revitalization
efforts (e.g. dozens of non-profit organizations listed as
participating in various revitalization planning efforts).
Recent related legislation
SB 355 (Lara, 2015). This bill would revise the board
membership of the RMC. (currently on the Assembly floor)
AB 1205 (Gomez). This bill would establish the California River
Revitalization and Greenway Development Act which would develop
a grant program to distribute auction revenues and Proposition 1
moneys, among others, to the benefit of rivers, as specified.
(currently before the Senate Natural Resources and Water
Committee)
AB 1251 (Gomez, 2015). This bill would establish the Greenway
Development and Sustainment Act which, among other things,
provides for greenway easements. (before the Senate
Appropriations Committee)
AB 1922 (Gomez, 2014). This bill is an earlier version of AB
1251 (Gomez, 2015) (held in the Senate Appropriations Committee)
AB 735 (Gomez, 2013). This bill would have established the
Greenway Initiative to promote the establishment of greenways
along rivers statewide (held in the Assembly Appropriations
Committee)
SB 1201 (de León, c. 212, Statutes of 2012). This bill provides
for public use of the River by adding education and recreational
purposes to the Los Angeles county Flood Control Act where those
uses are not inconsistent with flood control and water
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conservation.
SUPPORT
Anahuak Youth Sports Association
Arroyo Seco Foundation
Audobon California
California League of Conservation Voters
California Watershed Network
City of Bell
Council for Watershed Health
City of Cudahy
East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice
Friends of the Los Angeles River
From Lot to Spot
Health the Bay
City of Lakewood
Los Angeles Community Garden Council
Los Angeles Conservation Corps
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation
City of Maywood
Mujeres de la Tierra
Pacoima Beautiful
City of Paramount
the Public Counsel
the River Project
Linda T. Sanchez, Representative, U.S. Congress
the Trust for Public Land
T.R.U.S.T. South LA
Urban Semillas
the Watershed Conservation Authority
OPPOSITION
None Received
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