BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1004 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 13, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES Das Williams, Chair AB 1004 (Dahle) - As Introduced February 26, 2015 SUBJECT: California Tahoe Conservancy SUMMARY: Expands the California Tahoe Conservancy's (Conservancy) authorization to lease, rent, sell, exchange, or otherwise transfer real property to local public agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, individuals, corporate entities, or partnerships to promote the state's planning priorities and sustainable communities strategies. EXISTING LAW: 1)Establishes the Conservancy within the Natural Resources Agency (NRA) to, among other things, acquire, restore, and manage property, protect the natural environment, and preserve the scenic beauty and recreational opportunities of the Lake Tahoe region. 2)Prescribes the membership, functions, and duties of the Conservancy and authorizes it to lease, rent, sell, exchange, or otherwise transfer any real property or interest therein, or option acquired under those provisions to local public AB 1004 Page 2 agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, individuals, corporate entities, or partnerships for management purposes pursuant to terms and conditions approved by the Conservancy. FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown COMMENTS: 1)Conservancy. Since its establishment in 1984, the Conservancy has acquired and manages nearly 4,700 parcels encompassing 6,500 acres for public access, water quality, and wildlife protection purposes. The Conservancy was created to maintain an equilibrium between the region's natural endowment and its manmade environment, to protect the natural environment, including water quality, air quality, wildlife, and habitat areas, to acquire, restore, and manage property, and to preserve the scenic beauty and recreational opportunities of the region. 2)Tahoe Livable Communities Program (TLC). In December 2012, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization (TMPO) adopted the Lake Tahoe Sustainable Communities Strategy (Lake Tahoe SCS). The Lake Tahoe SCS seeks to reduce per capita GHG emissions 12% by 2020 and an additional 7% by 2035. To achieve these targets, the Tahoe SCS promotes clustered development in the Basin's town centers. The Conservancy has developed the TLC to assist in implementing the Lake Tahoe SCS and other statewide planning priorities. The TLC will refocus the Conservancy's land acquisition and marketable rights program to do the following: a) Acquire and restore aging developed properties on AB 1004 Page 3 environmentally sensitive lands and retire or transfer the development rights to town centers; b) Sell, lease, or exchange vacant Conservancy land in these town centers; c) Acquire the remaining private properties in several of Lake Tahoe's roadless subdivisions to remove the threat of development. 3)AB 1004. AB 1004 would clarify the Conservancy's authority to sell, exchange or transfer real property to implement the TLC. A component of the TLC will have the Conservancy engaged in efforts to create more vibrant walkable town centers in the Lake Tahoe region. The Conservancy owns parcels in town centers that could be developed into infill mixed-use development. These parcels would be exchanged for parcels in environmentally sensitive areas. The goal of this is to shrink the development footprint in the Lake Tahoe region and to shift the existing land use pattern from scattered auto-centric districts to vibrant walkable and bike-able town centers. This is a new approach to achieve the Conservancy's mission and has not been done before at any conservancy. The author and committee may wish to consider amending the bill to require the Conservancy to report to the Legislature on its progress implementing statewide planning priorities on or before January 1, 2018. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support AB 1004 Page 4 California Tahoe Conservancy Staff City of South Lake Tahoe League to Save Lake Tahoe North Tahoe Public Utility District South Tahoe Public Utility District Tahoe City Public Utility District Tahoe Fund Tahoe Resource Conservation District Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by:Michael Jarred / NAT. RES. / (916) 319-2092 AB 1004 Page 5