BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1004
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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
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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
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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
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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
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