BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2247
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Date of Hearing: April 13, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW
Cristina Garcia, Chair
AB 2247
(Williams) - As Amended March 17, 2016
SUBJECT: Armories
SUMMARY: Provides the City of Santa Barbara (City) or the Santa
Barbara Unified School District (School District) an option to
purchase the Santa Barbara Armory by July 1, 2017.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Authorizes the Department of General Services (DGS) with the
approval of the Adjutant General of the California Military
Department (CMD) to sell for fair market value the Santa
Barbara Armory.
2)Authorizes the Director of DGS, with the approval of the CMD,
to lease and sell armories, subject to approval by the
Legislature.
3)Establishes the Armory Fund and requires that all proceeds
from the sale or lease of armories be deposited into the Fund,
for use, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for specified
purposes related to armories.
AB 2247
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FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
This bill provides the City or School District with the option
of purchasing the Santa Barbara Armory, located at 700 E. Canon
Perdido Street, Santa Barbara. After the option expires, the
property shall be offered for sale by general bid at fair market
value.
This property was authorized for sale last year by SB 536
(Roth), Chapter 355, Statutes of 2015. That bill allows DGS with
the approval of the CMD, which sponsored the bill, to sell seven
specified armory sites, including the Santa Barbara Armory.
Armories are the primary sites for unit training and are
integral to the readiness and responsiveness of National Guard
personnel. The CMD has approximately 100 active armory sites
throughout the state and sought authorization to sell the
specified armories after determining that the costs of
maintaining them outweighed their utility.
DGS, which is responsible for selling the armories, has been
preparing for their sales. The author introduced AB 2247 at the
urging of the City and School District to preserve a public use
for the site, which is located in downtown Santa Barbara near a
junior high school, high school, and civic facilities.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
AB 2247
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The author's office recently held a meeting with stakeholders,
including the CMD, City and School District. They agreed to
amendments, which could not be processed in time for this
hearing and will be taken in this Committee. They clarify that
the sale of the Santa Barbara Armory to the City or School
District shall include terms and conditions determined by DGS to
be in the best interest of the state based on fair market value
of the armory, based on the zoning as it existed on March 1,
2016, as determined by an appraisal undertaken and approved by
the Department of General Services. The amendments also make
other clarifying changes and corrections.
According to the CMD, it will work with DGS to hire an appraiser
to do a full assessment of the property. The CMD believes that
the property's value will be between $15 and $25 million. An
appraisal is not expected to be completed for several months.
DOUBLE REFERRAL: This measure is scheduled to be heard by the
Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee on April 12th, the day prior
to the hearing of this Committee.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
City of Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara Unified School District
AB 2247
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Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by:Scott Herbstman / A. & A.R. / (916)
319-3600