Amended in Assembly March 29, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 2651


Introduced by Assembly Member Gomez

February 19, 2016


An act tobegin delete amend Section 816.52 of the Civil Code, and to amend Sections 65302 and 65560 of the Government Code, relating to open-space lands, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.end deletebegin insert add Chapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 5845) to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to greenways, and making an appropriation therefor.end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2651, as amended, Gomez. begin deleteGreenway easements. end deletebegin insertUrban Water and Transportation Environmental Revitalization Grant Program.end insert

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Existing law establishes various plans and programs intended to preserve, protect, and rehabilitate lands adjacent to rivers in the state.

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This bill would require the Natural Resources Agency to establish and administer a grant program, known as the Urban Water and Transportation Environmental Revitalization Grant Program. The bill would require the program to provide grants for projects that develop greenways in areas that are adjacent to an urban creek in certain areas, and would require an entity that receives a grant under the program to provide a matching cost share. The bill would appropriate $500,000,000 from the General Fund to the agency for purposes of the program and would prohibit more than 5% of these moneys from being used for administrative costs of the program.

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(1) The Greenway Development and Sustainment Act applies to greenway easements certain creation and transfer provisions similar to those of conversation easements. The act defines various terms for purposes of the act, including “greenway,” to mean certain types of travel corridors that, among other requirements, incorporate an array of amenities for users of the corridor and nearby communities, and “greenway easement” to mean a limitation in a deed, will, or other instrument for the purpose of developing greenways adjacent to urban waterways. The act provides that a recorded greenway easement constitutes an enforceable restriction for purposes of certain property tax provisions.

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This bill would require a greenway to incorporate an array of amenities only within an urbanized area, as defined. The bill would include easements created for the purpose of preserving greenways adjacent to urban waterways as greenway easements. The bill would require greenway easements created for the purpose of developing greenways to be consistent with restoration efforts undertaken at the adjacent urban waterways at the time of the creation of the easement.

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Because this bill, by revising these terms for purposes of the act and by expanding the definition of a greenway easement, would change the manner in which county assessors assess property for property taxation purposes, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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(2) The Planning and Zoning Law requires each city, county, and city and county to prepare and adopt a general plan that contains certain mandatory elements, including a land use element and an open-space element. Existing law includes greenways, as defined in the Greenway Development and Sustainment Act, in the definition of “open-space land” for the purposes of the open-space element.

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This bill would instead specify that greenways be included in the land use element of a general plan.

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By revising the contents of the mandatory elements of a general plan, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

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This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

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With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

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(4) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

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Vote: 23. Appropriation: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: begin deleteyes end deletebegin insertnoend insert.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P3    1begin insert

begin insertSECTION 1.end insert  

end insert

begin insertChapter 10.5 (commencing with Section 5845)
2is added to Division 5 of the end insert
begin insertPublic Resources Codeend insertbegin insert, to read:end insert

begin insert

3 

4Chapter  begin insert10.5.end insert Urban Water and Transportation
5Environmental Revitalization Grant Program
6

 

7

begin insert5845.end insert  

(a) The Natural Resources Agency shall establish and
8administer a grant program, to be known as the Urban Water and
9Transportation Environmental Revitalization Grant Program. The
10program shall provide grants for projects that develop greenways,
11as defined in Section 816.52 of the Civil Code, in areas that are
12adjacent to an urban creek, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section
137048 of the Water Code, and its tributaries, and that are within
14the areas described in Division 22.8 (commencing with Section
1532600) and Division 23 (commencing with Section 33000).

16
(b) An entity that receives a grant pursuant to this chapter shall
17be required to provide a matching cost share.

end insert
18begin insert

begin insertSEC. 2.end insert  

end insert

begin insertThe sum of five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000)
19is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Natural
20Resources Agency for purposes of Section 1 of this act. No more
21than 5 percent of these moneys shall be used for administrative
22costs of the grant program.end insert

begin delete
23

SECTION 1.  

Section 816.52 of the Civil Code is amended to
24read:

25

816.52.  

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions
26apply:

27(a) (1) “Adjacent” means within 400 yards from the property
28boundary of an existing urban waterway.

29(2) This subdivision does not create a new authority to place or
30extend an easement on private property that is not part of a
31voluntary agreement.

P4    1(b) “Greenway” means a pedestrian and bicycle, nonmotorized
2vehicle transportation, and recreational travel corridor that meets
3the following requirements:

4(1) Includes landscaping that improves rivers and streams,
5provides flood protection benefits, and incorporates the significance
6and value of natural, historical, and cultural resources, as
7documented in the local agency’s applicable planning document,
8including, but not limited to, a master plan, a general plan, or a
9specific plan.

10(2) Is separated and protected from shared roadways, is adjacent
11to an urban waterway, and incorporates both ease of access to
12nearby communities and an array of amenities within an urbanized
13area and services for the users of the corridor and nearby
14communities.

15(3) Is located on public lands or private lands, or a combination
16of public and private lands, where public access to those lands for
17greenway purposes has been legally authorized by, or legally
18obtained from, the fee owner of the land and, if applicable, the
19operator of any facility or improvement located on the land,
20through leases, easements, or other agreements entered into by the
21fee owner and the operator of any affected facility or improvement
22on the land.

23(4) Reflects design standards regarding appropriate widths,
24clearances, setbacks from obstructions, and centerlines protecting
25directional travel, and other considerations, as appropriate, that
26are applicable for each affected local agency, as documented in
27the local agency’s applicable planning document, including, but
28not limited to, a master plan, general plan, or specific plan.

29(5) May incorporate appropriate lighting, public amenities within
30an urbanized area, art, and other features that are consistent with
31a local agency’s planning document, including, but not limited to,
32a general plan, master plan, or specific plan.

33(c) “Greenway easement” means any limitation in a deed, will,
34or other instrument in the form of an easement, restriction,
35covenant, or condition that is or has been executed by or on behalf
36of the owner of the land subject to the easement and is binding
37upon successive owners of that land, for either of the following
38purposes:

P5    1(1) Developing greenways adjacent to urban waterways
2consistent with restoration efforts undertaken at those waterways
3at the time of the creation of the easement, if any.

4(2) Preserving greenways adjacent to urban waterways.

5(d) “Local agency” means a city, county, or city and county.

6(e) “Urbanized area” has the same meaning as set forth in
7Section 21071 of the Public Resources Code.

8(f) “Urban waterway” means a creek, stream, or river that
9crosses (1) developed residential, commercial, or industrial
10property or (2) open space where the land use is designated as
11residential, commercial, or industrial, as referenced in a local
12agency’s planning document, including, but not limited to, a
13general plan, master plan, or specific general plan.

14

SEC. 2.  

Section 65302 of the Government Code is amended
15to read:

16

65302.  

The general plan shall consist of a statement of
17development policies and shall include a diagram or diagrams and
18text setting forth objectives, principles, standards, and plan
19proposals. The plan shall include the following elements:

20(a) A land use element that designates the proposed general
21distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land
22for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture,
23natural resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty,
24education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste
25disposal facilities, greenways, as defined in Section 816.52 of the
26Civil Code, and other categories of public and private uses of land.
27The location and designation of the extent of the uses of the land
28for public and private uses shall consider the identification of land
29and natural resources pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (d).
30The land use element shall include a statement of the standards of
31population density and building intensity recommended for the
32various districts and other territory covered by the plan. The land
33use element shall identify and annually review those areas covered
34by the plan that are subject to flooding identified by flood plain
35mapping prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
36(FEMA) or the Department of Water Resources. The land use
37element shall also do both of the following:

38(1) Designate in a land use category that provides for timber
39production those parcels of real property zoned for timberland
40production pursuant to the California Timberland Productivity Act
P6    1of 1982 (Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 51100) of Part 1
2 of Division 1 of Title 5).

3(2) Consider the impact of new growth on military readiness
4activities carried out on military bases, installations, and operating
5and training areas, when proposing zoning ordinances or
6designating land uses covered by the general plan for land, or other
7territory adjacent to military facilities, or underlying designated
8military aviation routes and airspace.

9(A) In determining the impact of new growth on military
10readiness activities, information provided by military facilities
11shall be considered. Cities and counties shall address military
12impacts based on information from the military and other sources.

13(B) The following definitions govern this paragraph:

14(i) “Military readiness activities” mean all of the following:

15(I) Training, support, and operations that prepare the men and
16women of the military for combat.

17(II) Operation, maintenance, and security of any military
18installation.

19(III) Testing of military equipment, vehicles, weapons, and
20sensors for proper operation or suitability for combat use.

21(ii) “Military installation” means a base, camp, post, station,
22yard, center, homeport facility for any ship, or other activity under
23the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense as
24defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (g) of Section 2687 of Title
2510 of the United States Code.

26(b) (1) A circulation element consisting of the general location
27and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares,
28transportation routes, terminals, any military airports and ports,
29and other local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the
30land use element of the plan.

31(2) (A) Commencing January 1, 2011, upon any substantive
32revision of the circulation element, the legislative body shall
33modify the circulation element to plan for a balanced, multimodal
34transportation network that meets the needs of all users of streets,
35roads, and highways for safe and convenient travel in a manner
36that is suitable to the rural, suburban, or urban context of the
37general plan.

38(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “users of streets, roads, and
39highways” mean bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities,
P7    1motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, users of public
2transportation, and seniors.

3(c) A housing element as provided in Article 10.6 (commencing
4with Section 65580).

5(d) (1) A conservation element for the conservation,
6development, and utilization of natural resources including water
7and its hydraulic force, forests, soils, rivers and other waters,
8harbors, fisheries, wildlife, minerals, and other natural resources.
9The conservation element shall consider the effect of development
10within the jurisdiction, as described in the land use element, on
11natural resources located on public lands, including military
12installations. That portion of the conservation element including
13waters shall be developed in coordination with any countywide
14water agency and with all district and city agencies, including
15flood management, water conservation, or groundwater agencies
16that have developed, served, controlled, managed, or conserved
17water of any type for any purpose in the county or city for which
18the plan is prepared. Coordination shall include the discussion and
19evaluation of any water supply and demand information described
20in Section 65352.5, if that information has been submitted by the
21water agency to the city or county.

22(2) The conservation element may also cover all of the
23following:

24(A) The reclamation of land and waters.

25(B) Prevention and control of the pollution of streams and other
26waters.

27(C) Regulation of the use of land in stream channels and other
28areas required for the accomplishment of the conservation plan.

29(D) Prevention, control, and correction of the erosion of soils,
30beaches, and shores.

31(E) Protection of watersheds.

32(F) The location, quantity and quality of the rock, sand, and
33gravel resources.

34(3) Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after
35January 1, 2009, the conservation element shall identify rivers,
36creeks, streams, flood corridors, riparian habitats, and land that
37may accommodate floodwater for purposes of groundwater
38recharge and stormwater management.

39(e) An open-space element as provided in Article 10.5
40(commencing with Section 65560).

P8    1(f) (1) A noise element that shall identify and appraise noise
2problems in the community. The noise element shall analyze and
3quantify, to the extent practicable, as determined by the legislative
4 body, current and projected noise levels for all of the following
5sources:

6(A) Highways and freeways.

7(B) Primary arterials and major local streets.

8(C) Passenger and freight online railroad operations and ground
9rapid transit systems.

10(D) Commercial, general aviation, heliport, helistop, and military
11airport operations, aircraft overflights, jet engine test stands, and
12all other ground facilities and maintenance functions related to
13airport operation.

14(E) Local industrial plants, including, but not limited to, railroad
15classification yards.

16(F) Other ground stationary noise sources, including, but not
17limited to, military installations, identified by local agencies as
18contributing to the community noise environment.

19(2) Noise contours shall be shown for all of these sources and
20stated in terms of community noise equivalent level (CNEL) or
21day-night average sound level (Ldn). The noise contours shall be
22prepared on the basis of noise monitoring or following generally
23accepted noise modeling techniques for the various sources
24identified in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive.

25(3) The noise contours shall be used as a guide for establishing
26a pattern of land uses in the land use element that minimizes the
27exposure of community residents to excessive noise.

28(4) The noise element shall include implementation measures
29and possible solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise
30problems, if any. The adopted noise element shall serve as a
31guideline for compliance with the state’s noise insulation standards.

32(g) (1) A safety element for the protection of the community
33from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of
34seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground
35failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; slope instability leading
36to mudslides and landslides; subsidence; liquefaction; and other
37seismic hazards identified pursuant to Chapter 7.8 (commencing
38with Section 2690) of Division 2 of the Public Resources Code,
39and other geologic hazards known to the legislative body; flooding;
40and wildland and urban fires. The safety element shall include
P9    1mapping of known seismic and other geologic hazards. It shall
2also address evacuation routes, military installations, peakload
3water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and
4clearances around structures, as those items relate to identified fire
5and geologic hazards.

6(2) The safety element, upon the next revision of the housing
7element on or after January 1, 2009, shall also do the following:

8(A) Identify information regarding flood hazards, including,
9but not limited to, the following:

10(i) Flood hazard zones. As used in this subdivision, “flood
11hazard zone” means an area subject to flooding that is delineated
12as either a special hazard area or an area of moderate or minimal
13hazard on an official flood insurance rate map issued by the Federal
14Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The identification of
15a flood hazard zone does not imply that areas outside the flood
16hazard zones or uses permitted within flood hazard zones will be
17free from flooding or flood damage.

18(ii) National Flood Insurance Program maps published by
19 FEMA.

20(iii) Information about flood hazards that is available from the
21United States Army Corps of Engineers.

22(iv) Designated floodway maps that are available from the
23Central Valley Flood Protection Board.

24(v) Dam failure inundation maps prepared pursuant to Section
258589.5 that are available from the Office of Emergency Services.

26(vi) Awareness Floodplain Mapping Program maps and 200-year
27flood plain maps that are or may be available from, or accepted
28by, the Department of Water Resources.

29(vii) Maps of levee protection zones.

30(viii) Areas subject to inundation in the event of the failure of
31project or nonproject levees or floodwalls.

32(ix) Historical data on flooding, including locally prepared maps
33of areas that are subject to flooding, areas that are vulnerable to
34flooding after wildfires, and sites that have been repeatedly
35damaged by flooding.

36(x) Existing and planned development in flood hazard zones,
37including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public facilities.

38(xi) Local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for
39flood protection, including special districts and local offices of
40emergency services.

P10   1(B) Establish a set of comprehensive goals, policies, and
2objectives based on the information identified pursuant to
3subparagraph (A), for the protection of the community from the
4unreasonable risks of flooding, including, but not limited to:

5(i) Avoiding or minimizing the risks of flooding to new
6development.

7(ii) Evaluating whether new development should be located in
8flood hazard zones, and identifying construction methods or other
9methods to minimize damage if new development is located in
10flood hazard zones.

11(iii) Maintaining the structural and operational integrity of
12essential public facilities during flooding.

13(iv) Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities
14outside of flood hazard zones, including hospitals and health care
15facilities, emergency shelters, fire stations, emergency command
16centers, and emergency communications facilities or identifying
17construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if
18these facilities are located in flood hazard zones.

19(v) Establishing cooperative working relationships among public
20agencies with responsibility for flood protection.

21(C) Establish a set of feasible implementation measures designed
22to carry out the goals, policies, and objectives established pursuant
23to subparagraph (B).

24(3) Upon the next revision of the housing element on or after
25January 1, 2014, the safety element shall be reviewed and updated
26as necessary to address the risk of fire for land classified as state
27responsibility areas, as defined in Section 4102 of the Public
28Resources Code, and land classified as very high fire hazard
29severity zones, as defined in Section 51177. This review shall
30consider the advice included in the Office of Planning and
31Research’s most recent publication of “Fire Hazard Planning,
32General Plan Technical Advice Series” and shall also include all
33of the following:

34(A) Information regarding fire hazards, including, but not limited
35to, all of the following:

36(i) Fire hazard severity zone maps available from the Department
37of Forestry and Fire Protection.

38(ii) Any historical data on wildfires available from local agencies
39or a reference to where the data can be found.

P11   1(iii) Information about wildfire hazard areas that may be
2available from the United States Geological Survey.

3(iv) General location and distribution of existing and planned
4uses of land in very high fire hazard severity zones and in state
5responsibility areas, including structures, roads, utilities, and
6essential public facilities. The location and distribution of planned
7uses of land shall not require defensible space compliance measures
8required by state law or local ordinance to occur on publicly owned
9lands or open space designations of homeowner associations.

10(v) Local, state, and federal agencies with responsibility for fire
11protection, including special districts and local offices of
12emergency services.

13(B) A set of goals, policies, and objectives based on the
14information identified pursuant to subparagraph (A) for the
15protection of the community from the unreasonable risk of wildfire.

16(C) A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry
17out the goals, policies, and objectives based on the information
18identified pursuant to subparagraph (B) including, but not limited
19to, all of the following:

20(i) Avoiding or minimizing the wildfire hazards associated with
21new uses of land.

22(ii) Locating, when feasible, new essential public facilities
23outside of high fire risk areas, including, but not limited to,
24hospitals and health care facilities, emergency shelters, emergency
25command centers, and emergency communications facilities, or
26identifying construction methods or other methods to minimize
27damage if these facilities are located in a state responsibility area
28or very high fire hazard severity zone.

29(iii) Designing adequate infrastructure if a new development is
30located in a state responsibility area or in a very high fire hazard
31severity zone, including safe access for emergency response
32vehicles, visible street signs, and water supplies for structural fire
33suppression.

34(iv) Working cooperatively with public agencies with
35responsibility for fire protection.

36(D) If a city or county has adopted a fire safety plan or document
37separate from the general plan, an attachment of, or reference to,
38a city or county’s adopted fire safety plan or document that fulfills
39commensurate goals and objectives and contains information
40required pursuant to this paragraph.

P12   1(4) Upon the next revision of a local hazard mitigation plan,
2adopted in accordance with the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of
32000 (Public Law 106-390), on or after January 1, 2017, or, if a
4local jurisdiction has not adopted a local hazard mitigation plan,
5beginning on or before January 1, 2022, the safety element shall
6be reviewed and updated as necessary to address climate adaptation
7and resiliency strategies applicable to the city or county. This
8review shall consider advice provided in the Office of Planning
9and Research’s General Plan Guidelines and shall include all of
10the following:

11(A) (i) A vulnerability assessment that identifies the risks that
12climate change poses to the local jurisdiction and the geographic
13areas at risk from climate change impacts, including, but not limited
14to, an assessment of how climate change may affect the risks
15addressed pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3).

16(ii) Information that may be available from federal, state,
17regional, and local agencies that will assist in developing the
18vulnerability assessment and the adaptation policies and strategies
19required pursuant to subparagraph (B), including, but not limited
20to, all of the following:

21(I) Information from the Internet-based Cal-Adapt tool.

22(II) Information from the most recent version of the California
23Adaptation Planning Guide.

24(III) Information from local agencies on the types of assets,
25resources, and populations that will be sensitive to various climate
26change exposures.

27(IV) Information from local agencies on their current ability to
28deal with the impacts of climate change.

29(V) Historical data on natural events and hazards, including
30locally prepared maps of areas subject to previous risk, areas that
31are vulnerable, and sites that have been repeatedly damaged.

32(VI) Existing and planned development in identified at-risk
33areas, including structures, roads, utilities, and essential public
34facilities.

35(VII) Federal, state, regional, and local agencies with
36responsibility for the protection of public health and safety and
37the environment, including special districts and local offices of
38emergency services.

P13   1(B) A set of adaptation and resilience goals, policies, and
2objectives based on the information specified in subparagraph (A)
3for the protection of the community.

4(C) A set of feasible implementation measures designed to carry
5out the goals, policies, and objectives identified pursuant to
6subparagraph (B) including, but not limited to, all of the following:

7(i) Feasible methods to avoid or minimize climate change
8impacts associated with new uses of land.

9(ii) The location, when feasible, of new essential public facilities
10outside of at-risk areas, including, but not limited to, hospitals and
11health care facilities, emergency shelters, emergency command
12centers, and emergency communications facilities, or identifying
13construction methods or other methods to minimize damage if
14these facilities are located in at-risk areas.

15(iii) The designation of adequate and feasible infrastructure
16located in an at-risk area.

17(iv) Guidelines for working cooperatively with relevant local,
18regional, state, and federal agencies.

19(v) The identification of natural infrastructure that may be used
20in adaptation projects, where feasible. Where feasible, the plan
21shall use existing natural features and ecosystem processes, or the
22restoration of natural features and ecosystem processes, when
23developing alternatives for consideration. For the purposes of this
24clause, “natural infrastructure” means the preservation or
25 restoration of ecological systems, or utilization of engineered
26systems that use ecological processes, to increase resiliency to
27climate change, manage other environmental hazards, or both.
28This may include, but is not limited to, floodplain and wetlands
29restoration or preservation, combining levees with restored natural
30systems to reduce flood risk, and urban tree planting to mitigate
31high heat days.

32(D) (i) If a city or county has adopted the local hazard
33mitigation plan, or other climate adaptation plan or document that
34fulfills commensurate goals and objectives and contains the
35information required pursuant to this paragraph, separate from the
36general plan, an attachment of, or reference to, the local hazard
37mitigation plan or other climate adaptation plan or document.

38(ii) Cities or counties that have an adopted hazard mitigation
39plan, or other climate adaptation plan or document that substantially
40complies with this section, or have substantially equivalent
P14   1provisions to this subdivision in their general plans, may use that
2information in the safety element to comply with this subdivision,
3and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the safety
4element the other general plan provisions, climate adaptation plan
5or document, specifically showing how each requirement of this
6subdivision has been met.

7(5) After the initial revision of the safety element pursuant to
8paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) upon each revision of the housing
9element, the planning agency shall review and, if necessary, revise
10the safety element to identify new information that was not
11available during the previous revision of the safety element.

12(6) Cities and counties that have flood plain management
13ordinances that have been approved by FEMA that substantially
14comply with this section, or have substantially equivalent
15provisions to this subdivision in their general plans, may use that
16information in the safety element to comply with this subdivision,
17and shall summarize and incorporate by reference into the safety
18element the other general plan provisions or the flood plain
19ordinance, specifically showing how each requirement of this
20subdivision has been met.

21(7) Prior to the periodic review of its general plan and prior to
22preparing or revising its safety element, each city and county shall
23consult the California Geological Survey of the Department of
24Conservation, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, if the
25city or county is located within the boundaries of the Sacramento
26and San Joaquin Drainage District, as set forth in Section 8501 of
27the Water Code, and the Office of Emergency Services for the
28purpose of including information known by and available to the
29department, the agency, and the board required by this subdivision.

30(8) To the extent that a county’s safety element is sufficiently
31detailed and contains appropriate policies and programs for
32adoption by a city, a city may adopt that portion of the county’s
33safety element that pertains to the city’s planning area in
34satisfaction of the requirement imposed by this subdivision.

35

SEC. 3.  

Section 65560 of the Government Code is amended
36to read:

37

65560.  

(a) “Local open-space plan” is the open-space element
38of a county or city general plan adopted by the board or council,
39either as the local open-space plan or as the interim local
40open-space plan adopted pursuant to Section 65563.

P15   1(b) “Open-space land” is any parcel or area of land or water that
2is essentially unimproved and devoted to an open-space use as
3defined in this section, and that is designated on a local, regional,
4or state open-space plan as any of the following:

5(1) Open space for the preservation of natural resources
6including, but not limited to, areas required for the preservation
7of plant and animal life, including habitat for fish and wildlife
8species; areas required for ecologic and other scientific study
9purposes; rivers, streams, bays, and estuaries; and coastal beaches,
10lakeshores, banks of rivers and streams, and watershed lands.

11(2) Open space used for the managed production of resources,
12including, but not limited to, forest lands, rangeland, agricultural
13lands, and areas of economic importance for the production of
14food or fiber; areas required for recharge of groundwater basins;
15bays, estuaries, marshes, rivers, and streams that are important for
16the management of commercial fisheries; and areas containing
17major mineral deposits, including those in short supply.

18(3) Open space for outdoor recreation, including, but not limited
19to, areas of outstanding scenic, historic, and cultural value; areas
20particularly suited for park and recreation purposes, including
21access to lakeshores, beaches, and rivers and streams; and areas
22that serve as links between major recreation and open-space
23reservations, including utility easements, banks of rivers and
24streams, trails, and scenic highway corridors.

25(4) Open space for public health and safety, including, but not
26limited to, areas that require special management or regulation
27because of hazardous or special conditions such as earthquake
28fault zones, unstable soil areas, flood plains, watersheds, areas
29presenting high fire risks, areas required for the protection of water
30quality and water reservoirs, and areas required for the protection
31and enhancement of air quality.

32(5) Open space in support of the mission of military installations
33that comprises areas adjacent to military installations, military
34training routes, and underlying restricted airspace that can provide
35additional buffer zones to military activities and complement the
36resource values of the military lands.

37(6) Open space for the protection of places, features, and objects
38described in Sections 5097.9 and 5097.993 of the Public Resources
39Code.

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SEC. 4.  

No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
2Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution for certain
3costs because a local agency or school district has the authority to
4levy service charges, fees, or assessments sufficient to pay for the
5program or level of service mandated by this act, within the
6meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code.

7However, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that
8this act contains other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement
9to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
10pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
114 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

12

SEC. 5.  

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the
13immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within
14the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into
15immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

16In order to timely facilitate the orderly and efficient
17implementation of Chapter 639 of the Statutes of 2015, it is
18necessary that this act take effect immediately.

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