Amended in Assembly June 16, 2016

Amended in Senate April 5, 2016

Senate Bill No. 1374

Introduced by Senator Lara

February 19, 2016

An act to add begin delete Section 32621.5 to the Public Resources Code, relating to the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. end delete begin insert Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 5795) to Division 5 of the Public Resources Code, relating to the Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District. end insert

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 1374, as amended, Lara. begin delete San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy: stormwater capture projects. end delete begin insert The Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District Act. end insert

begin insert

Existing law provides a process for the establishment of recreation and park districts and provides that a recreation and park district may organize, promote, conduct, and advertise programs of community recreation, establish systems of recreation and recreation facilities, and acquire, construct, improve, maintain, and operate recreation facilities.

end insert

Existing law begin delete provides for the protection, enhancement, and restoration of rivers in this state. Existing law end delete establishes the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy for the purpose of, among others, providing for the public’s enjoyment and enhancement of recreational and education experiences on public lands in the San Gabriel Watershed and Lower Los Angeles River. begin delete Existing law prescribes the functions and duties of the conservancy with regard to the preservation and protection of lands and watersheds within the territory, as described, of the conservancy and imposes certain limitations on the conservancy with respect to actions that affect water or water management in those watersheds. end delete begin insert Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to the extent the board wishes to consult, to appoint the Lower Los Angeles River Working Group to develop, on or before March 1, 2017, a revitalization plan for the Lower Los Angeles River watershed that addresses the unique and diverse needs of the Lower Los Angeles River and the communities through which it passes, as prescribed. end insert

begin delete

This bill would require the conservancy to identify projects, consistent with those limitations and the Los Angeles River Master Plan, that would maximize the capture of stormwater along the Lower Los Angeles River.

end delete begin insert

This bill would create the Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District and would subject the district to specified existing laws governing recreation and park districts, except as provided. The bill would authorize 9 specified city councils and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to appoint the initial board of directors of the district. The bill would require the initial board of directors to adopt a description of the territory to be included in the district and other specified information that existing law requires from the proponents for the formation of a new recreation and park district. The bill would further prescribe the functions and duties of the district, including, but not limited to, promoting the development of open space and parks along the Lower Los Angeles River. The bill would require the district to conduct those functions and duties in coordination with the Lower Los Angeles River Working Group and the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy.

end insert begin insert

This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District.

end insert begin insert

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.

end insert begin insert

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert .

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

begin insert

begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 5795) is
added to Division 5 of the end insert begin insert Public Resources Code end insert begin insert , to read: end insert

begin insert

 

Chapter   begin insert 4.5. end insert Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and
Park District Act

 

Article begin insert 1. end insert   General Provisions

 

begin insert 5795. end insert   

The Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park
District is hereby created.

begin insert 5795.2. end insert   

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the Lower
Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District shall be subject
to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 5780).

begin insert 5795.5. end insert   

For purposes of this chapter, “district” means the
Lower Los Angeles River Recreation and Park District.

 

Article begin insert 2. end insert   Administration

 

begin insert 5795.10. end insert   

Notwithstanding Article 4 (commencing with Section
5783) of Chapter 4, the initial board of directors of the district
shall consist of no more than 11 members, as follows:

(a) The city council of each of the following cities may appoint
one representative:

(1) The City of Vernon.

(2) The City of Maywood.

(3) The City of Bell.

(4) The City of Bell Gardens.

(5) The City of Cudahy.

(6) The City of Lynwood.

(7) The City of Compton.

(8) The City of Paramount.

(9) The City of Long Beach.

(b) The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors may appoint
two public members.

(c) A person appointed to the board of directors shall serve at
the pleasure of the city council or county board of supervisors that
made the appointment.

begin insert 5795.12. end insert   

The board of directors may be reorganized pursuant
to Article 6 (commencing with Section 5785) of Chapter 4.

 

Article begin insert 3. end insert   Power and Duties

 

begin insert 5795.20. end insert   

In addition to the powers enumerated in Article 7
(commencing with Section 5786) of Chapter 4, the district shall
do all of the following:

(a) Promote the development of open space and parks along
the Lower Los Angeles River.

(b) Identify funding and resources to promote the revitalization
of the Lower Los Angeles River and open spaces along the river,
for the benefit and enjoyment of local communities.

(c) Acquire, construct, improve, maintain, and operate parks
and open space along the Lower Los Angeles River.

begin insert 5795.21. end insert   

The district shall conduct the activities specified in
Section 5795.20 in coordination with the Lower Los Angeles River
Working Group established pursuant to Section 32622 and the
San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains
Conservancy established pursuant to Division 22.8 (commencing
with Section 32600), which have certain responsibilities regarding
the Lower Los Angeles River.

begin insert 5795.23. end insert   

Within a reasonable time, the initial board of directors
shall, by ordinance or resolution, adopt a description of the
territory to be included in the district and any other information
that would be required from the proponents for the formation of
a new recreation and park district, as provided in Section 5782.1.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert begin insert

The Legislature finds and declares that a special law
is necessary and that a general law cannot be made applicable
within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California
Constitution because of the urgent need for local park space along
the Lower Los Angeles River and the communities through which
it passes.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 3. end insert   

end insert begin insert

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

end insert

begin delete

  

end delete

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

Section 32621.5 is added to the Public Resources
Code, to read:

32621.5.  

The conservancy shall identify projects, consistent
with the Los Angeles River Master Plan and this chapter, that
would maximize the capture of stormwater along the Lower Los
Angeles River.

end delete