BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                       



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 2214|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  AB 2214
          Author:   Fuentes (D)
          Amended:  8/3/10 in Senate
          Vote:     27 - Urgency

           
           SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE  :  6-3, 8/10/10
          AYES:  Pavley, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
          NOES:  Cogdill, Hollingsworth, Huff

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  7-4, 8/12/10
          AYES:  Kehoe, Alquist, Corbett, Leno, Price, Wolk, Yee
          NOES:  Ashburn, Emmerson, Walters, Wyland

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  51-26, 6/1/10 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    Public resources:  Santa Monica Mountains  
          Conservancy: 
                      Pacoima Wash

           SOURCE  :     Author


           DIGEST  :    This bill requires the Santa Monica Mountains  
          Conservancy, by June 30, 2012, to complete a feasibility  
          study for the Pacoima Wash that establishes objectives for  
          the development of a greenbelt around the Pacoima Wash to  
          expand recreational opportunities and natural wildlife  
          habitat improvement.  The study must also include an  
          inventory of existing land and its uses, and an analysis of  
          land parcels along the Pacoima Wash that show potential for  
          greenbelt and recreational development. 
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           ANALYSIS  :    The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy  
          (Conservancy) was established by the Legislature in 1980 in  
          order to create a coordinated effort to protect the Santa  
          Monica Mountains Zone, a unique and valuable economic,  
          environmental, agricultural, scientific, educational, and  
          recreational resource to be held in trust for present and  
          future generations.  Lands protected under the Conservancy,  
          the last of the large undeveloped areas adjacent to the  
          shoreline within the greater Los Angeles metropolitan  
          region, provide essential relief from the urban  
          environment.  Since the Conservancy's creation, it has  
          helped to preserve over 60,000 acres of parkland in both  
          wilderness and urban settings and improved more than 114  
          public recreational facilities throughout Southern  
          California. 

          This bill:

          1. Requires the Conservancy, by June 30, 2012, to complete  
             a feasibility study for the Pacoima Wash that  
             establishes objectives for the development of a  
             greenbelt around the Pacoima Wash to expand recreational  
             opportunities and natural wildlife habitat improvement.   
             The study must also include an inventory of existing  
             land and its uses, and an analysis of land parcels along  
             the Pacoima Wash that show potential for greenbelt and  
             recreational development. 

          2. Requires that the study be developed with community  
             input and that the Conservancy request voluntary  
             cooperation from other governmental authorities with  
             jurisdiction over the Pacoima Wash.  The Conservancy  
             would develop the feasibility study with existing budget  
             resources.

           Comments  
           
           Among the Conservancy's strategic objectives, as expressed  
          in its Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Annual Report, is the  
          integration of nature into the urban environment by  
          acquiring or creating parkland in urban areas and  
          developing joint power authorities.  The Conservancy also  
          aims to create a "comprehensive, regional, and integrated  

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          trails plan."  Current Conservancy actions fulfilling these  
          objectives include its implementation of the Los Angeles  
          County River Master Plan establishing 51 miles of  
          continuous river parkway and greenbelt. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
          Local:  No

          According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:

                          Fiscal Impact (in thousands)

             Major Provisions                2010-11     2011-12     
             2012-13               Fund  

            Preparation of study          $50-$100            Bond*

            Cost pressure for             Unknown, potentially in  
            the millions        Bond*
            additional projects

            * Various resources bonds

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  8/16/10)

          Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority
          Pacoima Beautiful


           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    The author states, "The Pacoima  
          Wash is a 10-mile flood control channel that was built in  
          the 1940s that runs from the Pacoima Dam in the San Gabriel  
          Mountains?and ending in the Arleta Spreading Grounds. In  
          between, lie the communities of Sylmar, Pacoima, and the  
          city of San Fernando.  With few pedestrian connections  
          across, and fencing along its entire length, the Wash  
          attracts trash, graffiti, and fosters undesirable uses and  
          activities, both within the Wash itself, as well as in  
          locations where streets dead-end into it.  At a time when  
          many similar flood control channels, in Los Angeles and  
          elsewhere are being restored as community amenities, the  
          Pacoima Wash stands as a great opportunity.  Currently  
          space for physical activity is desperately needed in the  
          northeast San Fernando Valley?An improved Pacoima Wash  

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          could bring recreational and open space, serving as a key  
          resource in improving health and environmental  
          conditions?This bill seeks to codify the importance of the  
          Pacoima Wash as illustrated by non-profit groups in the San  
          Fernando Valley and the undeniable community support and  
          desire for development of the Pacoima Wash into a  
          recreational space and open space."


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  : 
          AYES:  Ammiano, Arambula, Bass, Beall, Blakeslee, Block,  
            Blumenfield, Bradford, Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero,  
            Charles Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Coto, Davis, De La  
            Torre, De Leon, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fong, Fuentes,  
            Furutani, Galgiani, Hall, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill,  
            Huber, Huffman, Jones, Lieu, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma,  
            Mendoza, Monning, Nava, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino,  
            Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Skinner, Solorio, Swanson,  
            Torlakson, Torres, Torrico, Yamada, John A. Perez
          NOES:  Adams, Anderson, Bill Berryhill, Conway, Cook,  
            DeVore, Emmerson, Fletcher, Fuller, Gaines, Garrick,  
            Gilmore, Hagman, Harkey, Jeffries, Knight, Logue, Miller,  
            Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, Norby, Silva, Smyth, Tran,  
            Villines
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Tom Berryhill, Audra Strickland, Vacancy


          CTW:mw  8/16/10   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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