BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2624
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Date of Hearing: May 9, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 2624 (Smyth) - As Introduced: February 24, 2012
Policy Committee: Local
GovernmentVote:9-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill adds local agency formation commissions (LAFCOs) to
the list of eligible applicants for Strategic Growth Council
financial assistance, including grants and loans for developing,
adopting and implementing a regional plan or other planning
instrument to support the planning and development of
sustainable communities.
FISCAL EFFECT
Negligible fiscal impact.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . The author states AB 2624 will provide LAFCOs with
grant funding so they could prepare more extensive municipal
service review (MSR) in collaboration with regional planning
entities. The author argues because LAFCOs are funded by
their own local agencies, LAFCOs are not likely to be able to
prepare an MSR in the depth needed by the Councils of
Governments (COGs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations
(MPOs), Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs),
cities, counties and Joint Powers Authorities (JPAs) for their
planning efforts. The author notes AB 2624 would avoid the
need for an MPO to have to fund studies to obtain the
necessary information and would foster a greater opportunity
for collaboration among the planning agencies and the LAFCOs.
2)Support . The California Association of Local Agency Formation
Commissions (CALAFCO) argues this bill would reduce
AB 2624
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duplication of effort and provide the transportation agencies
with more complete information regarding municipal services
and growth capacity for the preparation of the Sustainable
Communities Strategies.
3)Background . Proposition 84, the Safe Drinking Water, Water
Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal
Protection Bond Act of 2006, includes $90 million for planning
grants and incentives including revolving loan programs and
other methods to encourage the development of regional and
local land use plans.
SB 732 (Steinberg, 2008), created the Strategic Growth Council
(SGC) and requires the SGC to manage and award financial
assistance to Councils of Governments (COGs), Metropolitan
Planning Organizations (MPOs), Regional Transportation
Planning Agencies (RTPAs), cities, counties, and Joint Powers
Authorities (JPAs) to develop, adopt, or implement a regional
plan or other planning instrument consistent with a regional
plan, as specified.
4)Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCOs) . LAFCOs are
required to complete a MSR prior to a sphere of influence
update. MSRs are comprehensive in nature and examine growth
and population projections, present and planned capacity of
public facilities, infrastructure needs or deficiencies
related to sewer, water and fire protection, and the financial
ability of agencies to provide services.
5)Related legislation . In addition to other provisions, AB 2238
(Perea) contains similar language, adding LAFCOs to the list
of entities able to apply for Proposition 84 funding from
Strategic Growth Council. AB 2238 allows LAFCOs to apply for
funding public water system consolidation, merger or extension
of services for projects for the purposes of promoting water
conservation. This bill is pending in this committee.
6)Previous legislation . SB 1006 (Hancock), Chapter 632,
Statutes of 2010 added special districts and joint powers
authorities to the list of eligible applicants under the
purview of the Strategic Growth Council for urban greening
projects and plans.
7)There is no registered opposition on file.
AB 2624
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Analysis Prepared by : Roger Dunstan / APPR. / (916) 319-2081