BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 1201|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 1201
Author: De León (D)
Amended: 5/29/12
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMM : 5-2, 4/10/12
AYES: Pavley, Kehoe, Padilla, Simitian, Wolk
NOES: La Malfa, Cannella
NO VOTE RECORDED: Evans, Fuller
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 5-2, 5/24/12
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Lieu, Price, Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Dutton
SUBJECT : Los Angeles River
SOURCE : Friends of the Los Angeles River
DIGEST : This bill creates the Los Angeles River
Interagency Access Council, consisting of state and local
representatives, in order to coordinate those agencies
efforts in developing and administering public access and
safety policies for the Los Angeles River.
ANALYSIS : Existing law establishes in state government
the Natural Resources Agency, consisting of various
departments, including the State Lands Commission. The Los
Angeles County Flood Control Act establishes the Los
Angeles County Flood Control District and authorizes the
district to control and conserve the flood, storm, and
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other wastewater of the district.
This bill establishes the Los Angeles River Interagency
Council comprised of state and local representatives, to
conduct various duties including promoting public access to
and enhancing safety features along the river, developing
and providing safety warning systems, and coordinating
permitting processes for public access to the river. This
bill also modifies the Los Angeles County Flood Control Act
of 1915 to provide for public use of navigable waterways
for recreational and educational purposes.
Background
Multiple state agencies have jurisdiction over elements of
the Los Angeles River and its tributaries including the
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the River and Mountains
Conservancy, the State Lands Commission, the Mountain and
Rivers Conservation Authority, the Department of Fish and
Game, the Department of Parks and Recreation, the State
Coastal Conservancy, the Regional Water Quality Control
Board, the Department of Water Resources, and Department of
Transportation. Additionally, numerous local agencies have
jurisdiction over elements of the Los Angeles River
including the County of Los Angeles and the 13 cities which
the river passes through.
There is strong, long-standing interest in the
revitalization and promotion of the re-integration of the
Los Angeles River and its tributaries into the adjacent
neighborhoods. The Los Angeles County's River Master Plan,
completed in 1996, described how economic growth could be
spurred along the river through zoning changes and the
development of open space, recreational, cultural,
artistic, educational, and other opportunities.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, ongoing
costs of $70,000 from the General Fund, starting in 2013,
for staffing and travel needs by the Natural Resources
Agency, State Lands Commission, and the California
Environmental Protection Agency.
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SUPPORT : (Verified 5/29/12)
Friends of the Los Angeles River (source)
Trust for Public Land
California League of Conservation Voters
Santa Monica Bay Keeper
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
OPPOSITION : (Verified 5/29/12)
Los Angeles County
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, "SB 1201
establishes the Los Angeles River Interagency Council to
ensure that open and accessible areas of the LA River are
identified for recreational purposes. This measure provides
the framework and policy goals needed to identify and
eliminate the barriers to public use. Many areas
surrounding the LA River have limited access to open space
and there are significant disparities in park access in
lower-income neighborhoods, as they have dramatically less
access to park space than more affluent areas. Without bike
pathways, pocket parks or other recreational amenities,
many of our communities are further challenged to live
healthier, more prosperous lives. This measure ensures that
we use an existing resource for the public benefit and that
we address the public needs in this process."
According to the Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR),
"?since channelization of the river Ý?] agency policies
generally exclude the public from river access and use
except under a restrictive and difficult permit process.
In spite of this, we are now witnessing rapidly increasing
public interest in the Los Angeles River accompanied by a
significant increase in actual use for a number of
recreational purposes." FoLAR continues that public access
to and use of the river is "greatly complicated by a
multiplicity of federal, state and local agencies with
river-related jurisdiction" and current coordination
policies are inadequate.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Los Angeles County Board of
Supervisors opposed an earlier version of this bill. Of
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continuing relevance, the Executive Officer states "The
proposed Council Ý...] would duplicate current, successful
local efforts of the County and other entities that
directly address environmental, recreational and other
issues relating to the Los Angeles River watershed.
Specifically, the effectiveness of the existing Los Angeles
River Master Plan is the direct result of the collaboration
of public and private sector stakeholders,
local/state/federal agencies, and environmental
organizations interested in the future of the Los Angeles
River. It addresses the recreational, flood management and
water conservation, environmental quality, economic
development, aesthetic, public access, and jurisdictional
considerations of all communities along the river. It also
provides a mechanism for the coordination of local projects
by the County of Los Angeles and the many cities along the
River and the Tujunga Wash. The effectiveness of the
Master Plan is complemented by the City of Los Angeles' own
similar river revitalization master plan, and by the River
Cooperation Committee, a collaborative undertaking of the
Los Angeles County Flood Control District and the City of
Los Angeles, with the Army Corps of Engineers serving in an
advisory capacity."
CTW:nl 5/29/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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