BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1922
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 1922 (Gomez)
As Amended May 13, 2014
Majority vote
WATER, PARKS & WILDLIFE 10-3LOCAL GOVERNMENT 8-1
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|Ayes:|Rendon, Bocanegra, Fong, |Ayes:|Achadjian, Levine, Alejo, |
| |Frazier, Gatto, Gomez, | |Bradford, Gordon, Mullin, |
| |Gonzalez, Gray, | |Rendon, Waldron |
| |Rodriguez, Yamada | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Bigelow, Allen, Beth |Nays:|Wagner |
| |Gaines | | |
| | | | |
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APPROPRIATIONS 13-4
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|Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, | | |
| |Bradford, | | |
| |Ian Calderon, Campos, | | |
| |Eggman, Gomez, Holden, | | |
| |Linder, Pan, Quirk, | | |
| |Ridley-Thomas, Weber | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
|Nays:|Bigelow, Donnelly, Jones, | | |
| |Wagner | | |
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SUMMARY : Defines a greenway as a non-motorized pedestrian,
bicycle, and recreational travel corridor that parallels an
urban waterway and allows a city, county, or combination of
other local governmental entities to designate lands as a
greenway and include a greenway in the local open-space element
of a county or city general plan. Allows a nonprofit that has
as its primary purpose the development of a greenway, as
defined, to acquire and hold conservation easements.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Makes findings that include, but are not limited to,
AB 1922
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acknowledging that open-space land is necessary for the
maintenance and economy of the state as well as providing
relief from urban congestion, exercise, and appreciation of
wildlife species and habitats.
2)Finds that, among other benefits, the linear nature of
greenways along natural watercourses helps to connect
neighborhoods, reduce dependence on automobiles, complement
and enhance public amenities, attract residents and visitors,
and provide services, especially to underserved communities.
3)States that the intent of the Legislature in enacting the
Greenway Development and Sustainment Act (Act) is to promote
the development of greenways along rivers in the state,
including the development of a greenway along the Los Angeles
River (LA River).
4)Defines a greenway as, among other characteristics, a
pedestrian and bicycle, non-motorized vehicle transportation,
and recreational travel corridor with specified requirements.
5)Allows that a city, county, or other local government entity
may designate its lands along a river as a greenway and seek
appropriate public or private funding to develop the greenway.
6)Adds greenways to the definition of what can be included in
the open-space element of a county or city general plan.
7)Allows a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has as its
primary purpose greenway development to acquire and hold
conservation easements.
8)Provides that where state funding is provided for greenway
development under the Act, priority shall be given to a city,
county, or other local government entity that obtains funding
under the Federal Land Access Program (FLAP).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, there will be negligible, if any, state costs.
COMMENTS : Many people outside of Los Angeles might not realize
that the wide concrete channel featured in many films,
television series, and music videos is actually the LA River.
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For much of the year the river is a trickle and the culvert is
dry, which makes it a convenient set location to stage races,
car chases, and gang scenes.
The LA River is 51 miles long, contained entirely within the
County of Los Angeles, and passes through 13 cities, including
32 miles that stretch across the City of Los Angeles until it
eventually reaches Long Beach Harbor. Although planners had
envisioned greenbelts interconnecting parklands along the river
as early as the 1930s, renewed interest in the revitalization
and re-integration of the river and its tributaries into
adjacent neighborhoods began in the mid-to-late 1980s
accompanied by a growing recognition that compared to other
large American cities Los Angeles has relatively fewer parks,
particularly in under-represented communities. In 1996, the
County of Los Angeles adopted the Los Angeles River Master Plan
(Master Plan), which includes four core principles: revitalizing
the river's ecological and hydrological functions while
maintaining its flood control requirements; creating a green
ribbon through the city; capturing opportunities to benefit
neighboring communities; and, improving the quality of life.
In September 2010, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency designated the LA River a "traditional navigable
waterway" protected under the Clean Water Act and many federal
programs including the America's Great Outdoors initiative, the
Urban Waters Federal Partnership, and the federal Urban Wildlife
Refuge Initiative have focused on its revitalization. September
2013 the Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with the City
of Los Angeles, released a Draft Integrated Feasibility Report
for the Los Angeles River Ecosystem Restoration Study (Report)
that evaluates alternatives for restoring approximately 11 miles
of the LA River from Griffith Park to downtown Los Angeles and
providing passive recreation. The Report is still under review
by the Army Corps.
Multiple prior legislative attempts have focused attention on
the LA River. SB 1201 (De Le�n), Chapter 212, Statutes of 2012,
amended the Los Angeles Flood Control Act to include
recreational and educational purposes. SCR 101 (Pavley),
Chapter 106, Statutes of 2012, honored governmental and
non-governmental partners for parks and restoration projects
along the LA River and its San Fernando Valley tributaries. AB
735 (Gomez) of 2013, was a Greenway Initiative that included
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developing an LA River greenway. AB 735 was held in the
Assembly Appropriations Committee.
The author states that this bill will take necessary steps
towards greenway development in California by both defining
greenways and ensuring those projects are eligible for the FLAP
program funds which, among other uses, provide funds for
continuous transportation corridors. In addition, the author
states that this bill will allow nonprofit organizations to
obtain conservation easements to facilitate greenway projects.
The author advises that greenways can improve the quality of
life in communities by providing connectivity between them and
important recreational, open space, wildlife, flood management,
water quality, air quality, transportation, emergency response,
and urban waterfront revitalization opportunities.
Analysis Prepared by : Tina Cannon Leahy / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
FN: 0003415