BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE GOVERNANCE & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Senator Lois Wolk, Chair
BILL NO: AB 1922 HEARING: 6/25/14
AUTHOR: Gomez FISCAL: Yes
VERSION: 6/18/14 TAX LEVY: No
CONSULTANT: Ewing
GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINMENT ACT
Defines Greenways as non-motorized transportation corridors
along urban waterways and promotes their inclusion on local
open space planning.
Background and Existing Law
Each city and county is required to prepare and
periodically update a comprehensive, long-range, general
plan to guide future decisions. That plan must address
each of seven elements, including land use, circulation,
housing, conservation, open space, noise, and safety
elements.
Local open space plans may include unimproved land or water
that is devoted to open space for any of the following:
The preservation of natural resources.
The managed production of resources, including but
not limited to, forest lands, rangeland, agricultural
lands and other areas of economic importance.
Areas for outdoor recreation, such as areas of
outstanding scenic, historic and cultural value.
Areas for the protection of public health and
safety, such as, areas requiring special management
because of hazardous or other special conditions.
Areas for the support of the mission of military
installations that comprises areas adjacent to
military installations, military training routes, and
underlying restricted airspace.
Areas for the protection of places, features, and
objects relating to Native American artifacts or
heritage.
State law additionally authorizes specified non-profit
organizations to hold conservation easements for the
AB 1922 -- 6/18/14 -- Page 2
preservation or protection of land. Conservation easements
are provisions placed into a deed, will, or other legal
instrument that binds current and future successive owners
for the purpose of retaining land predominantly in its
natural, scenic, historical, agricultural, forested, or
open-space condition.
Proposed Law
Assembly Bill 1922 establishes the statutory definition of
a greenway as:
A pedestrian and bicycle, non-motorized vehicle
transportation, and recreational travel corridor that
is adjacent to an urban waterway that includes
landscaping that improves rivers and streams, provides
flood protection benefits, and incorporates the
significance and value of natural, historical, and
cultural resources.
Has appropriate setbacks from shared roadways, and
incorporates both ease of access to nearby communities
and an array of amenities and services for the users
of the corridor and nearby communities.
Is located on public lands and/or private lands
with legally authorized access.
May incorporate appropriate lighting, public
amenities, art, and other features.
Is consistent with affected local agencies'
planning decisions and documents, including, but not
limited to, a general plan, master plan, or other
specific plan.
AB 1922 authorizes a non-profit formed for the purpose of
promoting the development of a greenway to hold
conservation easements. The bill authorizes local
agencies, as part of the open space elements of its general
plan, to include one or more greenways in its planning
documents and decisions.
AB 1922 includes findings and declarations on the
importance of open-space land to California's communities
and the economy and the value of greenways to enhance
quality of life, economic growth and investment.
Declares that the Los Angeles River and its tributaries are
particularly suited for greenway development, encourages
the development of a greenway along the length of the Los
AB 1922 -- 6/18/14 -- Page 3
Angeles River and encourages local agencies with land use
authority along the river to apply for funds to develop a
greenway along the river.
States that it is the intent of the Legislature to promote
the development of greenways along urban rivers in the
state, though public and private partnerships, including
the development of a greenway along the Los Angeles River
and its tributaries.
State Revenue Impact
No estimate.
Comments
1. Purpose of the bill . Assembly Bill 1922 promotes the
development of greenways as non-motorized, pedestrian and
bicycle transit corridors along the boundaries of waterways
that pass through or near urban areas. The bill recognizes
that the Los Angeles River is an ideal candidate for the
development of a greenway. Greenways can promote economic
development, environmental conservation, public health, and
the overall quality of life by enhancing the ability of
residents to connect with natural spaces near and along
urban waterways. The bill provides local agencies with
additional tools to establish greenways, including the use
of conservation easements, to the extent they are
consistent with local planning decisions as reflected in a
general plan, open space plan or other local agency
decision-making process.
2. Necessary ? Assembly Bill 1922 promotes the development
of greenways along urban waterways throughout the state,
without providing the needed funding or other tools to
expand the use of this strategy to capture community
benefit. Local agencies currently have the authority to do
land use planning, consistent with this bill. The
Committee may wish to consider whether AB 1922 is
necessary.
Assembly Actions
AB 1922 -- 6/18/14 -- Page 4
Assembly Local Government Committee8-1
Assembly Appropriations 13-4
Assembly Floor 58-17
Support and Opposition (6/19/14)
Support : California Bicycle Coalition; City of Los
Angeles; Friends of the Sacramento River Parkway; Bennett
Kayser, Board Member, Los Angeles Unified School District;
LA River Revitalization Corporation; Mountains Recreation
and Conservation Authority; The Nature Conservancy; Santa
Monica Mountains Conservancy; Save the American River
Association.
Opposition : Unknown.