Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, April 05, 2022
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER RESOLUTION 22-058 SUPPORTING AB 2897 (O'DONNELL) AND SB 1122 (ALLEN) EXPANDING THE TERRITORY OF THE SAN GABRIEL AND LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY TO INCLUDE THE DOMINGUEZ CHANNEL WATERSHED AND SANTA CATALINA ISLAND (CITY COUNCIL)
Body
I. SUMMARY
AB 2897 (Asm. Patrick O’Donnell) and SB 1122 (Sen. Ben Allen) are companion bills would expand the territory of the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) to include the Dominguez Channel watershed and Santa Catalina Island. This action could directly benefit the City of Carson as it may make the City eligible for more grant and bond funding for open space projects. This bill was first proposed in 2019 as AB 1694 and the City Council approved a resolution endorsing it, but the bill did not advance. It was reintroduced in 2020 as AB 2103 but it was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File. Assemblymember O’Donnell, the original sponsor of the bill, introduced it last year as AB 78. This year there is more optimism about its passage because while it is being sponsored again by O’Donnell (AB 2897) a separate similar bill has been introduced as well by Senator Ben Allen (SB 1122).
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 22-058 “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARSON, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING AB 2897 (O’DONNELL) AND SB 1122 (ALLEN), EXPANDING THE TERRITORY OF THE SAN GABRIEL AND LOWER LOS ANGELES RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY TO INCLUDE THE DOMINGUEZ CHANNEL WATERSHED AND SANTA CATALINA ISLAND”
2. REQUEST that staff forward a copy of executed Resolution 22-058 to Assembly Member Patrick O’Donnell’s and Senator Ben Allen’s Offices, as well as the offices of Assembly Member Gipson and Senator Bradford.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
DO NOT support Resolution 22-058.
IV. BACKGROUND
The RMC is one of 10 conservancies created by the Legislature with the mission of preserving open space and habitat while facilitating public access to California's wilderness and wildlife. The RMC achieves these goals through projects that preserve and restore wildlife habitat, improve watersheds, and provide low-impact recreational and educational uses. The RMC applies for funding from public and private sources to support projects throughout their territory which covers eastern Los Angeles County and Western Orange County.
Need for the Bill
While the Conservancy has successfully completed numerous projects within its territory, several neighboring and nearby communities in need have not had access to the same opportunities. Other than limited coverage by the Coastal Conservancy, neither of these communities below have access to the opportunities provided by a state backed conservancy.
The Dominguez Channel Watershed is west of the Los Angeles River and includes portions of Carson, Compton, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Torrance, and San Pedro. Approximately 81 percent of the 133 square miles in this watershed are developed. With a population of 1 million, demand for services is high while parkland and open space are in short supply.
Another nearby community facing open space management challenges is Santa Catalina Island. Normally thought of as a tourist destination, the residents of the island itself are primarily those who provide services to tourists. With a population of about 4,000 and a median household income of approximately $63,000, finding funding for open space and water management projects can be challenging. Additionally, the very nature of the island poses challenges with managing several native and non-native species as well as limited access; everything must be brought by plane or boat.
AB 2897 and SB 1122 seek to bring the numerous benefits of the RMC to the Dominguez Channel Watershed and Santa Catalina Island. This will expand the reach of RMC's funding and expertise to many traditionally underserved communities with unique open space and water management challenges.
The City has supported this effort 3 times before when it was AB 1694, AB 2103, and AB 78. It has always been sponsored by Assemblyman Patrick O’Donnell of Long Beach. This year there is more optimism about passage because while Asm. O’Donnell introduced AB 2897, a separate similar bill has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Ben Allen (SB 1122). The Senate bill was approved in committee on March 22.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost to the City to become a member of the RMC but membership could benefit Carson by making it eligible for more grant and bond funding for open space. The need for a focus on the Dominguez Channel is even more acute this year after the Dominguez Channel Odor Even in October and November and now longer-term efforts to remediate the channel and turn parts of it into an amenity for the community.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. Resolution 22-058 (pgs. 4-6)
2. Conservancy Current Area Map (pg. 7)
3. Dominguez Channel & LA Harbor Watersheds Map (expansion area) (pg. 8)
Prepared by: John S. Raymond, Assistant City Manager