HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-05-2019 Item 13 - Legislative Platform Department Name: Administration,
City Attorney’s Office
Cost Center: 1001, 1501
For Agenda of: March 5, 2019
Placement: Business Item
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
FROM: Christine Dietrick, City Attorney
Derek Johnson, City Manager
SUBJECT: 2019 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM (SECOND REVIEW)
RECOMMENDATION
1. Adopt a resolution (Attachment A) establishing a Legislative Platform for 2019; and
2. Appoint the Mayor, City Attorney, and City Manager to act as the primary legislative liaisons
between the League of California Cities and the City of San Luis Obispo.
DISCUSSION
On January 8, 2019, the City Council voted to appoint Vice Mayor Pease and Council Member
Christianson to an ad hoc committee to work with staff to review and revise the legislative platform
and return a revised draft to Council. That revised draft is Attachment B (Exhibit to the Resolution).
If needed for reference, the staff report from January 8th can be accessed online
(http://opengov.slocity.org/weblink/1/doc/88205/Page1.aspx).
The suggested revisions primarily reflect deletions or consolidations of issues the subcommittee
found to be redundant, rewording or clarification to better express the intended advocacy objectives,
or relocations of items from departmental to regional priorities. Consistent with full Council
feedback, the proposed platform also now includes a separate Climate Action section, which
encompasses advocacy positions that cross departmental and issue areas.
In a couple of instances, the subcommittee asked that staff follow up with subject matter experts for
further clarification regarding the continuing necessity of including certain provisions that the
subcommittee felt could be eliminated. The draft legislative platform attached to this report is
redlined to reflect subcommittee input on possible deletions and also includes annotations to convey
further information obtained from departmental staff who recommended the items for inclusion and
the revised recommendations of staff.
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Finally, staff has included some introductory language reflecting staff’s current understanding of
Council majority direction on the intended scope and use of the platform. That language leaves
room for the Council to call out certain platform items on which it specifically may want to
authorize project specific advocacy within a particular issue area (e.g., Council may wish to give
specific pre-authorization to oppose oil transport projects that are clearly inconsistent with the
Council’s climate action, transportation, public safety and/or natural resources policy objectives).
Staff is seeking input as to whether Council wishes to provide additional direction on any particular
issue areas or whether staff should continue the policy of bringing all project specific advocacy
requests to the full Council as the need arises.
Background
Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
Similar resolutions have been adopted by the Council since 1993 following the advice and
example of other cities (1993 Staff Report).
Policy Context
The legislative platform is a tool to promote the efficient use of staff and Council time.
Efficiency is always an important go al to strive for but is also an underlying component of the
Fiscal Health Response Plan. While not a new way of doing business, it is an existing practice,
the purpose of which is to reduce time spent drafting, reviewing and acting on Council agenda
items, freeing time to work on other matters and ensuring the most timely and effective response
to emerging issues.
Public Engagement
Proactive public outreach is not historically part of the legislative platform adoption process.
Occasionally, during the year, members of the public will contact the City to ask if it will support
or oppose a piece of legislation, but recommendations to update the issues included in the
platform itself come from departmental staff with subject matter expertise in the included issue
areas.
CONCURRENCE
All City Departments provided input on the 2019 Legislative Platform and concur with the
recommendations in this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in this
report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15278.
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FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: N/A Budget Year: N/A
Funding Identified: N/A
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing Cost
General Fund N/A
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $ $ $ $
Because no additional staff work is anticipated as a result of this ongoing program, no new fiscal
impact will be incurred.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council may wish to include other issues, not included in the current draft. However, it is
important to note that the Legislative Action Platform allows the City to take action on any bills and
other measures formally supported by the League of California Cities. It is staff’s recommendation
that desired additions to the Platform are generally crafted and flexible to allow for quick responses
to legislation important to cities.
Attachments:
a - Resolution establishing a Legislative Platform for 2019
b - 2019 Legislative Platform - Legislative Draft
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R ____
RESOLUTION NO. XXXX (2019 Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING THE CITY LEGISLATIVE
ACTION PLATFORM FOR 2019 AND APPOINTING THE COUNCIL
MEMBER AND STAFF PERSON TO ACT AS LIAISON BETWEEN THE
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AND THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
WHEREAS, a major objective of the City Council is to adopt an aggressive legislative action
platform which strengthens local government, promotes City goals and defends the City against
legislative actions by State and Federal governments that would weaken local government and/or take
away traditional revenue sources; and
WHEREAS, it is vital to the fiscal health and the self determination of the City to effectively
communicate with State Legislators and Federal representatives in order to favorably influence State
and Federal legislation, regulations and grant requests; and
WHEREAS, the League of California Cities conducts a legislative analysis and advocacy
program on behalf of cities for State issues and major Federal issues; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to be proactive and involved in the governmental decision-
making processes directly affecting the City legislative pr iorities identified in Exhibit “A,” and other
selected issues as may from time to time be recommended by the League of California Cities; and
WHEREAS, the City Council considered an update to the Legislative Action Platform on
January 8, 2019 and formed an ad-hoc subcommittee consisting of Councilmembers Christianson and
Pease to provide further review and changes in response to Council and public input; and
WHEREAS, the ad-hoc committee convened once and made changes to the City’s
Legislative Action Platform that is being recommended for adoption; and
WHEREAS, a key component of the City’s Legislative Action Platform is face-to-face
meetings between City representatives and elected officials at the Federal, State, and County levels,
and coordination with similar efforts made by other local government entities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Luis
Obispo does hereby:
SECTION 1. Establish the Legislative Action Platform for 2019 as set forth in the attached
Exhibit “A” and authorize the Mayor and designated staff to take positions on legislation generally
consistent with the Legislative Action Platform and such other resolutions and recommendations of
the League of California Cities as may be from time to time presented to the City; and
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Resolution No. XXXX (2019 Series) Page 2
R ________
SECTION 2. Appoint Mayor Heidi Harmon to act as Council Member legislative liaison
and City Manager Derek Johnson and City Attorney Christine Dietrick to act as staff legislative
liaisons with the League of California Cities.
Upon motion of ____________________, seconded by ________________, and on the following
vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this ___ day of __________ 2019.
_______________________
Mayor Heidi Harmon
ATTEST:
_______________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_______________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of
San Luis Obispo, California, this ______ day of ______________________,2019.
_______________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
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EXHIBIT A
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
LEGISLATIVE ACTION PLATFORM FOR 2019
The following reflects those legislative matters on which the Council majority authorizes the
Mayor, City Manager and City Attorney to engage in legislative advocacy on behalf of the City
without the need for further Council review or authority. The Council’s authorization extends
only to advocacy for or against generally applicable legislative proposals being considered by
local, regional, state and/or federal policy makers or regulators and does not extend to advocacy
on any individual project or entitlement application pending before any decision-making body,
unless specifically noted herein.
Climate Action
1. Providing funding (i.e.e.g., through Cap and Trade or other sources) for
communities to pay for public infrastructure that meet mandated greenhouse gas
emission reduction goals.
2. Providing funding to implement programs and related action items contained in
local and regional Climate Action Plans to quantitatively reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, and advocating for regulatory reform including but not limited to .clean
technologies, micro-grids, all electric buildings, electrified transportation.
[Staff recommends leaving the language more broad unless the Council wishes to
indicate a priority preference for those items specifically referenced. Council direction is
requested.]
3. Providing communities broad authority to form and administer Community
Choice Energy programs.
3. Providing communities broad authority to form and administer Community
Choice Energy (CCE) programs, reforming the CPUC, and limiting decisions that
negatively impact CCEs or otherwise shift the financial impacts of investor owned
utilities to CCEs.
4. Promote regulatory reform for the transition to clean technologies, microgrids,
low and zero carbon energy generation, and decarbonized buildings.
[Staff recommends retaining a consolidated item that addresses the regulatory reform
measures included in items 5 and 6 below because there are CUP rules that, for example,
prevent an agency from installing electricity transmission infrastructure across public
right of ways, obstructing the ability to have meaningful microgrids. Staff recommends
including authorization that would clearly permit advocacy for regulatory reforms to
advance clean tech, low carbon energy, and decarbonization/electrification ].
4. Promoting funding and regulatory reform for the transition to clean technologies,
micro-grids, and low or zero-carbon energy.
Formatted: Justified
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5. Promote funding and regulatory reform to support the transition to all electric
buildings
6.5. Reform CPUC policies to ensure investor owned utilities are able and required to
provide timely, accurate, and sufficiently detailed energy data.
Community Development
1. Preserving local control of land use planning and zoning matters.
2. Promoting reforms of the entire State mandated HCD Regional Housing Need
Allocations process to recognize local resource limitations and align infrastructure and
other funding to help communities meet mandated housing requirements.
3. Promoting funding sources to accomplish retrofitting of unreinforced masonry
buildings.
4.3. Promoting funding of on-campus housing at Cal Poly for students, staff and
faculty, and University acquisition of residences for staff and faculty housing.
5.4. Supporting efforts to increase funding for affordable housing and supportive
housing services for very low, low and moderate income individuals and/or families in
all cities and communities and opposing the erosion of local inclusionary housing and
in-lieu fee programs.
6.5. Supporting continued funding of National Housing Trust Fund and streamlined
and efficient implementing regulations at the state level.
7.6. Promoting additional state funding to implement AB 32 (The California Global
Warming Solutions Act of 2006) and SB 375 (The Sustainable Communities and
Climate Protection Act of 2008) through local general plan updates that implement the
regional sustainable communities plan and alternative planning strategy, if needed.
8.7. Promoting funding for the identification, acquisition, maintenance and
restoration of historic sites and structures.
9.8. Supporting continued or expanded funding for the Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) program.
10. Supporting reinstatement of protections from imposition of additional building
or site conditions prior to issuance of a building permit for seismic related improvements
to buildings subject to a mitigation program established according to state law (City
URM Program) as previously provided in Government Code Section 8875.10 (this
section was repealed effective January 1, 2009).
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11.9. Supporting continued local control over mobile home park rent stabilization and
local control over the conversion of mobile home parks to other uses. Encourage the
amendment of Section 66427.5 of the California Government Code and other relevant
law for the purpose of ensuring that mobile home park residents are not involuntarily
removed from homes or otherwise economically impacted if parks are subdivided or
converted.
12.10. Resolving and addressing regulatory or financial barriers to implement AB 811
property-assessed clean energy districts.
13.11. Encouraging continued viability of inclusionary housing provisions and
avoidance of conflicts with Costa-Hawkins Act.
14. Encouraging consistency in state legislation dealing with transportation,
housing and land use issues and eliminating potential conflicts between regional
housing requirements, smart growth mandates and environmental legislation.
15.12. Enabling the issuance of parking citations on private property.
16. Supporting State funding to achieve state mandated affordable housing programs
and an equal and fair distribution to rural and suburban counties and cities.
17.13. Advocating full funding for ser vices and transitional housing
for individuals who are unhous ed , of authorized programs under the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, including providing more flexibility in
the use of Federal funds on the local level to address housing for the homeless.
18.14. Supporting legislation that provides funding sources for appropriate human
service agencies that support the mission of the Human Relations Commission.
19.15. Supporting responsible review and revision of CEQA to ensure sound
environmental determinations.
20.16. Promoting pragmatic and clarifying actions to implement Proposition 64
Cannabis legalization, including support for increased funding for health education
related to that same proposition , and the preservation of local land use decision making,
related to cannabis regulations, reconciliation of conflicts in state and federal law, and
systems for legal banking.
21.17. Supporting modern and cost-efficient, thorough and accurate methods for the
population to exercise its civic obligation to be counted in the 2020 Census.
Economic Development
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1. Promoting funding and/or legislation using tax credits or other incentive
programs to encourage research and development by businesses in California.
2. Supporting funding and policies for the promotion of California as a place to
locate businesses.
1. Supporting economic development that is integrated with climate action and
social justice, such as the Green New Deal.
3.2. Supporting funding for the state tourism promotion program.
4.3. Supporting the effective and efficient use of all communications technologies
including voice, video, data, and information services over wired and wireless
transmission technologies and supporting net neutrality.
5.4. Supporting telecommunications reform legislation and other measures that
preserve local control over public rights-of-way, protect local resources and guarantee
access to, funding for, and local flexibility in utilizing funds for public, educational
and government (PEG) access television.
6.5. Supporting the expansion of public infrastructure financing tools and funding for
infrastructure to provide economic development opportunities.
7. Promoting development of green business and head of household jobs.
8.6. Supporting head-of-household jobs, including factual analyses of impacts and
associated mitigations for losses ofregarding major regional employers. that provide
significant head of household jobs.
9. Supporting net neutrality.
Finance
1. Supporting meaningful fiscal reform that allows each level of government to
adequately finance its service responsibilities while c ontinuing to support efforts to
protect the City from loss of revenues due to State take-aways and unfunded State or
Federal mandates.
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2. Advocating against initiatives that unduly burden and/or prohibit local
government ability to support essential services to the community.
3. Endorsing legislation that provides local government with a fair share tax on
catalog and Internet sales; and opposing legislation that limits state or local authority
to tax catalog or Internet sales.
4. Supporting efforts to collect the full amount of local transient occupancy tax from
online sales of lodging.
5. Supporting the continuation of California Specialized Training Institute
activities within San Luis Obispo County.
6.5. Opposing legislation that removes the municipal bond tax exemption.
7. Supporting local regulatory control and revenue equity for cities in statewide
regulation or permitting process for marijuana establishments or uses.
Human Resources/Employee Relations
1. Supporting additional workers’ compensation reforms that lower employers' costs while
still protecting workers and opposing legislation that would restrict appropriate cost
controls in the workers’ compensation system.
2. Supporting pension and retiree health benefits reform efforts, policy changes,
and permissible administration decisions aimed at reducing unfunded liabilities, reducing
costs, and ensuring the long-term viability of the defined benefit pension system in
concert with the League of California Cities and the California Public Employees
Retirement System (PERS) Board of Directors.
3. Opposing the expansion of property rights in public employment and
procedural requirements that hinder or significantly increase the public costs
of effective performance management the "Peace Officers' Bill of Rights,"
"Firefighters' Bill of Right s," or other attempts to , including legislation that curtails
management rights or obstructs the timely, efficient and cost effective implementation
of performance management or disciplinary measures.
4. Supporting legislation to protect the City's continued ability to administer its
Cafeteria Benefit Plan and maintain comprehensive health care coverage for eligible
employees, in a financially sustainable manner.
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5. Supporting reforms that limit the financial impacts of joint and several liability
on public entities.
6. Supporting the clarification, modification or repeal of AB 646 fact finding
requirements and opposing measures that reduces local control over public employee
disputes.
7. Opposing the expansion of procedural rights and requirements in administrative
disciplinary proceedings that increase costs and expand the timeframe and scope of
administrative processes.
8.7. Opposing measures that curtail management rights or impose local government
mandated employee benefits that should be directly negotiated between labor groups and
employers.
9.8. Supporting Federal legislation to modify, refine, or eliminate Federal Labor
Standards Act (FLSA) requirements on public agencies.
10.9. Support reforms that limit the joint and several liability to agencies who have
entered into Joint Powers Agreements (JPAs).
Public Safety
1. Continuing State and Federal funding support for school safety, disaster
preparedness, earthquake preparedness, Homeland Security, hazardous material
response, State COPS program and other local law enforcement activities.
2. Preserving the City's authority to investigate police misconduct.
3. Supporting efforts to expand the scope of parental responsibility for crimes
committed by minors.
4.3. Preserving the authority of local control on issuance of concealed weapons
permits.
5.4. Supporting legislation to help curb drug and alcohol-related criminal behavior
and underage drinkingconsumption.
6.5. Opposing new or increased state fees for state- provided law enforcement
services.
7.6. Supporting the fair and efficient allocation of radio spectrum that provides
quality frequencies, free from interference, for all local public safety communication
needs.
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8.7. Supporting efforts to enhance radio and data system(s) stability and
interoperability among public safety agencies and jurisdictions .
9.8. Supporting efforts to reduce retention periods for video monitoring data not
related to an identified incident or operation.
10.9. Preserving the City's right to regulate activities with adverse health and safety
impacts on local streets, sidewalks and right-of-ways.
11.10. Supporting legislation to improve and enhance the safety of cargo transported via
rail, including but not limited to: safety enhancements for rail vessel construction with
an emphasis on efforts to rapidly improve the safe transport of volatile crude oil and limit
the use of older, “grandfathered” containers and vessels; enhancements in remote
monitoring and control of railcar speeds; reduction of railcar speeds in populated areas
like San Luis Obispo; enhancements in communications, notifications and information
dissemination to local governments, especially public safety agencies.
12.11. Supporting and expanding funding and programs to proactively reduce fire risk
attributed to heavy vegetative fuels loads, high tree mortality, drought, and climate
change to remove diseased, dead and/or down combustible vegetation, thin forests to
improve forest health, and create effective defensible space between the undeveloped
and developed environments.
13.12. Supporting grants and aid to land/property owners with properties one mile or
less from natural vegetation, which are threatened by wind -driven fire events, to harden
structures again fire impingement and create sustainable defensible spaces.
14.13. Supporting grants and aid to local governments to develop modern evacuation
communications systems to effectively reach all residents in a timely fashion via voice,
text, email, and other electronic means.
15.14. Supporting legislation that would result in the implementation of a statewide
modern evacuation communications system to effectively reach all residents in a timely
fashion via voice, text, email, and other electronic means, which is available for use by
local governments at the discretion of local governments.
16.15. Supporting legislation to preserve and enhance local control, at the City level, for
the provision of public safety services, including the scope and provision of medical and
non-medical emergency services.
17.16. Supporting uniformity of state and federal regulations of drones and the study
and adoption of appropriate local airport protections and public safety exemptions.
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18.17. Supporting legislation regarding the safe transport and storage of nuclear waste.
19.18. Supporting legislation to address the education, funding and treatment of opioid
addiction.
20.19. Supporting legislation that expands funding to manage vegetation and fuel
sources in the wildland urban interface.
21.20. Supporting legislation to provide funding to help communities prepare for and be
resilient after natural disasters.
Public Works
1. Supporting increased availability of grant funding to replace aging infrastructure
of all types, e.g. streets, bridges, water, sewer, parks, and storm sewer systems, etc.
2. Supporting increased funding for projects that improve flood protection, clean
stormwater and for the Citylow impact infrastructure projects.
3. Supporting funding for implementation of clean stormwater / low impact
infrastructure replacement.
4.3. Ensuring cooperation and prompt approval from Federal and State regulatory
agencies (such as the Department of Fish & Wildlife, Regional Water Quality Control
Board and the Army Corps of Engineers) for necessary projects involving the City's
creek system.
5.4. Supporting monetary incentives or grant funding for alternative fuel vehicles for
replacement of municipal fleet equipment.
6. Supporting monetary incentives or grant funding for retrofitting municipal
buildings with Energy Management Systems to centrally control all lighting and HVAC
systems.
7. Supporting realistic municipal clean stormwater requirements at the State Board
or legislative level.
8. Supporting legislation that reduces implementation timeframe for Public Projects
in a cost-effective manner.
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9.5. Supporting funding and policies that support and enhance active transportation
modes such as bicycles, pedestrian, transit connections, and transit.
10.6. Supporting continued protection of SB -1 and other funding for transportation
infrastructure maintenance
Parks and Recreation and Natural Resources
1. Supporting State and Federal funding and other measures to promote the
acquisition, protection, preservation and restoration of natural resources, open space,
coastal resources, signature land forms, wetlands and park development, including
continued funding for the Land and Water Conservation Grant Program and for the
California Conservation Corps.
2. Supporting the expansion of National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of San
Luis Obispo County to protect this fragile habitat from offshore oil and gas development.
3. Supporting limited amendments to stormwater regulatory requirements to reduce
mandatory minimum fines and penalties and the recovery of private attorneys’ fees for
technical non-compliance issues that doe not result in adverse public health impacts or
environmental harm.
2.4. Support stormwater requirements that are related to specific issues and include
reasonable timingimplementation timeframes and additional funding.
3.5. Opposing any development under existing or new offshore oil and gas leases
off the Coast of San Luis Obispo County.
4.6. Opposing any development under existing or new oil and gas leases in San Luis
Obispo County.
5.7. Supporting and seeking State and Federal funding and other measures to conduct
research and implement land management measures for the purpose of carbon
sequestration.
6.8. Supporting measures to prohibit discharge of polluta nts into the ocean (e.g.
selenium contaminated waters from the San Joaquin valley).
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7.9. Encouraging the Resources Agency and its departments to expedite the
distribution of remaining Proposition 1 bond funds to take advantage of the many
favorable opportunities for land and easement acquisition and enhancement project
contracting. that exist at this time.
8.10. Seeking legislative exemption from property taxes on lands dedicated to open
space purposes, which are outside the boundaries of the jurisdiction owning such
lands.
9.11. Protecting funding for vital regional and community services that negatively
impact Californians’ access to parks, open space, after school programming, senior
services, facilities that promote physical activity, protect natural resources, and
strengthen safety and security.
10.12. Promoting policies that recognize the benefits of parks and recreational
facilities in the advancement of "sustainable communities" and curbing greenhouse
gas emissions, including: strengthening policies that fund parks, open-space, bike
lanes and non-motorized trails through the development and implementation of a
carbon credit and offset program, and advocating for the strong integration of local
and regional park and non-motorized transportation improvements into "Smart
Growth Scenarios" pursuant to SB 375.
11.13. Supporting access to joint use of schools; parks and open space; development
of streets and trails that encourage physical activity and healthy living.
12.14. Supporting extension or permanent legislation at the federal level of enhanced
tax deductions for charitable donations of Conservation Easements
13.15. Supporting legislation to limit the opening of national parks (or other protected
public lands, e.g. Carrizo Plain) to fossil fuel extraction.
Transportation
1. Supporting changes in gas tax laws that allow local tax for transportation
purposes based on a majority vote of the public.
2. Supporting the continuation of, and increased funding sources for street
maintenance projects, transportation improvements, transit operations and multimodal
facility projects.
3. Supporting funding sources for transit electrification.
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4. Supporting clean air transit funding for San Luis Obispo County , in
particular funding that provides for alternative modes of transportation with clean
air benefits.
5. Supporting actions to: (1) promote cooperation and mutual support between
metropolitan planning organization (MPO) agencies and local transit providers, and
(2) discourage trends toward " MPO agencies/regional "control" of local transit
providers.
6. Encouraging private transportation companies (such as Union Pacific Railroad)
to reach agreements for sharing of properly secured right of way corridors for other
compatible uses such as bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
7. Opposing the proposed diversion of any funding source for transportation that
reduces amounts designated for transit operations.
8. Supporting funding for projects to implement adopted complete street plans
demonstrated to improve public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
9. Supporting provision of Cap and Trade funding for intercity rail.
10. Supporting increased funding for existing Active Transportation Program (ATP).
11. Preserving funding for existing and future transportation needs.
Utilities
1. Supporting clean water funding programs.
2. Supporting recycling, waste diversion, and zero waste programs and enhancing
local government's ability to comply with solid waste reduction requirements.
3. Supporting measures that require the State Water Resources Control Board and
Regional Water Quality Control Boards establish a process to evaluate, in advance of
adoption, the costs of compliance for pending and future regulatory actions on NPDES
permittees.
4. Supporting legislation that requires the State's environmental agencies to
conduct peer review of proposed regulations to ensure that the proposal is based on
sound science.
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[Staff recommends retaining this provision. This is in response to the State’s 303d list
process that allows any type of data to be entered into the regulation process for creating
new discharge limits. Staff believes standards that exist for this are currently extremely
low and can lead to poor decision making and supports measures to ensure that data used
for regulatory purposes meets the strict scientific rigor that exists in all other peer
reviewed science.]
5.4. Supporting the elimination of mandatory minimum penalties for violations of
NPDES Requirements and returning discretionary control to the Regional Water Quality
Control Board Executive Officers (i.e. repeal SB 709).
6.5. Supporting measures to ensure reasonableness in the administration of
NPDES permit governing City operations, including pursuing a municipal
representative on the Regional Water Quality Control Board
7.6. Promoting the safe, responsible, and cost-effective reuse of Exceptional Quality
or better biosolids.
8. Supporting any appropriate streamlining of the state regulatory processes.
9.7. Supporting sustainable energy programs.
10. Supporting incentives for distributed energy generation projects such as solar
power, and hydroelectric power generation.
11.8. Supporting legislation allowing cities/agencies to establish fees for the costs
of operating mandated water quality programs such as, but not limited to, municipal
storm water and total maximum daily loading.
12.9. Supporting federal legislative action to transfer Salinas Reservoir from Ar my
Corps of Engineers Military Project to Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Project.
13.10. Supporting the imple mentation of the California Urban Water Conservation
Council's Best Management Practices regarding urban water conservation and
compliance with AB 1420.
14.11. Supporting amendments to the Urban Water Management Planning Act to
recognize past investment in water conservation and the City's ability to comply with
SBx7-7 and other water conservation regulations.
15. Opposing legislation that requires recycled water to be included in water
conservation regulations.
[Staff recommends retention. As the State drafts the new conservation regulations, they
have considered making efficiency standards on all water, including recycled water.
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Staff believes those decisions should remain part of local water management decisions.
For example, allowing City parks to use recycled water during the drought facilitated
using recycled water any day of the week. Under some of the proposed rules, the City
would have been mandated to follow the same for our recycled water program. This
seemed to disincentivize recycled water connections.]
16.12. Opposing legislation that requires mandatory consolidation of water systems
without acknowledgement of water rights.
17.13. Promoting legislation that expands or encourages the expansion of recycled water
production and use.
18.14. Supporting legislation eliminating departing load charges which discourage the
use of alternative energy resources.
19.15. Allowing the use of Public Goods Funds for the development and installation of
energy saving or green energy generating projects to benefit local government.
20.16. Opposing legislation that diminishes the City’s existing water rights.
21.17. Promoting the protection of water resources.
22.18. Supporting the protection of our natural resources from invasive species.
23. Promoting sustainability of our water resources through the use of recycled water
and other best practices.
24.19. Supporting regional water resiliency initiatives.
25. Support a two track option of laboratory accreditation, California Environmental
Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) and the National Environmental Laboratory
Accreditation Conference (NELAC) InstituteNELAC) Institute also known TNI
26. Supporting expanded legislation to ensure that permitted development has adequate
water supplies to support development activities and intensities and does not indirectly
impose water service obligations to adjacent municipal water agencies.
[Moved to County/Regional priorities]
County/Regional Priorities
1. Supporting legislation and other policy considerations to expand funding for the
delivery of case management, drug, alcohol, and detoxification services, mental health
services, and the establishment of shelter facilities.
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2. Working with the County to assure land use practices that are consistent with the
Memorandum of Agreement adopted by the City Council and County Board of
Supervisors in 2016 regarding development near the edges of the City.
3. Encouraging participation by County in providing nearby parking for County
employees and clients, and alternate transportation and parking demand reduction.
4. Supporting County development of a local ordinance providing additional local
oversight and regulation of the land application of Pollutant Concentration (PC) or better
biosolids.
5. Working cooperatively with the County to solve City/County flood problems.
6. Supporting the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Contro l District's
legislative program, where consistent with the City's adopted policies and platform.
7. Supporting the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments' legislative advocacy
activities, where consistent with the City's adopted policies, platform and public project
objectives.
8. Supporting efforts to enhance dangerous animal regulation and enforcement.
9. Supporting the streamlining, clarification and simplification of conflict of interest
regulations applicable to local officials.
10. Encouraging the County and cities therein to join the Monterey Bay Community
Power community choice energy program
11. Supporting the Central Coast Regional Energy Network at the Count y Board of
Supervisors, the CPUC, and related relevant entities.
12. Working with appropriate regional partners, including the County, adjacent
cities, Cal Poly, and regulatory agencies to fund and support climate change impact
projections and coordinate approaches for increasing regional resilience.
13. Ensuringe that permitted development outside City jurisdiction has adequate water
supplies to support development activities and intensities and does not indirectly impose
water service obligations to adjacent municipal water agencies.
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