31100-31120
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 31100-31120
31100. There is in the Resources Agency the State Coastal Conservancy, consisting of the following seven members: (a) The chairperson of the commission. (b) The Secretary of the Resources Agency. (c) The Director of Finance. (d) Four members of the public, of which two shall be appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. Of the members appointed by the Governor, not more than one may be an elected official of a local government, and the official shall have been elected to an office in a local government whose territory is located wholly or partially in the coastal zone. Except for members appointed pursuant to subdivision (d), the members of the conservancy may designate one of their employees to serve on the conservancy in their absence. 31100.5. Three Members of the Senate, appointed by the Senate Rules Committee, and three Members of the Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, shall meet with the conservancy and participate in its activities to the extent that such participation is not incompatible with their respective positions as Members of the Legislature. 31101. (a) The members appointed under subdivisions (a) and (d) of Section 31100 shall serve for a term of four years. However, if a member is appointed under subdivision (d) by reason of his or her status as a locally elected official, his or her membership shall cease 60 days after his or her term of office as a locally elected official ceases, and the Governor may appoint another person to complete the remainder of his or her term. Any person appointed under subdivision (d) of Section 31100 shall not be disqualified for membership and may complete his or her term in the event he or she is elected to a local office after his or her appointment. (b) Members appointed under subdivisions (a) and (d) of Section 31100 shall be compensated for attendance at regular meetings of the conservancy at the rate of one hundred dollars ($100) per day, and shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the performance of their duties. 31102. The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall select one of the public members to serve as the chair of the conservancy. The public member shall serve as chair at the pleasure of the secretary. A majority of the total authorized membership of the conservancy shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business under this division. The conservancy shall adopt its own regulations. 31103. The conservancy shall determine the qualifications of, and it shall appoint and fix the salary of, the executive officer of the conservancy, who shall be exempt from civil service, and shall appoint such other staff as may be necessary to carry out the powers and functions set forth in this division. To the maximum extent possible, the conservancy shall utilize the staff of the commission for purposes of planning and project evaluation, and the staff of the Real Estate Services Division of the Department of General Services in carrying out acquisition, leasing, disposal, and other real property transactions authorized under this division. 31104. The conservancy may apply for and accept federal grants and receive gifts, donations, subventions, rents, royalties, and other financial support from public and private sources. 31104.1. The conservancy shall serve as a repository for lands whose reservation is required to meet the policies and objectives of the California Coastal Act of 1976 (Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000)), a certified local coastal plan or program, or the San Francisco Bay Plan as implemented by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission pursuant to Title 7.2 (commencing with Section 66600) of the Government Code. Pursuant to that authority, the conservancy may accept dedication of fee title, easements, development rights, or other interests in lands, including interests required to provide public access to recreation and resources areas in the coastal zone. 31104.2. The conservancy is the designated agency in the state for planning and coordinating federal surplus land sales in the coastal zone. 31104.3. On an annual basis or as may be required, the executive officer of the conservancy shall report to the Director of General Services regarding privately owned properties within the conservancy' s jurisdiction which have special significance and which might appropriately be the subject of trades for lands owned by the state for the purposes of preserving natural resources and moderating the impacts of regulation with the coastal zone. A particular property shall be included in any report only upon agreement of the owner. For purposes of this section, "special significance" means having importance because of the land's value for (1) public access, (2) public recreation, (3) wetlands, riparian, or other natural habitat, (4) open space, or (5) agricultural use. 31105. The conservancy is authorized to acquire, pursuant to the Property Acquisition Law (Part 11 (commencing with Section 15850), Division 3, Title 2 of the Government Code) real property or any interests therein for all of the purposes specified in this division. 31106. The State Public Works Board may, pursuant to Section 31105, use the power of eminent domain for the purposes specified in this division. 31107. Notwithstanding other provisions of law, the Director of General Services, when so requested by the conservancy, shall lease, rent, sell, exchange, or otherwise transfer any land, interest therein, or option acquired pursuant to this division, pursuant to an implementation plan approved by the conservancy. Leases entered into pursuant to the provisions of this division shall not provide for a period longer than 10 years. Proceeds from any such lease, rental, sale, exchange, or transfer of land, interest therein, or option thereon, shall be deposited with the conservancy and shall be available for expenditure when appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of funding the programs specified in this division. 31107.1. The Department of General Services and the conservancy shall jointly develop and implement appropriate procedures to ensure that land acquisition, leasing, options to purchase, land disposal, and other property transactions undertaken in accordance with the provisions of this division are carried out efficiently and equitably and with proper notice to the public. 31108. Commencing on January 2, 1980, and every third year thereafter, the conservancy shall prepare and submit to the Governor and to the Legislature a report describing progress in achieving the objectives of this division. The report shall include the following: (a) An evaluation of the effectiveness of the conservancy's programs in preserving agricultural lands, restoring coastal habitat, providing public access to the coastline, and in undertaking other functions prescribed in this division. (b) Identification of additional funding, legislation, or other resources required to more effectively carry out the objectives of this division. (c) A discussion of its progress in addressing the goals, priority areas, and concerns referenced in subdivision (a) of Section 31163, including, but not limited to, any funds that are received or disbursed for purposes related to addressing those goals, priority areas, and concerns. 31108.5. The conservancy shall not expend any fees received pursuant to Section 30526, except to restore, replace, or improve resources or ecological systems in a manner that is consistent with the certified local coastal program of the local public agency in whose jurisdiction the development is located, or in whose jurisdiction the site of the mitigation project is to be located, as the case may be, and only after full consultation and consent of that local public agency. 31109. Where certification of a local coastal plan or program is required under this division as a condition of action by the conservancy, the conservancy may take such action, including the funding of projects prior to certification, when the action is identified in a local issue identification and work program which has been approved by the California Coastal Commission. However, in undertaking actions prior to certification of a local coastal plan or program, the conservancy shall follow other applicable project review and approval requirements set forth in this division. 31111. In implementing this division, the conservancy may fund and undertake plans and feasibility studies, and may award grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for these purposes. 31112. With respect to its publications, the conservancy may accept subscriptions and nonpolitical advertising, and proceeds from them. All proceeds shall be deposited into the State Coastal Conservancy Fund and be available for expenditure upon appropriation by the Legislature. 31115. When a state agency that owns or manages land or water areas within the coastal zone has identified sensitive resource values and locations and types of development pursuant to Section 30525, and when the commission has certified that acquisition of less than fee title in land or water areas within the coastal zone is consistent with the provisions of Division 20 (commencing with Section 30000) and is necessary to ensure protection of sensitive resource values, the conservancy may award a grant or grants to such state agency for the purpose of acquisition of less than fee title in such land or water areas pursuant to the Property Acquisition Law (commencing with Section 15850 of the Government Code). Grants made pursuant to this section may not be used as a method of acquisition of land or water areas that are intended to be an integral part of a public land holding. 31115.5. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the conservancy may undertake projects in the City of San Juan Capistrano pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 31150) and Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 31350). 31116. (a) Funds may be granted to a nonprofit organization under this division if the nonprofit organization enters into an agreement with the conservancy, on such terms and conditions as the conservancy specifies. (b) In the case of a grant for land acquisition, the agreement shall provide all of the following: (1) The purchase price of any interest in land acquired by the nonprofit organization may not exceed fair market value as established by an appraisal approved by the conservancy. (2) The conservancy shall approve the terms under which the interest in land is acquired. (3) The interest in land acquired pursuant to a grant from the conservancy may not be used as security for any debt to be incurred by the nonprofit organization unless the conservancy approves the transaction. (4) The transfer of land acquired pursuant to a conservancy grant shall be subject to the approval of the conservancy and a new agreement sufficient to protect the interest of the people of California shall be entered into with the transferee. (5) If any essential term or condition is violated, title to all interest in real property acquired with state funds shall immediately vest in the state. (6) If the existence of the nonprofit organization is terminated for any reason, title to all interest in real property acquired with state funds shall immediately vest in the state unless another appropriate public agency or nonprofit organization is identified by the conservancy and agrees to accept title to all interests in real property. Any deed or other instrument of conveyance whereby real property is being acquired by a nonprofit organization pursuant to this section shall set forth the reversionary interest of the state. (c) The conservancy shall also require an agreement sufficient to protect the public interest in any improvement or development constructed under a grant to a nonprofit organization for improvement and development of a project under this division. The agreement shall particularly describe any real property which is subject to the agreement, and it shall be recorded by the conservancy in the county in which the real property is located. (d) Any funds collected from a nonprofit organization pursuant to an agreement regarding a grant shall be deposited in the Nonprofit Organization Land Trust Account, which is hereby created, in the State Coastal Conservancy Fund. 31117. Notwithstanding any provision of this division, the executive officer shall submit any plan or project proposed to be carried out pursuant to this division within the coastal zone portion of the Santa Monica Mountains Zone, as defined in Section 33105, to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for review at least 60 days prior to approval by the State Coastal Conservancy. If the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has not, within 60 days from the date of submission, acted to disapprove the proposed plan or project on the grounds that the plan or project is in conflict with or jeopardizes an approved acquisition or improvement or a proposed acquisition or improvement identified in the adopted Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy workprogram, the plan or project may proceed pursuant to this division. 31118. The conservancy may seek repayments of funds granted pursuant to this division on terms and conditions as it deems appropriate to carry out the provisions of this division. 31119. (a) (1) The conservancy may undertake educational projects and programs for pupils in kindergarten to grade 12, inclusive, relating to the preservation, protection, enhancement, and maintenance of coastal resources, and may award grants to nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and public agencies for those purposes, subject to the limitations contained in subdivision (b). (2) An educational grant program established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall comply with all of the following: (A) Funds provided for the educational program may be used for planning and implementation or development of marine science education programs. (B) An educational program shall meet State Board of Education adopted content standards. (C) The conservancy may consult with the Superintendent of Public Instruction prior to awarding grants pursuant to this section. (D) A grant recipient shall use a portion of any funding provided for an educational program to promote maximum participation of pupils and schools, by providing scholarships or grants for this purpose. (E) A nonprofit organization shall comply with all of the following as a condition of receiving a grant: (i) Document increased pupil participation in its educational programs. (ii) Provide outreach to low-income, underserved, and noncoastal areas. (iii) Maintain any data necessary for evaluation, as determined by the conservancy. (b) The conservancy is not required to take any action under subdivision (a), unless and until new funds from sources not currently available to the conservancy are made available by the Legislature for the purposes described in subdivision (a). No more than 10 percent of the funds provided for the educational programs under subdivision (a) may be used for the costs of the conservancy in administering the projects. No General Fund money may be used to fund a grant awarded pursuant to subdivision (a) to a local public educational agency or community college. 31120. In awarding grants to, or entering into agreements with, a federally recognized Indian tribe, the conservancy shall recognize and respect the limited sovereignty of the tribe.