33500-33509
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 33500-33509
33500. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the mountains and natural community conservation lands of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County contain unique and important open-space, wildlife, scenic, environmental, anthropological, cultural, scientific, educational, and recreational resources that should be held in trust for the enjoyment of, and appreciation by, present and future generations. 33501. The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy is hereby created as a state agency within the Resources Agency to acquire and hold, in perpetual open space, mountainous lands surrounding the Coachella Valley and natural community conservation lands within the Coachella Valley, and to provide for the protection of wildlife resources on, and the public's enjoyment of, and the enhancement of their recreational and educational experiences on, those lands in a manner consistent with the protection of the lands and the resource values specified in Section 33500. 33502. (a) The territory of the conservancy consists of that portion of Riverside County bounded by a line commencing at the intersection of the highest elevation of the San Jacinto Mountains and the range line common to Range 2 East and Range 3 East, S.B.M., in the vicinity of the western limits of the Sonoran Desert; thence north along that range line to its intersection with the San Bernardino-Riverside County boundary, thence east along the San Bernardino-Riverside County boundary to its intersection with the highest elevation of the Little San Bernardino Mountains; thence meandering southeast and east along the points of highest elevation of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the Cottonwood Mountains, and the Eagle Mountains to the point of intersection with the range line common to Range 12 East and Range 13 East, S.B.M.; thence south along that range line to its intersection with the township line common to Township 5 South and Township 6 South, S.B.M.; thence east along that township line to its intersection with the range line common to Range 13 East and Range 14 East, S.B.M.; thence south along that range line to its intersection with the boundary of the Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range; thence west and south along the boundary of the Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range to its intersection with the Imperial-Riverside County boundary; thence west along the Imperial-Riverside County boundary to its intersection with the highest elevation of the Santa Rosa Mountains; thence meandering northwest and north along the points of highest elevation of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains to the point of beginning; and as more specifically set forth in that certain map entitled "Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy" and dated ____ 1999, and placed on file with the Secretary of State, which map is incorporated in this subdivision by this reference. (b) The governing board of the conservancy may adjust the boundary delineating the territory of the conservancy, but not by more than 500 yards from the boundary as mapped pursuant to subdivision (a), to embrace within the conservancy adjacent lands that have any of the resource values specified in Section 33500. Any adjustment in the boundary shall be reflected in a revision to the map specified in subdivision (a), which revision shall be promptly filed with the Secretary of State. 33502.5. Notwithstanding Section 33502, the incorporated areas of the Cities of Coachella and Indio, as they exist on January 1, 1994, are excluded from the territory of the conservancy. 33503. (a) The governing board of the conservancy consists of the following 21 voting members: (1) The mayor or a member of the city council of each of the Cities of Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage, appointed by a majority of the membership of the respective city council of each city. (2) The Chairperson of the Tribal Council of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. (3) One member of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Riverside, appointed by a majority of the membership of the board of supervisors. (4) Three members chosen from the general public who reside within the conservancy's territory, one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (5) The Secretary of the Resources Agency. (6) The Director of Fish and Game. (7) The Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Board. (8) The Director of Parks and Recreation. (9) The Director of Finance. (10) The Vice President, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, of the University of California. (11) The State Director for California of the United States Bureau of Land Management. (12) The Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region of the United States Forest Service. (13) The Regional Director for the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. (b) Any state or federal official who is a member of the governing board and whose principal office is not within the territory of the conservancy may designate a member of his or her executive staff to vote on his or her behalf and otherwise discharge the duties of the member when the member is not in attendance. Notice of that designation shall be promptly communicated in writing to the chairperson of the conservancy. (c) Each city council, the Tribal Council of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, and the Board of Supervisors of the County of Riverside may appoint an alternate member from its respective entity to attend the governing board meetings and vote on behalf of the appointed member and otherwise discharge the duties of the member when that member is not in attendance. Notice of the designation shall be promptly communicated in writing to the chairperson of the conservancy. 33505. (a) The term of each voting member of the governing board shall be two years and until his or her successor is appointed. Any vacancy shall be filled within 60 days of its occurrence by the appointing authority. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), no supervisor, mayor, or member of a city council shall hold office on the governing board of the conservancy for more than 60 days after ceasing to be that supervisor, mayor, or member of the city council, respectively, and the membership on the board held by that person terminates upon the expiration of that 60-day period. However, any mayor who immediately resumes the office of member of the city council, and any member of a city council who becomes mayor, has not ceased to hold office for the purposes of this subdivision. (c) The seat of any general public member shall be deemed vacant upon the member's ceasing to be a resident of the conservancy's territory, and the membership on the board held by that person shall terminate upon the appointment of his or her successor or the expiration of a period of 60 days after ceasing to be a resident, whichever occurs first. 33506. The voting members of the conservancy's governing board shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, and other officers as determined to be necessary, from among the persons designated in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 33503, to serve for one-year terms. 33507. A majority of the members appointed to the governing board of the conservancy shall constitute a quorum, and, except as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 33702, no official action relating to the acquisition of any interest in real property shall be taken by the governing board except in the presence of a quorum and upon the recorded votes of a majority of the members appointed to the governing board. Any official action affecting any matter other than relating to the acquisition of an interest in real property shall be taken by the governing board in the presence of a quorum and upon the recorded votes of a majority of the members appointed to the governing board who are present and voting. 33508. Each voting member of the governing board designated in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 33503 shall receive compensation in an amount set by the governing board, not to exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) for each day, or portion thereof, and not to exceed four hundred fifty dollars ($450) annually, while attending meetings of the governing board, or, upon authorization by the governing board, while on official business of the conservancy, and to receive the actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing those official duties, if that member does not receive compensation on a full-time basis from another source for discharging the responsibilities of any of the offices designated in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 33503. Any member may waive compensation. 33509. (a) Meetings of the governing board are subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (b) The governing board shall meet to conduct business of the conservancy only at locations within the territory of the conservancy. This subdivision shall not prohibit members of the governing board, including a quorum thereof, from participating in meetings and conferences conducted outside the territory of the conservancy, so long as those members do not engage in taking official actions of the conservancy while participating in those meetings or conferences.