8600-8602
PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
SECTION 8600-8602
8600. This division shall be known and may be cited as the Kapiloff Land Bank Act. 8601. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this section govern the construction of this division. (a) "Commission" means the State Lands Commission. (b) "Fund" means the Land Bank Fund created pursuant to Section 8610. (c) "Trustee" means the State Lands Commission acting in its role as trustee for the Land Bank Fund. (d) "Title settlements" means exchanges pursuant to Sections 6307 and 6307.1 and any agreements between the commission and others as a part of, or in lieu of, litigation in compromise settlements of public trust title questions, including real property exchanges, boundary determinations, or other means leading to a resolution of those questions and the necessary conveyances or other documentation provided by the agreements. (e) "Mitigation" means any measure to mitigate adverse environmental impacts that are lawfully imposed as a condition to the issuance of a permit or other authorization to undertake a project. (f) "Project" means, for purposes of mitigation only, any improvement to real property that adversely impacts existing or former wetlands. 8602. The Legislature finds and declares as follows: (a) Wetlands are essential to the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the people of the State of California. (b) In many instances, uncertainty and disputes exist with respect to the existence or nonexistence of a public trust right, title, or interest within or along waterways of the state. This uncertainty results in impeding both the development of these lands by owners of the private property interests and preservation and public use of public trust lands, and, therefore, in the interest of protecting, enhancing, and preserving the public trust on the one hand, while permitting reasonable use and development where appropriate on the other hand, title settlements will result in the avoidance of substantial delays, uncertainties, and cost to all parties of protracted litigation, and constitute sound public policy. (c) State policy requires the examination of mitigation measures for all projects having a potentially significant adverse impact on the environment. (d) State law further requires the adoption of mitigation measures for projects having a significant impact on certain environmentally sensitive areas, including wetlands. (e) So that projects can be expeditiously commenced and completed, it is in the state's interest to facilitate their completion through the provisions of this division.