AgdaPkt 2003-12-15 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

F OV3 STATE PUBLISHES ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS AND POLICY REPORT In the final days of the Davis Administration, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research released the updated Environmental Goals and Policy Report (EPGR). The report provides a long -range (20 -30 year) overview of state growth and development. It includes a statement and implementation plan for state goals related to land use, development, transportation, air and water quality, and the conservation of natural resources. web site. (Insert Site). For cities, the report is significant because it could affect the way that state implements policy and disburses money. For exar,%ple, infill projects will !ikely be favored over greet afield developments fc- state funding with those agencies that implement the EPGR fully. The League will continue to monitor develop- ments in how the new administration intends to implement the report. Originally, the EPGR was to be updated every few years. However, the last report was com- pleted in 1978. With the passage of AB 857 (Wiggins, 2002), however, the report garnered new importance. This legislation required that the EPGR must be consistent with the following goals statewide land use planning goals: • Promote infill development and equity by rehabilitating, maintaining, and improving existing infrastructure that supports infill development and reuse of previously developed, underutilized land that is served by essential services, particularly in underserved areas. • Protect environmental and agricultural resources by protecting, preserving, and enhanc- ing the state's most valuable natural resources, including working landscapes such as farm, range, and forest lands, natural lands such as wetlands, watersheds, wildlife habitats, and other wildlands, recreation lands such as parks, trails, greenbelts, and other open space. • Encourage efficient development patterns by ensuring that any infrastructure associated with development other than infill supports new devel- opment that uses land efficiently; is built adjacent to existing developed areas to the extent consis- tent with the other two priorities; is located in an area appropriately planned for growth; is served by adequate transportation and other essential utilities and services; and minimizes ongoing costs OPR has sent to all local agencies in Califor- nia. The League has also posted a copy on its For more information about the EPGR and how it was developed, see www.opr.ca.gov (look for "Environmental Goals and Policy Report" header). Contact: Bill Higgins, Senior Staff Attorney, e- mail: Higginsb @cacities.org, phone 916/658- 8250. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL TO REPEAL SB 60 On Wednesday, November 3, 2003, Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law SB X3 1 (Oiler) to repeal SB 60 (Cedillo), signed into law earlier this year by Governor Davis, that would have allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's license in California. The bill passed out of the Assembly by a vote of 64 -9 with 8 members absents, abstaining or not voting on Tuesday, December 2, 2003. SB X3 1 reinstates the current law that re- quires an applicant for the issuance or renewal by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of a driver's license or identification (ID) card to provide his or her social security account number. Exist- ing law requires an applicant for an original driver's license or identification card to submit satisfactory proof that the applicant's presence in the United States is authorized by federal law, and prohibits the DMV from issuing a license or ID card who does not do so. Existing law also requires the department to adopt regulations including proce- dures for verifying citizenship or legal residency of applicants for driver's license and ID cards. Visit the League's Official Web Site-- www.cacities.org PRIORITY FOCUS /PAGE 3