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Home My WebLink About1998-09-08 - AGENDA REPORTS - SC WATERSHED (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT CONSENT CALENDAR City Manager Approv�/ Item to be presented by: Rick Putnam /V/ DATE: September 8, 1998 SUBJECT: INCREASE MEMBERSHIP OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATERSHED, RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY BY UP TO THREE MEMBERS DEPARTMENT: Parks, Recreation, and Community Services RECOMMENDED ACTION Approve the resolution adopted by the Santa Clarita Watershed, Recreation and Conservation Authority authorizing an increase in membership of the Authority by up to three individuals. In June 1993 the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and City of Santa Clarita joined together and formed the Santa' Clarita Watershed, Recreation' and Conservation Authority (JPA). The purpose of the agreement was to acquire, develop and conserve park and open space lands including water -oriented recreation and conservation projects. The City of Santa Clarita, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the JPA have been working both individually and collectively regarding the dedication and management of 6,000 acres of open space and river property related to the Newhall Ranch project. Discussion by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors regarding the dedication of the 6,000 acres of open space and river property has focused on that dedication being made to a public agency. The JPA has been identified, and is a willing recipient of that property. To encourage the County Board of Supervisors to dedicate the property to the JPA, a resolution expanding the membership of the JPA from its current roster of four to a new roster of seven members was adopted by the JPA at a meeting held on Wednesday, August 19, 1998: Upon approval of this resolution by both City, Council of the -City of Santa Clarita and the Board of Directors of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, it will be forwarded to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for their consideration. Expanding the membership of the JPA will be contingent upon the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors requiring the i",7 "OVER Agenda :_q—= dedication and management of the Newhall Ranch openspace and river property to the JPA. Appointment of the new members will be at the sole discretion of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. ALTERNATIVE ACTION 1. Maintain status quo of four members of the JPA. 2. Other action, as determined by the City Council. FISCAL IMPACT None by this action. ATTACHMENT Santa Clarita Watershed, Recreation & Conservation Authority Resolution No. 98-4 PRCOUNCIL\JPAnu br.doc SANTA CLARITA WATERSHED RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY August 19, 1998 --Agenda Item IV Resolution No. 98 - 4 RESOLUTION OF THE GOVERNING . BOARD OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATERSHED RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY RECOMMENDING AMENDMENT TO THE SANTA CLARITA WATERSHED RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY JOINT EXERCISE OF POWERS AGREEMENT, TO EXPAND THE MEMBERSHIP FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING INCREASED LOCAL PARTICIPATION AND OVERSIGHT FOR OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE NEWHALL RANCH SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS, AT SUCH TIME AS THE OPEN SPACE IS OFFERED IN DEDICATION TO THE AUTHORITY Resolved, That the Governing Board of the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority (SCWRCA) hereby: FINDS that the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority is well-suited to be the public agency which owns and manages the Newhall Ranch High Country and River Special Management Areas; and 2. FINDS that in response to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors action of. July 28, 1998, that SCWRCA is a public entity that can insure meaningful local participation in the management of the Newhall Ranch Special Management Areas; and 3. FINDS that by expanding the membership of the Governing Board to include representation by up to three members from the vicinity of the Newhall Ranch to be appointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, that SCWRCA may facilitate increased local participation and oversight for the ownership and management of theSpecial Management Areas; and Q 4. FINDS that the proposed actions are exempt from the provisions of the tt California Environmental Quality Act; and 5. ADOPTS the staff report and recommendation dated August 19, 1998 for agenda item IV; and 6. AUTHORIZES the Executive Officer to do any and all acts necessary to cant' out this resolution and any recommendations made by the Governing Board. SCWRCA Agenda Item IV August 19,1998 Page 2 Chair AYES: Putnam, Daniel, Calleia NOS: None ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: Caravahlo I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing resolution was adopted at a special meeting of the Governing Board of the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority, duly noticed and held according to law, on the 19th day of August, 1998, Date: August 19,1998 SANTA CLARITA WATERSHED RECREATION and CONSERVATION AUTHORITY a public entity of the state of califomia exeroising/oint powers of the city of santa cladta and the Santa monica mountains conservancy pursuant to government code section 6500 et seq MEMORANDUM TO: Governing Board FROM: Joseph T. Edmiston, AICP, Executive Officer DATE: August 19, 1998 SUBJECT: Agenda Item IV, Consideration of resolution authorizing amendment to the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement, to expand the. membership for the purpose of facilitating increased local participation and oversight for potential ownership and management of the Newhall Ranch Special Management Areas. Staff Recommendation: That the Governing Board adopt the resolution recommending amendment to the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority Agreement for the Joint Exercise of Powers to expand the composition of the Governing Board, up to three. additional members appointed by the County Board of Supervisors, in order to ensure local participation in the ownership and management of the proposed Newhall Ranch Special Management Areas; and that SCWRCA reaffirm its intent to own and manage the River and High Country Special Management Areas. Background: At the July 28, 1998 Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors hearing on the Newhall Ranch project, Supervisor Mike Antonovich introduced the attached motion, which included in its comprehensive provisions a call for public dedication of the Newhall Ranch project open space, and a "method for insuring meaningful local participation in the management of the property." It is staff's understanding that the County is interested in having representation by unincorporated county area citizens on the SCWRCA board, for the purpose of Newhall Ranch open space oversight. As the Governing Board has previously discussed, SCWRCA may take an action to approve expansion of its membership. The final form of changes in membership would subsequently be sent to the Conservancy and the City for ratification. The Governing Board could be expanded by one to three members appointed by Board of Supervisors. For example, the Stevenson Ranch, Newhall Ranch area, and Val Verde communities are all adjacent to or part of the proposed project area, and citizen members appointed by the county would provide expanded participation in the open space ownership and management. 24255 The Old Road, Newhall, California 91321 telephone: (310) 589-3230 SCWRCA Agenda Item IV August 19, 1998 Page 2 In addition, if so directed by the Governing Board, the Executive Officer and staff will work with City staff, County staff, and the applicant to address other aspects of the open space that the Board of Supervisors called for in their action; for example, discussion of adequate financing of the High Country and River Special Management Areas. Staff could also explore ways in which an expanded SCWRCA could contract with the Center for Natural Lands Management or other resource management organization acceptable to both the JPA and the applicant to perform various resource tasks. .