Williamson Act

AB 2680 (Assembly Agriculture Committee) – Request for Comments
As Introduced March 7, 2012

AB 2680, introduced by the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, would rescind the sunset date on a provision of law dealing with Williamson Act lot line adjustments. Current law authorizes a city or county and a landowner to agree to rescind a contract and simultaneously enter into a new contract to facilitate lot line adjustments on Williamson Act land, and requires an application to rescind a contract for lot line adjustments to be processed to its completion if it is submitted before January 1, 2013. Existing law repeals this authorization as of January 1, 2013. This bill would simply remove the sunset date. This bill has not yet been set for a policy hearing.

Emergency Management

AB 2559 (Buchanan) – Request for Comments
As Introduced February 24, 2012

AB 2559, by Assembly Member Joan Buchanan, would place requirements on cities and counties to expedite permitting for activities associated with a pipeline integrity management plan, such as pipeline inspections, remediation, or replacement work. 

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including gas corporations. The Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 2011 designates CPUC as the state authority responsible for regulating and enforcing intrastate gas pipeline transportation and pipeline facilities pursuant to federal law, including the development, submission, and administration of a state pipeline safety program certification for natural gas pipelines.

This bill would require CPUC to ensure that a city or county is provided notice by a gas corporation whenever a pipeline integrity management plan may result in the gas corporation undertaking pipeline inspection, remediation, or replacement work within the respective local government. The bill would also require the local governments to then expedite any permitting or other actions necessary to complete any pipeline inspection, remediation, or replacement work within its jurisdiction. This bill has not yet set for a policy hearing. 

AB 1650 (Portantino) – Request for Comments
As Introduced February 13, 2012

AB 1650, by Assembly Member Anthony Portantino, would require the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to establish standards for emergency preparedness plans and require electric and gas corporations to develop these plans pursuant to CPUC standards. This bill would also require electric and gas corporations in the development of these plans to meet and consult with cities and counties within the corporation’s service area. This bill has been referred to the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. 

Fire Safety 

SB 1241 (Kehoe) – Request for Comments
As Introduced February 23, 2012

SB 1241, by Senator Christine Kehoe, would revise the safety element requirements for local general plans and require local governments prior to 2015 and upon each revision of the housing element to take into account the most recent version of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research’s (OPR) “Fire Hazard Planning” document, which this bill would require the office to update on or before January 1, 2014. In addition, SB 1241 would require counties to make three specified findings before approving a tentative map for an area located in a state responsibility area (SRA) or a very high fire hazard severity zone (VHFSZ), including:

1. Ensure that the design and location of each lot in the subdivision is consistent with any applicable regulations adopted by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection regarding defensible space and clearance.
2. Structural fire protection and suppression services will be available for the subdivision through a local district, or a contract with CAL Fire.
3. Ingress and egress for the subdivision meets the regulations regarding road standards for fire equipment access.

This bill would also require the Board of Forestry, prior to January 1, 2014, to initiate a rulemaking process to adopt regulations requiring a minimum of 2 separate access roads for a subdivision in the SRA or VHFSZ. Finally, SB 1241 would require OPR, on or after January 1, 2013, to prepare, develop, and transmit to the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency recommended proposed changes or amendments to the initial study checklist within CEQA guidelines for the inclusion of questions related to fire hazard impacts for projects in the SRA and VHFSZ and also require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to certify and adopt these recommended proposed changes or amendments.

This bill is almost identical to SB 1207 (2010), which was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. CSAC opposed that bill due to its cost implications. This bill has been referred to the Senate Governance and Finance Committee.