Regional park and open-space districts.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the exact changes in officer roles and compensation, nor does it detail the full extent of repealed authorizations and requirements for specific districts. Additionally, there are no specifics on how spending limits will be adjusted or implemented.

Changes to Regional Parks and Open Space

This law modifies how regional park districts operate, including rules about officer roles, land exchanges, voter approval for long-term leases, and spending limits.

What This Bill Does

• Consolidates and modifies the roles and compensation of officers appointed by the board of directors in regional parks and open space districts.
• Requires a majority vote from district voters at a special election to approve any lease of park or open-space land for more than 50 years, up from the previous requirement of 25 years.
• Allows park and open-space land exchanges with a two-thirds board vote instead of unanimous agreement. It also permits compensation in exchange deals if new land is not available, provided that money goes to buying more park or open space land.
• Increases the amount a general manager can spend without advertising from $50,000 to $150,000 for districts with populations over 200,000.

Who It Names or Affects

• Regional park and open-space district boards of directors
• Voters in these districts
• General managers of large population districts

Terms To Know

Conveyance

The act of transferring land or property from one party to another.

Unanimous vote

A decision made when all members agree without any disagreement.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify the exact changes in officer roles and compensation.
• The full extent of repealed authorizations and requirements for specific districts is not detailed here.
• It does not provide specifics on how spending limits will be adjusted or implemented.

Official Summary Text

AB 769, Wilson.
Regional park and open-space districts.
Existing law establishes procedures for the formation of regional park, park and open-space, and open-space districts and prescribes the powers, functions, and duties of those districts.
Existing law requires the board of directors of these districts to appoint a general manager as chief administrative officer of the district and a controller and authorizes appointment of other subordinate officers, as provided.
This bill would consolidate and modify roles and compensation of board-appointed officers, as specified.
Existing law prohibits a district from validly conveying land actually dedicated and used for park or open-space purposes without the consent of a majority of the district’s voters voting at a special election when the lease of the land exceeds 25
years.
This bill would require, for the conveyance described above to occur, the consent of the district’s voters voting at a special election when the lease of the land exceeds 50 years.
Existing law authorizes a district to exchange park and open-space land by a unanimous vote of the board if the new park and open-space land is equal or greater in value and needed for park or open-space purposes. Existing law authorizes the East Bay Regional Park District, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District to exchange up to 40 acres of district-owned park or open-space land in a calendar year.
This bill would instead authorize the exchange of park or open-space land by a
2
/
3
vote of the board, and would authorize
the East Bay Regional Park District when a compatible and comparable exchange is not feasible, to accept compensation in an exchange with a public agency, provided that compensation is used to purchase park and open-space land. The bill would authorize the above-listed districts to exchange up to 80 acres of district-owned land in a calendar year.
This bill would make other changes related to park and open-space districts, including, among others, repealing specified authorizations and requirements regarding the East Bay Regional Park District.
Existing law generally authorizes the general manager of a regional park, park and open space, and open-space district, with district board approval, to bind the district, in accordance with board policy, and without advertising, for the payment for supplies, materials, labor, or other valuable consideration for any purpose in amounts not exceeding $50,000. Existing law authorizes
the district, by action of the board in an open meeting, to increase the amount by which the general manager of the district may bind the district above that limit.
This bill would authorize a general manager of a district with a population of 200,000 or more, with the approval of the board, to bind the district, in accordance with board policy that has been adopted in an open meeting, for the payment for equipment, supplies, and materials for any purpose, including new construction of a building, structure, or improvement, excluding labor and services, when the annual aggregate cost does not exceed $150,000, as provided.
This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity
of a special statute for the East Bay Regional Park District.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF