To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Departmental
Vote Requirement: Majority
SUBJECT:
title
Adoption of Revised 2023 Legislative Platform
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Review the proposed revisions to the 2023 Legislative Platform (Attachment 1), as directed by the Board at its Jan. 10, 2023 meeting;
2. Review the proposed revision submitted by Supervisor Madrone to the legislative platform titled “Completion of the Richardson Grove Improvement Project, Allowing Trucks;”
3. Adopt the proposed legislative platform, incorporating any changes as desired by the Board, as the final platforms for 2023;
4. Direct staff to submit final versions of the platform to the county’s state and federal delegations and partners;
5. Authorize and direct the County Administrative Officer to advocate as needed to support the county’s legislative platform, and resolutions adopted by the Board.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
All county funds
DISCUSSION:
On Jan. 10, your Board received a presentation on the 2023 Legislative Platform. The platform is essentially a plea to the state and federal government for changes to laws and regulations, or expressions of needs for funding for certain county priorities. The vast majority of the platform was received without objection. However, your Board expressed desire to make edits to several items and directed staff to work with members of the Board on those changes, and return with an updated version of the platform on Jan. 24. The proposed revised 2023 platform (Attachment 1) is included in this item, with changes in redline. Below is a summary of the changes that have been incorporated:
- Pg. 2: Federal Legislative Goals
o Added “on- and” [offshore wind development] to the first bulleted item under the third goal
- Pg. 4: Illegal Water Diversions
o Added “additional” enforcement of illegal water diversions
o Title now reads: Provide Funding To Support Additional Enforcement Of Illegal Water Diversions
- Pg 8: Support for Fairs
o Included “local” fairs
o Support statement now reads: The county supports legislation that provides funding for local fairs and the network of California Fairs.
- Pg. 11: Infrastructure To Support Energy, Zero Emissions Goals
o Added “, and development of housing and other facilities” to middle paragraph.
o Sentence now reads: PG&E currently does not have the transmission or distribution infrastructure available to supply additional power to Southern Humboldt County, which without investment in the infrastructure will preclude conversion to electrical power, installation of charging stations, and development of housing and other facilities.
o Also added this item to state and federal platforms under the heading “Community Development” (pg 16) and “General Government.” (pg 24)
- Pg. 11: Renewable Energy
o Added “on- and” [offshore wind] in first sentence of first paragraph.
o This sentence of the description statement now reads: Humboldt County possesses significant sources of renewable energy, including on- and offshore wind and biomass.
- Pg. 13: Funding for Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Projects
o Added “on- and offshore” [wind] to second sentence of first paragraph.
o Sentence now reads: The development of these resources, including solar, on- and offshore wind, biomass and wave energy, will assist the county in reaching AB 32 carbon emission reduction targets and stimulate the county’s economy.
- Pg. 13: Sea Level Rise Adaptation
o Added “Great Redwood Trail Agency (formerly the” [North Coast Railroad Authority]) to the final sentence of the first paragraph, and the third bulleted support statement.
- Pg. 16: New item titled: Historic Preservation, Façade Improvement and Beautification
o This item was discussed by the Board with no objection stated.
- Pg. 17: Housing and RHNA Allocations
o Added: In Humboldt, PG&E transmission and distribution capacity, particularly in Southern Humboldt, is critically important to the development of housing, and current failures in those systems negatively impact Humboldt’s ability to meet housing needs.
- Pg. 21: Dredging Humboldt Bay
o Added “and Marina’s Docks, and Other Maritime Facilities”
o Updated description to reflect current information, as well as conditions surrounding the impacts that infrequent dredging in the federal navigation channels has on local marinas, docks and boat ramps.
- Pg. 25: Vacation Rentals and TOT
o Added italicized language below
o Now reads: The county supports legislation and planning to mitigate the effects of short-term vacation rentals on existing housing stock and housing availability, particularly housing affordable to lower income groups.
- Pg. 35: Support For Mental Health And Addiction Resources
o Changed “Addiction” to “Substance Use Disorder”
o Added language around directing opioid settlement funding to local communities
- Pg. 45: Account For Rural Considerations In Food Waste Collection Requirements
o Changed “support to ease restrictions on food waste collection requirements” to “support rural-appropriate solutions on food waste collection requirements”
- Pg. 47: Water Resources
o Added protection of local tribes’ water rights
o Now reads: “Humboldt County opposes any congressional - or legal - effort designed to block access to water that legally belongs to the county and/or local Tribes.”
- Pg. 48: Funding for Rural Water Supply And Wastewater Projects
o Added to the second paragraph: “While the IIJA has allocated funding, it remains a hurdle for smaller communities and agencies to apply for and manage grant funding.”
o Added to the final paragraph: “The county also supports technical and other assistance for rural communities to administer this funding.”
The above suggested changes were discussed in various levels of specificity without objection, and for those reasons the proposed platforms incorporates these changes. However, the legislative stance around the item titled “Completion Of The Richardson Grove Improvement Project, Allowing Trucks” received differing points of view from your Board and no action was taken on this specific item. However, your Board directed staff to work with members of your Board on the platform after the meeting, and Supervisor Madrone has proposed a revision to this item and it is included as Attachment 2 in order to more efficiently facilitate a discussion by your Board.
Other changes not noted here have been made to correct typos or grammatical error.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact directly associated with today’s recommendations. However, many of the proposed legislative actions have potential financial benefits for the county and community.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by engaging in discussions of our regional economic future , and to be an effective and influential voice for our community at the regional, state and federal levels by advancing local interests in natural resource discussions.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
All county departments, SYASL, Paragon Government Relations, Rural County Representatives of California, Governor, State Legislators and Staffs, Congressional Delegates and Staffs, California State Association of Counties, National Association of Counties
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Revised 2023 Legislative Platform
2. Proposed Revision to “Completion Of The Richardson Grove Improvement Project, Allowing Trucks”
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: L-2
Meeting of: Jan. 10, 2023
File No.: 22-1781