1 9A
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the City Council
City Hall
Torrance, California
Members of the Council:
Council Meeting of
October 11, 2022
SUBJECT: City Manager - Consider Discontinuation of Membership in the League of California Cities. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Manager that City Council consider whether to discontinue membership in the League of California Cities.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
The City of Torrance has been a member of the League of California Cities (Cal Cities) since the City's incorporation. Cal Cities is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation comprised of 479 cities throughout California. Cal Cities focuses on legislative advocacy, education, intergovernmental relationships and other major issues that go beyond the boundaries of its member cities. Member cities have access to the following resources:
• Information and tools designed to solve municipal problems and challenges • Opportunities to work with other cities to protect local interest in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
• Avenues to obtain recognition through training, seminars and award programs. • Savings and solution programs offered through the National League of Cities business partners
• Database of best practices and solutions
• Access to weekly newsletter
• Legal Advocacy within Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
On September 13, 2022, Councilman Griffiths requested concurrence from your Honorable Body to direct staff to prepare an item for consideration of discontinuing membership in the Cal Cities. This request was initiated partially as result of actions taken at the 2022 Cal Cities Annual Conference General Assembly Meeting held on September 9, 2022. At that meeting, there was a petitioned resolution (Attachment A) that was requested to be discussed at the General Assembly meeting. The petitioned resolution was to support a ballot measure to strengthen local planning authority. After much effort by proponents, the petitioned resolution qualified and was forwarded to the General Resolutions Committee for consideration. Following public comment and discussion, the Committee recommended that the resolution be referred to the Housing, Community, Economic Development and Environmental Quality policy committees for further study sometime in 2023. However, at the General Assembly, no discussion was allowed prior to the vote in support of the Resolutions Committee recommendation, nor any opportunity was given for a substitute motion, even though the proper protocols were followed to allow for the item to be brought forward. Over 100 cities signed onto this petition to ensure local 2 planning control is protected, twice the number needed to get it onto the agenda for a vote. In addition, the petitioned resolution was time sensitive in order to request a position on the aforementioned ballot measure for the California General Election in November 2024.
Furthermore, Councilman Griffiths commented that over the past several years, Cal Cities efforts for protecting local control relating to land-use and zoning have been lackluster at best, and contrary to their organization's own mission statement and vision referenced below, and therefore questioned the benefits to Torrance, given the significant expenditure for membership in this organization.
Cal Cities Mission and Vision Statement
"Our mission is to expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Californians. Our vision is to be recognized and respected as the leading advocate for the common interests of California's cities".
Similar information is provided to the City by the Independent Cities Association and South Bay Cities Council of Governments. In addition, our legislative consultant, Joe A. Gonsalves and Son, provides the City with up-to-date information on legislation matters that impact the City, allows the City to have a voice in Sacramento, and is proactive in carrying the City's message forward.
The 2022 annual membership dues for Cal Cities are $32,122 and $1,443.75 for the Cal Cities LA County Division, which is a combined total of $33,565.75. Should your Honorable Body elect to discontinue the Cal Cities membership, the City would rely on other organizations and services. Staff is seeking direction from council to determine whether to discontinue the membership with Cal Cities.
CONCUR:
~W---
City Manager
Attachment: A) Petitioned Resolution
Respectfully submitted,
ARAM CHAPARYAN
CITY MANAGER
B) Summary of Regional Outside Boards
3 LEAGUE OF
CALIFORNIA
CITIES
Attachment A
THIS FORM, SIGNED BY NO LESS
THAN 48 DESIGNATED VOTING
DELEGATES, MUST BE BROUGHT
TO THE VOTING DELEGATES DESK
NO LATER THAN 11 :30 A.M., ON
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2022.
PETITION FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE RESOLUTION
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___ ..... E_~....;..._L_O__,.;._A_t.: .... :ri,....,;o;__ ____ _,. hereby requast consideration by the General Assembly of the 2022 Annual Conference of the League of Callfomla Cities of a resolution containing the following specific language:
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4 1. RESOLUTION OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES TO
SUPPORT A BALLOT MEASURE TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL
PLANNING AUTHORITY
In Furtherance of the League of Callfomla Cities' Mission: "To expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of Hfe for all Califomlans"
WHEREAS, Article XI of the California Constitution recognizes that local self-government is the cornerstone of democracy by empowering cities to enact local laws and policies designed to protect the public health, safety and welfare of their residents and govern their municipal affairs; and WHEREAS, since 2017 the state legisJature has enacted dozens of laws that supplant local control and erode local authority over land use and zoning decisions purportedly to address housing affordability, however only a scant few of these new state laws include any funding or enforceable requirements to help create more affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, at a time when millions of working class and lower income Californians struggle to find decent housing, these new state laws fail to address our affordable housing crisis - instead, they incentivize the creation of more market rate & luxury housing and underfund low and moderate income housing, they expand profit margins for institutional investors and special interests, and they increase displacement and gentrification in working class neighborhoods and communities of color; and
WHEREAS, these new state laws force working families to pay more in taxes to fund development impacts because these new laws make it much more difficult for cities to negotiate fair mitigation fees to fund public safety, transit, parks and other local services and amenities; and
WHEREAS, the League of California Cities' Mission Statement reads: "Our mission is to expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Californians;• and 5 WHEREAS, the League of California Cities Vision aims "To be recognized and respected as the leading advocate for the common interests of California's cities;• and
WHEREAS, the League of California Cities' General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in 2018 (the "2018 Resolution·) to ·assess the increasing vulnerabilities to local authority, control and revenue and explore the preparation of a ballot measure and/or constitutional amendment that would give the state's voters an opportunity to further strengthen local authority and preserve the role of local democracy to best preserve their local quality of life;" and
WHEREAS, consistent with its Mission Statement, its Vision, and the 2018 Resolution, and to address the Legislature's continued overreach into local land use planning and zoning policy and its failure to effectively address California's affordable housing crisis, the League of California Cities should consider and take all reasonable actions required to preserve cities' ability to regulate local land use planning and zoning, including actively supporting a ballot measure to amend the state constitution.
RESOLVED, that the League of California Cities shall partner with the Brand-Mendoza-Candell Tripartisan Land Use Initiative (a/k/a the "Our Neighborhood Voices" Initiative) to restore local land use planning and zoning authority to local governments throughout California.
RESOLVED, that the League shall allocate sufficient resources to help advance and qualify the Brand-Mendoza-Candell Initiative for the California general election in November 2024.
6 7
Attachment B
SUMMARY OF OUTSIDE REGIONAL BOARDS & AGENCIES
Prepared by: Eleanor Jones, Ext. 5880
INDEPENDENT CITIES ASSOCIATION
• The Independent Cities Association is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation comprised of independent cities in Southern California. The primary focus is on public safety and education. Other priorities include infrastructure, intergovernmental relations, and other major issues that transcend the boundaries of its member cities. • Benefits of Membership include:
o Low annual membership dues based on each member's population o Top-notch education opportunities expanding knowledge of pertinent policy issues for members
o Extensive networking opportunities to grow network by participating in seminars • Meeting Commitments: The Independent Cities Association conducts monthly meetings to discuss legislative issues.
Membership Dues: $6,618.02 from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023
LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
• The League of California Cities is an association of California city officials who work together to enhance their knowledge and skills, exchange information, and combine resources so that they may influence policy decisions that affect cities. • As a recognized member of the League of California Cities, the City benefits from having tools that assist in making legislative decisions. The League is a non-profit state association of cities that provide training and legislative advocacy services. The overall goal of The League is to expand and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhance the quality of life for all Californians • Members have the access to following resources that The League of California Cities provides:
o Information and tools designed to solve municipal problems and challenges o Opportunities to work with other cities to protect your interest in Washington, D.C. o Avenues to obtain recognition through our training seminars and award programs o Savings and solution programs offered through NLC's business partner o Database of best practices solutions
o The Weekly electronic newsletter
o Legal advocacy within Washington, D.C.
• Meeting Commitments: The League holds annual meetings. League events are calendared in advance. League meetings can be found at www.CACities.Org/Events Membership Dues: $32,122 for League of California Cities calendar year 2022 and $1,443.75 League of California LA County Division for FY 2022-2023
NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
SUMMARY OF OUTSIDE REGIONAL BOARDS & AGENCIES JULY 2022 0 12 8 • The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States. Its mission is to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance. • Working in partnership with the 49 state municipal leagues, the National League of Cities serves as a resource to and an advocate for the more than 19,000 cities, villages, and towns it represents. More than 1,600 municipalities of all sizes pay dues to NLC and actively participate as leaders and voting members in the organization. • Members have the access to following resources that the National League of Cities provides:
o Full time advocacy in Washington, D.C.
o Numerous programs and services that give local leaders the tools and knowledge to better serve their communities
o Information updates on critical issues that affect municipalities and warrant action by local officials
o Numerous training, educational and leadership development programs o Recognition of innovative initiatives and sharing of best practices o Networking opportunities
o National conventions that offer broad range of learning opportunities and access to the largest companies serving municipal needs
• Meeting Commitments: Each year NLC hosts two national conferences and a wide range of regional and issue-specific events. League events can be found at:
http://www.nlc.org/build-skills-and-networks/education-and-training/event-calendar.
Membership Dues: $10,418 annual dues from February 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023
SANITATION DISTRICT OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
• The Sanitation District of L.A. County is comprised of 23 independent special districts throughout the Los Angeles County. The Sanitation Districts initially were formed to deal with the growing need of wastewater treatment.
• The Sanitation District's purpose is to construct, operate and maintain facilities that collect, treat, recycle, and dispose of domestic and industrial wastewater. Cities and unincorporated areas within the district are responsible for their smaller local collection systems.
• The Sanitation Districts operate a comprehensive solid waste management system servicing the needs of a large portion of Los Angeles County. The system includes the following facilities:
o Sanitary landfills
o Recycling centers
o Materials recovery/transfer facilities
o Energy recovery facilities
• The Sanitation District is a special district that is governed by a board of directors made up of elected officials from the local government agencies served by the district. The SUMMARY OF OUTSIDE REGIONAL BOARDS & AGENCIES JULY 2022 0 12 9 board of directors for a county sanitation district is made up of elected officials from each city within the sanitation district and the Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors representing unincorporated areas.
• Meeting Commitments: The board meets every third Wednesday of the month at 1 :30 p.m. in the Third Floor Assembly Room at Torrance City Hall.
Membership Dues: None
SOUTH BAY CITIES COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
• The South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) is a joint powers authority of 16 cities and the County of Los Angeles. The main goal of SBCCOG is maximizing the quality of life and productivity of our area.
• The group collectively works together to tackle issues such as transportation, energy, sustainability, livable communities, geographical information systems (GIS), legislation, transit, regional planning, carbon emission reductions, and city infrastructure. • The benefits of being a member of SBCCOG are as follows:
o Obtaining grant funding from federal and state programs that pertain to transportation and land use
o Methodology of cutting carbon emission for respective communities o Monitoring legislation and coordinating South Bay responses and positions on legislation and regional plans that affect the immediate area o Acting liaison with other governing agencies
o Monthly meetings, general assemblies and training programs • Meeting Commitment: The Board of Directors meet every fourth Thursday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. There is also an annual General Assembly that is held during the final week of February.
Membership Dues: $50,668 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
• The Sothern California Associations of Governments (SCAG) is a Joint Power Authority under California state law, established as an association of local governments and agencies that voluntarily convene as a forum to address regional issues. • SCAG, by federal law, is considered a Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) and, by state law, a Regional Transportation Planning Agency, and a Council of Governments.
• Meeting Commitment: Meets the first Thursday of every month except July. In December there is a Winter Summit in lieu of a December meeting date.
Membership Dues: $16,391 for Fiscal Year 2022-2023
SUMMARY OF OUTSIDE REGIONAL BOARDS & AGENCIES JULY 2022 0 12 10 UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
• The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) is a non-partisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. These cities are represented in the Conference by their mayor. The goals of the USCM are to:
o Promote the development of effective national urban/suburban policy o Strengthen federal-city relationships
o Ensure that federal policy meets urban needs
o Provide mayors with leadership and management tools
o Create a forum in which mayors can share ideas and information • Membership benefits with USCM:
o Representation of municipal interest before Congress and the White House. o Online database of best practices from local governments across the nation o Live webcasts
o Metro economies economic tracking
o Legislative action alerts
o Access to grants and award programs funded by USCM
• Meeting Commitments: The United States Conference of Mayors hold a Winter Meeting each January in Washington, D.C., and an Annual Meeting each June in a selected city. Additional meetings are under the discretion of the Conference leadership.
Membership Dues: $9,181 Fiscal Year 2022-2023 (applies to cities with recorded population between 100,000 - 149,999).
WEST VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT OF L.A. COUNTY
• The West Vector District of L.A. County encompasses 23 cities and unincorporated territory of the County of Los Angeles. Vector control is necessary on a continuous routine and area-wide basis to protect the health and enhance the economic development, recreational use, and enjoyment of outdoor living. • The District is governed by Board of Trustees. Each city and county within the boundaries of the District may have representation on the Board. These are appointed positions from each member area within the District. The representative must be a resident and elector of the city that they are appointed from.
• The District's primary objective is the surveillance and control of mosquitoes, Africanized honeybees and red imported fire ants. This also includes monitoring ticks and cases of Lyme disease.
• The Board Establishes district policies and makes budget decisions. • Meeting Commitment: Meetings for board members are held once every two months on the second Thursday.
Membership Dues: None
SUMMARY OF OUTSIDE REGIONAL BOARDS & AGENCIES JULY 2022 0 12