SECTIONS 33320-33333 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 33320-33333

33320. There is in the Resources Agency the Sierra Nevada
Conservancy, which is created as a state agency to do all of the
following, working in collaboration and cooperation with local
governments and interested parties:
(a) Provide increased opportunities for tourism and recreation.
(b) Protect, conserve, and restore the region's physical,
cultural, archaeological, historical, and living resources.
(c) Aid in the preservation of working landscapes.
(d) Reduce the risk of natural disasters, such as wildfires.
(e) Protect and improve water and air quality.
(f) Assist the regional economy through the operation of the
conservancy's program.
(g) Identify the highest priority projects and initiatives for
which funding is needed.
(h) Undertake efforts to enhance public use and enjoyment of lands
owned by the public.
(i) Support efforts that advance both environmental preservation
and the economic well-being of Sierra residents in a complementary
manner.

33321. (a) The board shall consist of 13 voting members and three
nonvoting liaison advisers, appointed or designated as follows:
(1) The 13 voting members of the board shall consist of all of the
following:
(A) The Secretary of the Resources Agency, or his or her designee.
(B) The Director of Finance, or his or her designee.
(C) Three public members appointed by the Governor, who are not
elected officials, to represent statewide interests.
(D) One public member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly,
who is not an elected official, to represent statewide interests.
(E) One public member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules,
who is not an elected official, to represent statewide interests.
(F) One member for each of the six subregions who shall be a
member of the board of supervisors of a county located within that
subregion, and whose supervisorial district shall be at least
partially contained within the Sierra Nevada Region. Each member
shall be selected by the counties within that subregion, according to
the following procedure:
(i) Each county board of supervisors within a subregion shall
select a member of their board to determine, with the selected
members of the other counties in the subregion, which member of a
board of supervisors within the subregion shall be appointed as a
member of the conservancy board. An alternate may be appointed. The
appointed member and any alternate shall have at least part of his or
her supervisorial district within the subregion.
(ii) The initial appointment of a member for each subregion shall
be made no later than 60 days after the effective date of this
division. A subsequent appointment to a regular term on the board
shall be made before the date specified in Section 33322 for the
commencement of that term. A vacancy occurring before the end of a
term shall be filled for the remainder of the term within 60 days of
the vacancy.
(iii) If the boards of supervisors of the subregion do not appoint
a member to the board within the timeframe specified in clause (ii),
the Governor shall appoint one of the supervisors selected in clause
(i) to serve as the board member for the subregion.
(2) The three nonvoting liaison advisers who serve in an advisory,
nonvoting capacity shall consist of all of the following:
(A) One representative of the National Park Service, designated by
the United States Secretary of the Interior.
(B) One representative of the United States Forest Service,
designated by the United States Secretary of Agriculture.
(C) One representative of the United States Bureau of Land
Management, designated by the United States Secretary of the
Interior.
(b) Appointing powers shall seek to include individuals from a
breadth of backgrounds.

33322. Members and alternates, if any, shall serve terms as
follows:
(a) The members appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (C) to (E),
inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 33321 shall
serve at the pleasure of the appointing power.
(b) The members and alternates, if any, appointed under
subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 33321
shall serve, as follows:
(1) Members and alternates in the north Sierra subregion, the
central Sierra subregion, and the east Sierra subregion shall have
terms beginning on January 1 in an odd-numbered year and ending on
December 31 of the following even-numbered year. All terms shall be
for two years.
(2) Members and alternates in the north central Sierra subregion,
the south central Sierra subregion, and the south Sierra subregion
shall have terms beginning on January 1 in an even-numbered year and
ending on December 31 in the following odd-numbered year. Members and
alternates who are initially appointed to the board shall serve for
a one-year term for the first year. Subsequent terms shall be for two
years.
(c) No member of the board, whose appointment to the board was
contingent upon meeting a condition of eligibility under this
division, shall serve beyond the time when the member ceases to meet
that condition.

33323. (a) The voting members appointed or designated under
paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 33321 who are not state
employees shall be compensated for attending meetings of the
conservancy at the rate of one hundred dollars ($100) per scheduled
meeting day.
(b) All members of the board shall be reimbursed for their actual
and necessary expenses, including travel expenses, incurred in
attending meetings of the conservancy and carrying out the duties of
their office.

33324. Annually, the voting members of the board shall elect from
among the voting members a chairperson and vice-chairperson, and
other officers as necessary. If the office of the chairperson or
vice-chairperson becomes vacant, a new chairperson or
vice-chairperson shall be elected by the voting members of the board
to serve for the remainder of the term.

33325. (a) Seven members of the voting members shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of the business of the conservancy. The
board shall not transact the business of the conservancy if a quorum
is not present at the time a vote is taken. A decision of the board
requires an affirmative vote of seven of the voting members, and the
vote is binding with respect to all matters acted on by the
conservancy.
(b) The board shall adopt rules, regulations, and procedures for
the conduct of business by the conservancy.
(c) The voting members of the board appointed or designated
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 33321 and the
nonvoting advisers selected pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision
(a) of Section 33321, shall have the right to attend all meetings of
the board, including closed sessions.

33326. The board may establish advisory boards or committees, hold
community meetings, and engage in public outreach using advanced
forms of technology, in order to facilitate the decisionmaking
process. Members of advisory boards or committees may be reimbursed
for the actual and necessary expenses, including travel expenses,
that they incur in attending regular meetings of the advisory board
or committee of which they are a member.

33327. The board shall establish and maintain a headquarters office
within the region. The conservancy may rent or own real and personal
property and equipment pursuant to applicable statutes and
regulations.

33328. The board shall determine the qualifications of, and shall
appoint, an executive officer of the conservancy, who shall be exempt
from civil service. The board shall employ other staff as necessary
to execute the powers and functions provided for under this division.

33329. The board may enter into contracts with private entities and
public agencies to procure consulting and other services necessary
to achieve the purposes of this division.

33330. The conservancy's expenses for support and administration
may be paid from the conservancy's operating budget and any other
funding sources available to the conservancy.

33331. The board shall conduct business in accordance with the
requirements of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9
(commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code).

33332. The board shall hold its regular meetings within, or near,
the region.

33333. On or after January 1, 2006, the board shall post agendas
for each board meeting on the Internet.