SECTIONS 33500-33509 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 33500-33509

33500. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the mountains
and natural community conservation lands of the Coachella Valley in
Riverside County contain unique and important open-space, wildlife,
scenic, environmental, anthropological, cultural, scientific,
educational, and recreational resources that should be held in trust
for the enjoyment of, and appreciation by, present and future
generations.

33501. The Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy is hereby created
as a state agency within the Resources Agency to acquire and hold,
in perpetual open space, mountainous lands surrounding the Coachella
Valley and natural community conservation lands within the Coachella
Valley, and to provide for the protection of wildlife resources on,
and the public's enjoyment of, and the enhancement of their
recreational and educational experiences on, those lands in a manner
consistent with the protection of the lands and the resource values
specified in Section 33500.

33502. (a) The territory of the conservancy consists of that
portion of Riverside County bounded by a line commencing at the
intersection of the highest elevation of the San Jacinto Mountains
and the range line common to Range 2 East and Range 3 East, S.B.M.,
in the vicinity of the western limits of the Sonoran Desert; thence
north along that range line to its intersection with the San
Bernardino-Riverside County boundary, thence east along the San
Bernardino-Riverside County boundary to its intersection with the
highest elevation of the Little San Bernardino Mountains; thence
meandering southeast and east along the points of highest elevation
of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the Cottonwood Mountains, and
the Eagle Mountains to the point of intersection with the range line
common to Range 12 East and Range 13 East, S.B.M.; thence south
along that range line to its intersection with the township line
common to Township 5 South and Township 6 South, S.B.M.; thence east
along that township line to its intersection with the range line
common to Range 13 East and Range 14 East, S.B.M.; thence south along
that range line to its intersection with the boundary of the
Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range; thence west and south along
the boundary of the Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range to its
intersection with the Imperial-Riverside County boundary; thence west
along the Imperial-Riverside County boundary to its intersection
with the highest elevation of the Santa Rosa Mountains; thence
meandering northwest and north along the points of highest elevation
of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains to the point of
beginning; and as more specifically set forth in that certain map
entitled "Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy" and dated ____
1999, and placed on file with the Secretary of State, which map is
incorporated in this subdivision by this reference.
(b) The governing board of the conservancy may adjust the boundary
delineating the territory of the conservancy, but not by more than
500 yards from the boundary as mapped pursuant to subdivision (a), to
embrace within the conservancy adjacent lands that have any of the
resource values specified in Section 33500. Any adjustment in the
boundary shall be reflected in a revision to the map specified in
subdivision (a), which revision shall be promptly filed with the
Secretary of State.

33502.5. Notwithstanding Section 33502, the incorporated areas of
the Cities of Coachella and Indio, as they exist on January 1, 1994,
are excluded from the territory of the conservancy.

33503. (a) The governing board of the conservancy consists of the
following 21 voting members:
(1) The mayor or a member of the city council of each of the
Cities of Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Indian Wells, La
Quinta, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage, appointed by a
majority of the membership of the respective city council of each
city.
(2) The Chairperson of the Tribal Council of the Agua Caliente
Band of Cahuilla Indians.
(3) One member of the Board of Supervisors of the County of
Riverside, appointed by a majority of the membership of the board of
supervisors.
(4) Three members chosen from the general public who reside within
the conservancy's territory, one of whom shall be appointed by the
Governor, one of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on
Rules, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
Assembly.
(5) The Secretary of the Resources Agency.
(6) The Director of Fish and Game.
(7) The Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Board.
(8) The Director of Parks and Recreation.
(9) The Director of Finance.
(10) The Vice President, Division of Agriculture and Natural
Resources, of the University of California.
(11) The State Director for California of the United States Bureau
of Land Management.
(12) The Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region of the
United States Forest Service.
(13) The Regional Director for the Pacific West Region of the
National Park Service.
(b) Any state or federal official who is a member of the governing
board and whose principal office is not within the territory of the
conservancy may designate a member of his or her executive staff to
vote on his or her behalf and otherwise discharge the duties of the
member when the member is not in attendance. Notice of that
designation shall be promptly communicated in writing to the
chairperson of the conservancy.
(c) Each city council, the Tribal Council of the Agua Caliente
Band of Cahuilla Indians, and the Board of Supervisors of the County
of Riverside may appoint an alternate member from its respective
entity to attend the governing board meetings and vote on behalf of
the appointed member and otherwise discharge the duties of the member
when that member is not in attendance. Notice of the designation
shall be promptly communicated in writing to the chairperson of the
conservancy.

33505. (a) The term of each voting member of the governing board
shall be two years and until his or her successor is appointed. Any
vacancy shall be filled within 60 days of its occurrence by the
appointing authority.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), no supervisor, mayor, or
member of a city council shall hold office on the governing board of
the conservancy for more than 60 days after ceasing to be that
supervisor, mayor, or member of the city council, respectively, and
the membership on the board held by that person terminates upon the
expiration of that 60-day period. However, any mayor who immediately
resumes the office of member of the city council, and any member of a
city council who becomes mayor, has not ceased to hold office for
the purposes of this subdivision.
(c) The seat of any general public member shall be deemed vacant
upon the member's ceasing to be a resident of the conservancy's
territory, and the membership on the board held by that person shall
terminate upon the appointment of his or her successor or the
expiration of a period of 60 days after ceasing to be a resident,
whichever occurs first.

33506. The voting members of the conservancy's governing board
shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, and other officers as
determined to be necessary, from among the persons designated in
paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section
33503, to serve for one-year terms.

33507. A majority of the members appointed to the governing board
of the conservancy shall constitute a quorum, and, except as provided
in subdivision (b) of Section 33702, no official action relating to
the acquisition of any interest in real property shall be taken by
the governing board except in the presence of a quorum and upon the
recorded votes of a majority of the members appointed to the
governing board. Any official action affecting any matter other than
relating to the acquisition of an interest in real property shall be
taken by the governing board in the presence of a quorum and upon the
recorded votes of a majority of the members appointed to the
governing board who are present and voting.

33508. Each voting member of the governing board designated in
paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 33503
shall receive compensation in an amount set by the governing board,
not to exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) for each day, or portion
thereof, and not to exceed four hundred fifty dollars ($450)
annually, while attending meetings of the governing board, or, upon
authorization by the governing board, while on official business of
the conservancy, and to receive the actual and necessary expenses
incurred in performing those official duties, if that member does not
receive compensation on a full-time basis from another source for
discharging the responsibilities of any of the offices designated in
paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section
33503. Any member may waive compensation.

33509. (a) Meetings of the governing board are subject to 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).
(b) The governing board shall meet to conduct business of the
conservancy only at locations within the territory of the
conservancy. This subdivision shall not prohibit members of the
governing board, including a quorum thereof, from participating in
meetings and conferences conducted outside the territory of the
conservancy, so long as those members do not engage in taking
official actions of the conservancy while participating in those
meetings or conferences.