10-20-2020 - AGENDA ITEM 06 CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION NO. 2020-107 EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO STATE PLANNING AND ZONING LEGISLATION THAT DIMINISHES LOCAL CONTROLAGENDA ITEM NO. 6
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
City of West Covina I Office of the City Manager
DATE: October 20, 2020
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: David Carmany
City Manager
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION NO.2020-107 EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO
STATE PLANNING AND ZONING LEGISLATION THAT DIMINISHES LOCAL
CONTROL
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO.2020-107 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO STATE PLANNING AND
ZONING LEGISLATION THAT USURPS LOCAL CONTROL AND EXPRESSING SUPPORT
FOR CALIFORNIA CITIZENS FOR LOCAL CONTROL
BACKGROUND:
Councilmember Mike Griffiths from the City of Torrance contacted members of the City Council and
requested that the City of West Covina join a growing coalition of California cities called "California Cities for
Local Control" or the "California Citizens for Local Control." The goal of this group is to band cities together
to oppose State legislation that affects local control, specifically regarding land use and zoning issues. Cities
that have expressed support for the California Citizens for Local Control group include Torrance, Brawley,
Glendora, Beverly Hills, Rolling Hills, Hawthorne, Palo Verde, El Segundo, Lawndale, Manhattan Beach, and
Santa Cruz.
On October 6, 2020, following a request from Mayor Pro Tern Lopez-Viado, the City Council directed that
staff return with a resolution expressing support for the California Citizens for Local Control initiative.
DISCUSSION:
At City Council's direction, staff has prepared a resolution for adoption expressing opposition to State planning
and zoning legislation that diminishes local control and support for the California Citizens for Local Control
volunteer organization and its efforts. The Mission Statement for California Citizens for Local Control is as
follows:
"Our mission is to spread awareness and enlist support to ensure that Cities can continue to manage their
own land use and zoning issues. We must not allow the State Legislature to mandate changes to our
Cities that will remove local control and be detrimental to our communities.
We do this by reaching our to California City Elected Officials to educate and enlist them to our cause.
Our activities include, but are not limited to, signing petitions, having Cities pass resolutions in support
of our efforts, and seeking out allies for possible legal action against the State and/or to promote efforts
for a balance initiative to legislate the desired results.
With this alliance of City Elected Officials working together as one, we stand a better chance of having
our message resonate loud and clear to all groups that proclaim to support us.
WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS LOSS OF LOCAL CONTROL AND UNFUNDED MANDATES
being imposed upon us by our State."
The State has long been known for treading on local governments' local control especially in the areas
of land use and zoning. Although there is a need for increasing housing locally to meet the housing
demands, communities need to retain control over zoning and development to ensure that local
communities can mitigate the impacts of new development and ensure that new developments are
meeting the needs of the communities where they are being constructed.
In general, when a city loses local control, it is stripped of its ability to govern and make decisions based
on its own local values, needs, and interests.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the resolution and approved it as to form.
OPTIONS:
The options available to the City Council are as follows:
1. Adopt the resolution as submitted.
2. Provide alternative direction.
Prepared by: Lisa Sherrick, Assistant City Clerk
Attachments
Attachment No. 1 - Resolution No. 2020-017
CITY Enhance the City Image and Effectiveness
COUNCIL
GOALS &
OBJECTIVES:
ATTACHMENT 1
RESOLUTION NO.2020-107
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA, EXPRESSING
OPPOSITION TO STATE PLANNING AND ZONING
LEGISLATION THAT USURPS LOCAL CONTROL AND
EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR CALIFORNIA CITIZENS
FOR LOCAL CONTROL
WHEREAS, the Legislature of the State of California has proposed several bills
addressing a range of planning and zoning; and
WHEREAS, the majority of these bps usurp the authority of local jurisdictions to
determine for themselves the land use policies and practices that best suit their cities and residents
and instead impose mandates that do not take into account the needs and differences of
jurisdictions for actions that are not in their best interests; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of West Covina feels sr<nngly that our local govennrent
is best able to assess the needs of our community and objects to the proliferation of State legislation
that deprives us of that ability; and
WHEREAS, the California Citizens for Local Control group is a volunteer organization
that aims to spread awareness and enlist support to ensure that cities can continue to manage their
own land use and zoning issues.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council registers its strong opposition to the current practice of
the State Legislature of proposing and passing multitudes of bills that directly impact and interfere
with the ability of cities to control their own destiny through use of the zoning authority that has
been granted to them
SECTION 2. The City Council declares that, should the State continue to pass legislation
that attacks local municipal authority, control and revenue, the City of West Covina will support
actions that would limit the State's ability to control local activities and strengthen local democracy
and land use authority.
SECTION 3. The City Council states its support of the California Citizens for Local
Control volunteer organization and its efforts to protect local control for cities.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall enter
the same in the book of original resolutions and it shall become effective immediately.
ATTACHMENT 1
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 20th day of October, 2020.
Tony Wu
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM ATTEST
Thomas P. Duarte Lisa Sherrick
City Attorney Assistant City Clerk
I, LISA SHERRICK, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK of the City of West Covina, California,
do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 2020-107 was duly adopted by the City Council
of the City of West Covina, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 20th day of
October, 2020, by the following vote of the City Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Lisa Sherrick
Assistant City Clerk