20231205 Late CorrespondenceEnyssa Sisson
Subject: RE: Late Correspondence Item G.
From: Brandy Forbes <bforbes@rpvca.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, December 5, 2023 2:05 PM
To: CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Subject: Late Correspondence Item G.
Mayor and City Council,
Attached is the revised Amendment to Conservation Easement Offers document for consideration under Item G. on
tonight's agenda. This final version of the document incorporates revisions by the California Coastal Commission. The
changes include the following:
• Under item 2. of the Agreement section, second sentence clarifies that the Commission is a third-party
beneficiary of the Conservation Agreement.
• Under item 3. of the Agreement section, added at the end of the last sentence is, " ... provided such entity is a
public or nonprofit entity with a record of conservation stewardship."
Thank you,
Brandy Forbes, AICP
Community Development
Director
bforbes@rpvca.gov
Phone -(310) 544-5227
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website: www.rpvca.go_y
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s0:nder irnrnccHate!y, 'l'hank you for your assistance dnd cooperation.
1
RECORDING REQUESTED BY:
WHEN RECORDED RETURN TO:
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION
455 Market St Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94105
Attn: Legal Division
AMENDMENT TO CONSERVATION EASEMENT OFFERS
This AMENDMENT TO CONSERVATION EASEMENT OFFERS (this
"Amendment") is made by the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, a municipal corporation (the
"City"), and is acknowledged on behalf of the California Coastal Commission, a public
agency of the State of California (the "Commission").
RECITALS
A. Pursuant to Coastal Development Permit Number A-5-RPV-93-005 (as
amended from time to time, the "Permit"), the City executed (1) the Irrevocable Offer to
Convey a Conservation Easement to the California Department of Fish and Game recorded
in the Los Angeles County Records Office (the "Official Records") as Instrument Number
97-1990231 on December 18, 1997, (2) the Irrevocable Offer to Convey a Conservation
Easement to the California Department of Fish and Game recorded in the Official Records
as Instrument Number 97-1990232 on December 18, 1997, (3) the Irrevocable Offer to
Convey a Conservation Easement to the California Department of Fish and Game recorded
in the Official Records as Instrument Number 00-1456233 on September 18, 2000, and (4)
the Amendment to Conservation Offers recorded in the Official Records as Instrument
Number 20181187785 on November 27, 2018 (collectively, the "Amended Offers").
B. The real property dedicated pursuant to the Amended Offers (the
"Property") possesses wildlife and habitat values of great importance to the City,
Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife ("CDFW"), the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service ("USFWS"), among others, and is part of the Habitat Reserve
required to be preserved and managed in perpetuity according to the Rancho Palos Verdes
Natural Community Conservation Plan and Habitat Conservation Plan dated November 19,
2019, ("NCCP/HCP") and the NCCP/HCP Implementation Agreement ("Implementation
Agreement") to be executed forthwith following issuance of the City's take permit by
CDFW.
C. The City is in the process of entering into certain conservation agreements
with respect to the Property consistent with the NCCP/HCP and the Implementation
Agreement (the "Conservation Agreements"), which agreements would be fully consistent
0 I 203.0002/939101.9
with the Permit and the Amended Offers, and has thus requested additional time to finalize
and implement the Conservation Agreements.
D. The Commission is willing to grant additional time for the acceptance of
the Amended Offers on the terms and conditions set forth below.
E. The City Council of the City has approved this Amendment at a duly noticed
public meeting of the City Council held on ______ , 2023.
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the above, of the mutual benefits and
conditions set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the City hereby agrees as follows.
1. The Amended Offers are each amended to be binding on the City and its heirs,
assigns or successors in interest to the Property through January l, 2026.
2. No Conservation Agreement or similar agreement with respect to the Property
shall be finalized and recorded without the prior written approval of the
Executive Director as to form and content. Any such Conservation Agreement
or similar agreement with respect to the Property shall provide the Commission
as a third-party beneficiary thereunder, with the right of access to the Property,
the right to notices and the right to enforce all obligations and all other rights
and remedies of the parties under such agreement as described in the Rancho
Palos Verdes Municipal Code, Local Coastal Plan, and Coastal Development
Permit Number A-5-RPV-93-005.
3. In the event that no Conservation Agreement or similar agreement with respect
to the Property has been approved by the Executive Director and has been
recorded in the Official Records on or before October 3, 2025, the City
acknowledges and agrees that no further extensions would be granted and that
the Commission intends to immediately proceed with the acceptance of the
Amended Offers by a Grantee. The term "Grantee" under the Offers is hereby
defined as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (as successor-in-
interest to the California Department of Fish and Game) and/or any other public
or private entity approved by the Executive Director of the California Coastal
Commission to accept the Amended Offers. The Executive Director's approval
of the Grantee shall not be unreasonably withheld provided such entity is a
public or nonprofit entity with a record of conservation stewardship.
Except as expressly modified herein, the terms and provisions of the Amended
Offers shall remain in full force and effect.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
01203.0002/939101.9 2
This Amendment is hereby executed on behalf of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes as of the date set forth below.
Dated: __________ , 2023
GRANTOR:
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES,
a California Municipal Corporation
By:
John Cruikshank, Mayor Pro Tern
ATTEST:
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ALESHIRE & WYNDER LLP
William W. Wynder, City Attorney
[SEE FOLLOWING PAGE FOR NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS]
01203.0002/939101.9 3
A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual
who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or
validitv of that document.
ST A TE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF _____ _
On ___________ , before me, _____________ , Notary
Public, personally appeared _______________ , who proved to me on the
basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within
instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized
capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity
upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the
foregoing paragraph is true and correct.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Signature ______________ _ (Seal)
01203.0002/939!01.9 4
The Amendment to Conservation Easement Offers set forth above is hereby acknowledged
by the undersigned on behalf of the California Coastal Commission when it granted Coastal
Development Permit Amendment No. A-5-RPV-93-005, and the California Coastal
Commission consents to recordation thereof by its duly authorized representative.
Dated: ---------
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION
Louise Warren, General Counsel
A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual
who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or
validity of that document.
ST A TE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
On ___________ , before me, ________ , Notary Public,
personally appeared , who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory
evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and
acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies),
and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of
which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the
foregoing paragraph is true and correct.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Signature ______________ (Seal)
01203,0002/939! 01.9 5
Dear RPV Council Members,
For the serenity and safety of our neighborhood (nearby to vacant lot 5323 Ironwood, RPV},
please, please, please put a huge rush to complete the housing element and secure the State's
approval. We must shut down the Builder's Remedy to control the building in this area. The
neighborhood already experiences significant traffic congestion from the nearby school. The
canyon should be protected as an open space, especially considering the history of land
movement and resulting home loss in Rancho Palos Verdes.
Sincerely,
Greg Miguel and Christine Quinn -26211 Birchfield Ave. RPV, CA 90275
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: CITY CLERK
DATE: DECEMBER 4, 2023
SUBJECT: ADDITIONS/REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
_____________________________________________________________________
Attached are revisions/additions and/or amendments to the agen da material received
through Monday afternoon for the Tuesday, December 5, 2023, City Council meeting:
Item No. Description of Material
Public Email from Jonathan Hawes
Comments
G Amendment to Conservation Easement
3 Emails from: Mike Peterson; Carol Mueller; Elizabeth Brightman
5 Updates from Staff; Email exchange between Mayor Pro Tem
Cruikshank and Rolling Hills Councilmember Bea Dieringer
Respectfully submitted,
__________________
Teresa Takaoka
L:\LATE CORRESPONDENCE\2023\2023 Coversheets\20231205 additions revisions to agenda thru Monday.docx
From:jonathan hawes
To:CityClerk
Subject:General public comment to be read at the next city council meeting
Date:Wednesday, November 29, 2023 8:24:54 AM
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe!!!.
Hello. My name is Jonathan Hawes. I served as El Monte City Clerk from 2013 to
2018. Since 2015 I have been a whistleblower on Andre Quintero and Team El
Monte’s embezzlement of $10 million from the El Monte Promise Foundation
scholarship fund. I have interviewed dozens of El Monte residents who have privately
confirmed that Promise funds were used for fraudulent trips to Vietnam and Haiti, a
bogus consultant in Salt Lake City, house repairs, and other unlawful expenditures. I
have myself been interviewed by the FBI about two dozen times. Documents proving
the embezzlement have been submitted to the FBI and the Los Angeles County
District Attorney’s Office.
A week ago, an El Monte resident with a documented history of harassing and
fabricating lies about other residents, Gabby Leos, told a string of lies on cable news
about El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona. These lies were spoon-fed to her by City
Manager Alma Martinez. El Monte Police Chief Jake Fisher, who went on record
confirming one of Leos/Martinez’s lies, needs to be fired for interfering in ongoing
litigation by commenting publicly on said litigation, and for lying in his official capacity.
Both Martinez and Fisher dislike Mayor Ancona due to her efforts to rid our city of the
baleful influence of Andre Quintero and his Team El Monte minions, of which
Martinez and Fisher are two. Martinez and Fisher have frequently made significant
decisions without a vote from the council, which is unlawful, and Ancona has called
out such improprieties, furthering their animosity towards her and her anti-corruption
efforts.
I am asking the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council to pass a resolution condemning
these crimes and schemes in order to protect the greatest mayor El Monte has ever
had, Mayor Jessica Ancona, and the vulnerable residents of one of the poorest cities
in Southern California. If this criminal, FBI-investigated cabal succeeds in removing
her from office via well-orchestrated, mendacious smear campaigns, we will be back
to full dictatorship under Andre Quintero or one of his puppets. El Monte children, who
should’ve been provided with college scholarships, were robbed by his
embezzlement. Andre Quintero and Team El Monte members must go to prison. If
you have any questions, please call or text me at (626) 863-2149. Thank you.
Non-Agenda
Public
Comments
01203.0002/939101.9 1
RECORDING REQUESTED BY:
WHEN RECORDED RETURN TO:
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION
455 Market St Suite 300
San Francisco, CA 94105
Attn: Legal Division
AMENDMENT TO CONSERVATION EASEMENT OFFERS
This AMENDMENT TO CONSERVATION EASEMENT OFFERS (this
“Amendment”) is made by the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, a municipal corporation (the
“City”), and is acknowledged on behalf of the California Coastal Commission, a public
agency of the State of California (the “Commission”).
RECITALS
A. Pursuant to Coastal Development Permit Number A-5-RPV-93-005 (as
amended from time to time, the “Permit”), the City executed (1) the Irrevocable Offer to
Convey a Conservation Easement to the California Department of Fish and Game recorded
in the Los Angeles County Records Office (the “Official Records”) as Instrument Number
97-1990231 on December 18, 1997, (2) the Irrevocable Offer to Convey a Conservation
Easement to the California Department of Fish and Game recorded in the Official Records
as Instrument Number 97-1990232 on December 18, 1997, (3) the Irrevocable Offer to
Convey a Conservation Easement to the California Department of Fish and Game recorded
in the Official Records as Instrument Number 00-1456233 on September 18, 2000, and (4)
the Amendment to Conservation Offers recorded in the Official Records as Instrument
Number 20181187785 on November 27, 2018 (collectively, the “Amended Offers”).
B. The real property dedicated pursuant to the Amended Offers (the
“Property”) possesses wildlife and habitat values of great importance to the City,
Commission, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (“CDFW”), the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service (“USFWS”), among others, and is part of the Habitat Reserve
required to be preserved and managed in perpetuity according to the Rancho Palos Verdes
Natural Community Conservation Plan and Habitat Conservation Plan dated November 19,
2019, (“NCCP/HCP”) and the NCCP/HCP Implementation Agreement (“Implementation
Agreement”) to be executed forthwith following issuance of the City’s take permit by
CDFW.
C. The City is in the process of entering into certain conservation agreements
with respect to the Property consistent with the NCCP/HCP and the Implementation
Agreement (the “Conservation Agreements”), which agreements would be fully consistent
01203.0002/939101.9 2
with the Permit and the Amended Offers, and has thus requested additional time to finalize
and implement the Conservation Agreements.
D. The Commission is willing to grant additional time for the acceptance of
the Amended Offers on the terms and conditions set forth below.
E. The City Council of the City has approved this Amendment at a duly noticed
public meeting of the City Council held on _____________, 2023.
AGREEMENT
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the above, of the mutual benefits and
conditions set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the City hereby agrees as follows.
1. The Amended Offers are each amended to be binding on the City and its heirs,
assigns or successors in interest to the Property through January 1, 2026.
2. No Conservation Agreement or similar agreement with respect to the Property
shall be finalized and recorded without the prior written approval of the
Executive Director as to form and content. Any such Conservation Agreement
or similar agreement with respect to the Property shall provide the Commission
as a third-party beneficiary thereunder, with the right of access to the Property,
the right to notices and the right to enforce all obligations and all other rights
and remedies of the parties under such agreement as described in the Rancho
Palos Verdes Municipal Code, Local Coastal Plan, and Coastal Development
Permit Number A-5-RPV-93-005.
3. In the event that no Conservation Agreement or similar agreement with respect
to the Property has been approved by the Executive Director and has been
recorded in the Official Records on or before October 3, 2025, the City
acknowledges and agrees that no further extensions would be granted and that
the Commission intends to immediately proceed with the acceptance of the
Amended Offers by a Grantee. The term “Grantee” under the Offers is hereby
defined as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (as successor-in-
interest to the California Department of Fish and Game) and/or any other public
or private entity approved by the Executive Director of the California Coastal
Commission to accept the Amended Offers. The Executive Director’s approval
of the Grantee shall not be unreasonably withheld provided such entity is a
public or nonprofit entity with a record of conservation stewardship.
Except as expressly modified herein, the terms and provisions of the Amended
Offers shall remain in full force and effect.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
01203.0002/939101.9 3
This Amendment is hereby executed on behalf of the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes as of the date set forth below.
Dated: _________________________, 2023
GRANTOR:
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES,
a California Municipal Corporation
By: _________________________________
John Cruikshank, Mayor Pro Tem
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Teresa Takaoka, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ALESHIRE & WYNDER LLP
_________________________________
William W. Wynder, City Attorney
[SEE FOLLOWING PAGE FOR NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS]
01203.0002/939101.9 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF ________________
On _________________________, before me, ____________________________, Notary
Public, personally appeared ________________________________, who proved to me on the
basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within
instrument and acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized
capacity(ies), and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity
upon behalf of which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the
foregoing paragraph is true and correct.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Signature _________________________________ (Seal)
A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual
who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or
validity of that document.
01203.0002/939101.9 5
The Amendment to Conservation Easement Offers set forth above is hereby acknowledged
by the undersigned on behalf of the California Coastal Commission when it granted Coastal
Development Permit Amendment No. A-5-RPV-93-005, and the California Coastal
Commission consents to recordation thereof by its duly authorized representative.
Dated: __________________
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION
___________________________________
Louise Warren, General Counsel
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
On _________________________, before me, ___________________, Notary Public,
personally appeared _______________________, who proved to me on the basis of satisfactory
evidence to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are subscribed to the within instrument and
acknowledged to me that he/she/they executed the same in his/her/their authorized capacity(ies),
and that by his/her/their signature(s) on the instrument the person(s), or the entity upon behalf of
which the person(s) acted, executed the instrument.
I certify under PENALTY OF PERJURY under the laws of the State of California that the
foregoing paragraph is true and correct.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
Signature _______________________________ (Seal)
A notary public or other officer completing this certificate verifies only the identity of the individual
who signed the document to which this certificate is attached, and not the truthfulness, accuracy, or
validity of that document.
From:Mike Petereon
To:CityClerk
Subject:Comments for city Council meeting December 5, 2023
Date:Monday, December 4, 2023 3:25:53 PM
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe!!!.
I am traveling and unable to attend the city council meeting this Tuesday, December 5. Can I
have my comments read during the meeting during discussion of the agenda item dealing with
the cities housing element? Please see my comments below.
Thank you
Dear City Council Members.
I would’ve liked to have been at the meeting in person to engage with you on this topic in
person, but unfortunately, I am out of town.
First of all, I’d like to thank you for the time you spend in service of our city. I feel fortunate
to live in a city that has such a well functioning and responsive administration.
I am an individual who lives on the edge of the canyon that sits between Birchfield and Silver
Spur streets, in the Grandview area of Rancho Palos Verdes. Most of you are probably aware
that a developer has purchased a large portion of the canyon, which is a 5 acre parcel currently
zoned as I understand it for two single-family residences. This particular Developer
specializes in building High density high rises on single-family zoned lots using the builders
remedy law.
I and many of my neighbors, who have collectively formed an organization called
“Neighborhood. Voices of Silver Spur”, are concerned that our city’s Housing Element has
yet to be approved by the state, which allows this developer to use the builders remedy law to
bypass zoning laws. We understand that you have submitted the Housing Element multiple
times to the state and have had it returned for revision each time. We are very interested in
seeing that the Housing Element is approved in the most expedient manner possible to close
down the builders remedy option. The completion date of summer of 2024 mentioned in the
staff report seems to us like a long way off!
I have a few questions of the council, assuming these have not already been answered during
the meeting:
1. Is there some way that we as citizens of the city can help expedite this process?
2. Do you see a roll for us as voters in putting pressure on state legislators to engage with
Housing and Community Development to get our Housing Element passed?3.
3. Lastly, most other municipalities in Los Angeles County have been able to get their
Housing Elements approved. Are there specific unusual barriers that Rancho Palos
Verdes is facing in order to accomplish this task?
Thank you for your time,
Mike Peterson
- text generated by voice dictation
1 3.
Subject:FW: Housing
From: Carol Mueller <cmuell@verizon.net>
Sent: Monday, December 4, 2023 1:01 PM
To: CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Subject: Re: Housing
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe!!!.
Stop the entire Socialist mess!!!!!! Nuisance, et al. have destroyed CA. And, in the years to come,
CA is in debt some 58B$ in revenues. And, who is going to pay for this...how about you all under the
age of say 80 and/or still breathing!!!! AND NOTE: Going under the knife, spending some bucks,
and making yourself look years younger...you don't fool anybody. Probably the same people who will
buy Liz Channey's new book!!!!!!!!
Carol Mueller
Although Frontier has almost doubled my Internet price, can't seem to cc or bcc...so will leave
addressee as is!
1 3.
Subject:FW: City Council Mtg - 12/5/23
From: Elizabeth Brightman <elizabethbrightman@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, December 4, 2023 10:14 AM
To: CityClerk <CityClerk@rpvca.gov>
Subject: City Council Mtg - 12/5/23
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe!!!.
RPV City Council Members…..
My husband and I live at 5320 Ironwood St.
We ask to be on the record as STRONGLY OPPOSING high density development in the vacant canyon at 5323 Ironwood
St recently purchased by developer Jha.
This is a small residential neighborhood, one block from Silver Spur Elementary School. We have previously addressed
unsafe traffic concerns within our neighborhood with various city personnel.
The addition of exponentially more traffic due to potential multi unit development in this neighborhood greatly
increases safety concerns for our community and, especially, the children of Silver Spur Elementary. As the principal of
Silver Spur so aptly said to me, “If keeping kids safe isn’t the biggest most important motivator- I don’t know what is.”
We, and our children, are counting on you. Don’t let us down. Please.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Brightman
Elizabethbrightman@gmail.com
954-654-1121
1 5
Subject:FW: Late Correspondence: Regular Business Item No. 5 Consideration and possible
action to evaluate the City's membership in the League of California Cities (Cal Cities)
Attachments:Cal Cities 2024 Priorities.pdf
From: Shaunna Hunter <shunter@rpvca.gov>
Sent: Monday, December 4, 2023 3:34 PM
To: CityClerk <CityClerk@rpvca.gov>
Cc: CC <CC@rpvca.gov>; Ara Mihranian <AraM@rpvca.gov>
Subject: Late Correspondence: Regular Business Item No. 5 Consideration and possible action to evaluate the City's
membership in the League of California Cities (Cal Cities)
Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers,
In anƟcipaƟon of tomorrow's City Council Regular Business Item No. 5 which pertains to the evalua Ɵon of the City's
membership in the League of California CiƟes (Cal CiƟes); I wanted to share the latest informaƟon provided by Cal
CiƟes. AŌer the agenda was posted last week, the League of California CiƟes released the 2024 Cal CiƟes Advocacy
PrioriƟes. The staff report included in the agenda contained the 2023 Cal Ci Ɵes Advocacy PrioriƟes. Therefore, I am
providing you with the most up-to-date informaƟon to ensure that you have the latest details for your consideraƟon
during tomorrow's discussion. The aƩached document outlines the key advocacy prioriƟes for 2024 as idenƟfied by Cal
CiƟes.
Thank you for your Ɵme and consideraƟon,
Shaunna Hunter, MPA
Public Safety
Administrative Analyst II
City Managers Office
shunter@rpvca.gov
Phone - (310) 544-5305
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website: www.rpvca.gov
Consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
This e-mail message contains information belonging to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, which may be privileged, confidential and/or protected from
disclosure. The information is intended only for use of the individual or entity named. Unauthorized dissem ination, distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If
you received this email in error, or are not an intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.
League of California Cities 2024 Advocacy Priorities
1. Safeguard local revenues and bolster local economic development.
Cities are the engine of the state economy. With a looming state budget deficit, it is
critical to counter efforts by the state and corporations to erode or skim local revenue.
Cal Cities supports increasing local revenue streams for local governments and
opposes any effort to reduce or eliminate existing funding to cities. Cal Cities will use
every tool in the toolbox — legislative, legal, and grassroots mobilization — to fight a
2024 ballot measure that represents an existential threat to local control. The measure,
sponsored by the California Business Roundtable, would put at risk billions of dollars for
essential local services. Cal Cities also supports legislation that will fund a state-local
partnership to enhance economic development in these uncertain fiscal times.
2. Strengthen climate change resiliency and disaster preparedness.
The threat of climate change is no less during tough economic times. The state needs
to accelerate its efforts to prepare, reduce, and adapt to the ever-changing risks posed
by climate change — especially in vulnerable and under-resourced communities.
These risks include wildfires, flooding, drought, and other extreme weather events. Cal
Cities will pursue funding strategies, including potentially a bond, that provide cities with
the necessary resources to improve community and infrastructure resiliency. Cal Cities
will also seek to advance a partnership with state and federal agencies to strengthen
essential infrastructure, including modernizing the state’s water supply and energy grid.
3. Improve public safety in California communities.
A spike in retail theft, violent smash-and-grab robberies, fentanyl deaths and illicit drug
use, and back-to-back natural disasters, as well as strained social services are creating
challenges beyond the capacity of local governments. Cal Cities will partner with the
state to advance solutions that help reduce crime, increase emergency service
capacity, and provide more support to those residents struggling with substance abuse.
We will work with the Legislature, the Governor, and allies to craft legislation that will
reform Proposition 47, while avoiding a return to the days of mass incarceration.
4. Expand investments to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase the supply of
affordable housing.
California cities are doing more than ever to get residents off the streets and into safe,
stable, and affordable housing. However, the homelessness crisis in the world’s fifth-
largest economy continues unabated — fueled in part by a lack of affordable housing.
Cal Cities is calling on the state to provide ongoing funding to bolster local efforts to
support individuals experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness as well as strengthen state
and local partnerships to improve access to wraparound services, including mental
health and substance use treatment. Cal Cities also supports ongoing funding for cities
to jumpstart the construction of affordable housing, while ensuring cities retain local
decision-making and flexibility to achieve community and state housing goals.
From:Teresa Takaoka
To:Nathan Zweizig
Cc:Enyssa Sisson
Subject:FW: 12/5/2023 Agenda: Regular Business Item 5 Re Cal Cities Membership
Date:Monday, December 4, 2023 1:05:10 PM
From: John Cruikshank <John.Cruikshank@rpvca.gov>
Sent: Monday, December 4, 2023 10:19 AM
To: Beatriz Dieringer <ddabea@msn.com>; CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Jeff Kiernan <jkiernan@calcities.org>; 'bdieringer@cityofrh.net' <bdieringer@cityofrh.net>
Subject: Re: 12/5/2023 Agenda: Regular Business Item 5 Re Cal Cities Membership
Great points - thanks Bea for your good work.
Warmest Regards,
John Cruikshank, Mayor Pro Tem
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
424.328.1028 cell
The views or opinions expressed in this email are intended to be interpreted as the individual work product of the
author. They do not necessarily reflect an official position of the City Council, staff or other entities.
From: Beatriz Dieringer <ddabea@msn.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 2, 2023 10:53 PM
To: CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Jeff Kiernan <jkiernan@calcities.org>; 'bdieringer@cityofrh.net' <bdieringer@cityofrh.net>
Subject: 12/5/2023 Agenda: Regular Business Item 5 Re Cal Cities Membership
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Dear Members of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council,
I am writing to urge you to continue your membership in Cal Cities. I also want to provide you with
information regarding new efforts we are implementing at the Los Angeles County Division level that
are designed to increase our influence, as L.A. County public officials, in Sacramento. As you may
recall, I was installed as the President of the Los Angeles County Division of Cal Cities on 8/3/2023. I
know that you were unable to attend this installation dinner due to a pre-scheduled event with 5.
members of your Sister City, so I want to explain the Strike Force Team plan that I discussed at that
dinner.
In my remarks at the installation dinner, I first expressed my profound frustration with the fact that,
despite our best advocacy efforts, each year we lose more local control over our communities.
There has been a steady increase in state legislation in housing and other areas that removes our
authority to govern our local communities. Instead, this legislation has substituted a state-imposed
“one size fits all” requirement for all communities in the state, irrespective of the negative impact
that these requirements have on our individual communities. New laws and decisions also have
made it easier for dangerous criminals to be released from jail and prison into our communities
where they often continue to victimize our residents, diminishing public safety within our
communities.
At the dinner, I announced my desire to create Strike Force Teams for specific key issues affecting
Los Angeles County cities, in a strategic effort to stop further reductions in local control and increase
our abilities to address the unique needs of our local communities. Los Angeles County is the most
populous county in California and in the entire United States. The Los Angeles County Division also is
the largest Division with the greatest number of cities. Despite our large size, however, our county is
geographically far away from our state capitol where laws, rules and regulations affecting our cities
are enacted or decided.
To have a greater impact on these decisions, I proposed that our Division members pool our County-
wide resources more efficiently and strategically use them to protect and preserve local decision-
making authority over land use, housing, and other matters traditionally reserved for cities. These
Strike Force Teams would gather people, information and other resources so that the Division can
mobilize early on to advocate for what our cities need and push back on proposals that are contrary
to the needs of LA County cities. In addition, we need the tools by which we can activate our
constituents to form their own strike teams that can send out numerous emails, letters & texts to
legislators, when needed, to protect our abilities to govern our communities and meet their needs.
This Strike Force Team plan was subsequently discussed with and approved by the Division Board. I
am including a portion of my message from the Division’s November newsletter that contains a link
to the Public Safety and the Housing/Homelessness Strike Force Teams. I hope that you will sign up
and participate in one or both of these Teams. (See below). This newsletter excerpt also has
information regarding recent Division actions/advocacy on two county issues that impacted either
public safety or homelessness.
I am not able to attend your December 5th meeting, so I wanted to send you this email with
information in support of my request that you continue Rancho Palos Verdes’ membership in Cal
Cities. Please let me know if you have any questions or need further information. You can email me
at bdieringer@cityofrh.net. Most, if not all of you, also have my cell number.
Thank you for your consideration of my request.
Bea Dieringer
Council Member, City of Rolling Hills
President, Los Angeles County Division
League of California Cities
President's Message
Thank you to all of you who have already signed up for one of
our strike force teams: Public Safety and
Housing/Homelessness. We are planning a short zoom
meeting for each team in early December to receive the list
of related two-year bills that have been carried over from last
year and discuss strategies for increasing our influence over
legislation and other proposals for the betterment of our
communities. There is still time to participate but you need to
act quickly! Here’s the link: Strike Force Teams.
I also want to thank our Division members for your advocacy on recent County
issues that impact the interests of our residents in Los Angeles County—I really
appreciate your efforts! This year has been a bit different than previous
years. Usually, after the surge of activity surrounding the end of the state legislative
session, the work of the Division slows down a bit. However, when important issues
arise that require us to advocate for our communities, we do not slow down!
Since September, your Division Board has been in opposition to the LA County
Superior Court’s decision to institute a Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol (PARP)
system which eliminated traditional cash bail for most criminal offenses. Instead of
having to post reasonable bail, arrestees for most crimes are now required to be
either cited or booked and then released, without judicial review, unless a police
officer submits a written affidavit within 2 hours of booking that convinces a judge
to hold the arrestee until court arraignment before another judge. Read the Division
Opposition letter. At this point, 29 cities in our county have now joined a lawsuit
against the Superior Court, which was initially filed by 12 cities. See the court filing
HERE. Please continue to advocate for the safety of our residents and urge your
police departments or Sheriff’s stations to keep track of additional crimes and other
statistics regarding those who are being released pursuant to this new bail policy.
Your Division has also been actively advocating for our cities’ needs with Our Future
LA (OFLA), members of the Board of Supervisors (BOS) and other homeless services
stakeholders, as OFLA crafted a replacement ballot measure for Measure H to fund
County homeless services. Thank you to those of you who also participated in this
advocacy! We understand that the final version of this November 2024 ballot
initiative was to be filed on November 3, 2023. This version was significantly less
detrimental to cities’ interests than previous versions. The Division Board will further
review this proposal as filed. BOS can also propose their own Measure H initiative
and/or take a position on the OFLA initiative. I urge you to continue speaking with
your county supervisor regarding our cities’ paramount need that any replacement
H measure must include an ample local return that cities can flexibly use to address
the homelessness crisis within their communities.
-- Bea Dieringer
President, Los Angeles County Division
Sent from Mail for Windows