HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-95 - Approving a Legislative PlatformRESOLUTION NO. 2019-95
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING A
LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM
WHEREAS, the City Council historically promotes legislative actions consistent
with the goals and functions of the City of Newport Beach;
WHEREAS, such legislative actions are typically. included within the City's
adopted Legislative Platform;
WHEREAS, the promotion of legislative actions once required separate City
Council action to approve individual letters of support or opposition related to specific
pieces of legislation;
WHEREAS, the piece -by -piece approval can delay important actions necessary
to assist in the passage or defeat of legislation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council seeks to efficiently pursue legislation that reflects
the Legislative Platform and the goals of the City.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as
follows:
Section 1: The City Council does hereby adopt the Legislative Platform, which
is attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference.
Section 2: The City Council hereby authorizes the Mayor to make statements
and write letters necessary to support legislative actions consistent with the City's
adopted Legislative Platform. Should the Mayor be unavailable to sign a City advocacy
letter, the City Council hereby authorizes the Mayor to designate the Mayor Pro
Tempore or the City Manager to sign and issue the letter in the Mayor's absence. All
correspondence prepared on the City's behalf will be copied to each City Council
member.
Section 3: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are
incorporated into the operative part of this resolution.
Section 4: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this
resolution is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall
not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this resolution. The
City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this resolution, and each
section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any
one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid
or unconstitutional.
Resolution No. 2019-95
Page 2 of 2
Section 5: The City Council finds the adoption of this resolution is not subject to
the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the
activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in
the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section
15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6,
Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the
environment, directly or indirectly.
Section 6: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution.
ADOPTED this 5t" day of November, 2019.
ATTEST:
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ME // . ���._�. //1L1�I�Leilani 1. Brown- JCity Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
't�_ C
Aaron C. Harp
City Attorney
Di ne B. Dixon
Mayor
Attachment: Exhibit A - City of Newport Beach Legislative Platform
EXHIBIT A
City of Newport Beach
Legislative Platform
Adopted November 5, 2019 (term indefinite until repealed or replaced)
PURPOSE
The City of Newport Beach legislative platform summarizes the City's core legislative
principles and positions for the purpose of advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal
levels. The platform provides clear direction on pertinent issues and thus enables staff to
address legislative and regulatory matters in a timely manner.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
I. Preserve Local Control - The City supports the protection or expansion of
local, decision-making authority and its ability to provide public services. It
opposes the preemption of local control such as mandated, additional costs
without appropriate reimbursement.
II. Maintain Fiscal Responsibility — The City supports measures that protect its
existing funding sources and revenue base and its control over local
government budgeting. It opposes any effort to shift local funds to the County,
State or Federal governments or diminish its revenue base.
III. Protect Quality of Life — The City supports legislation and funding that
preserves the safety, security and well-being of its residents, businesses and
visitors. It opposes any effort that negatively impacts the community's quality
of life.
IV. Support Private Property Rights — The City supports the preservation or
enhancement of private property rights and opposes measures that erode or
reduce laws that protect private property rights.
PLATFORM ISSUES. The following categories generally reflect priorities of the City on
a regular and long-term basis:
I — AVIATION. Asa neighbor to John Wayne Airport (JWA), the City is actively involved
in efforts to protect its residents from the impacts of the airport. The City shall
advocate for legislative and executive actions consistent with the Council's Airport
Policy (A-17) and/or that:
(a) Preserve and, assuming the terms and conditions are consistent with Council
Policy A-17, amend or otherwise extend the JWA Settlement Agreement.
(b) Preserve and protect the 2006 Cooperative Agreement between the County of
Orange and the City.
(c) Oppose changes in regional aviation policies that would regionalize aviation
administration or that would allow a regional entity the power of eminent domain
to expand airport capacity.
(d) Support legislative and regulatory initiatives to study and mitigate the noise and
air quality impacts associated with air traffic overflights.
(e) Support local control over local airports.
(f) Support efforts to increase usage of airports with excess capacity such as
Ontario International, provided the increased usage does not materially impact
the quality of life of nearby residents.
11 — HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATIONS. The City seeks to protect and
strengthen its land use authority, including regulation of residential recovery facilities
and group homes, zoning, incorporation, annexation, and community development.
Therefore, the City shall:
(a) Support efforts that would allow cities and counties greater control over the
placement and management of residential recovery facilities, parolee homes,
sober living homes, and other group accommodations in residential areas, while
respecting disabled persons' right to housing.
(b) Support efforts to strengthen the legal and fiscal capability of the City to prepare,
adopt and implement plans for orderly growth, development, beautification and
conservation of local planning areas, including but not limited to, regulatory
authority over zoning, subdivisions and annexations.
(c) Oppose development agreements in cities' spheres of influence in undeveloped
areas that do not conform to city standards.
(d) Support legislation that simplifies requirements for General Plan Housing
Elements.
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(e) Support measures to improve or otherwise streamline local governments'
working relationship and permitting ability with County, State and Federal
resources agencies and commissions.
(f) Support legislation that provides funding or programs to address the lack of
affordable housing as long as it does not impose mandated costs or diminish
the City's zoning authority.
(g) Support Federal, State, County or local efforts to develop programs,
partnerships or grant programs to assist cities in providing housing solutions
and/or services to address homelessness.
(h) Aggressively support measures that preserve local control over planning and
zoning matters.
(i) Oppose legislation and regulatory efforts that eliminate or diminish the City's
authority to zone and plan for the development of telecommunications
infrastructure.
Q) Oppose legislative efforts that reduce the City's ability to zone for or regulate
short-term rental properties.
(k) Support legislation that maintains local control over medical marijuana
dispensaries and upholds cities' ability to regulate and ban dispensaries.
(1) Support measures that provide municipalities with increased input in the
development of the Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).
111 — FISCAL STABILITY. The City's objective is to protect existing revenue sources and
to limit the cost of government upon the taxpayers of Newport Beach. The City also
seeks to protect Newport Beach residents and businesses from onerous fiscal
actions by other levels of government (County, State, federal) which may impair our
ability to protect our quality of life. Therefore, the City shall:
(a) Support legislation leading to greater financial independence from State
government and which would result in greater predictability in local government
budgeting.
(b) Oppose legislation that would impose State and Federal mandates for which
there is no or inadequate local reimbursement or offsetting benefits.
(c) In the absence of statewide fiscal reform, oppose legislation that reduces or
eliminates existing local revenue sources.
(d) As a part of a comprehensive reform package, support changes in the State -
Local fiscal relationship if the changes maintain or improve revenues to local
governments, promote local discretion on land use decisions, and result in the
long-term stability of local government revenue sources.
(e) Oppose actions to change 1978's Proposition 13, including the development of
a "split roll" property tax valuation system.
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(f) Support legislation that reforms California's tort system to curtail unreasonable
liability exposure for public agencies and restore the ability of public agencies to
obtain affordable insurance.
(g) Oppose any changes in State law that would further limit the ability of charter
cities to manage their affairs.
IV — LABOR RELATIONS. The City respects the working conditions, benefits, and rights
of Newport Beach employees and the conservative fiscal management principles of
the community. Therefore, the City shall:
(a) Support legislation that promotes fiscally responsible public retirement benefits
and oppose legislation that threatens to increase the cost and burden of
administering retirement benefits.
(b) Oppose legislation that imposes mandated (State or Federal) employee benefits
that are more properly decided at the local bargaining table.
(c) Support repeal of or oppose efforts that reduce local control over public
employee disputes.
(d) Support workers' compensation -related legislative measures which positively
affect public employers.
V —TRANSPORTATION. The City supports multi -modal transportation systems,
programs and services. Therefore, the City shall:
(a) Encourage Federal, State, County and Local programs to increase funding and
simplify permitting for transit, bicycling, and pedestrian travel.
(b) Support legislation and voter -approved bond measures that help local agencies
finance local transportation facilities.
(c) Oppose legislation that requires additional County, State and Federal review of
projects that are predominantly of regional or local significance.
(d) Support legislation that gives local agencies greater access to and discretion over
transportation funds.
VI — WATER QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. The City supports effective
measures to improve the environment, including water quality, solid waste,
hazardous materials clean-up, and ocean, beaches and bay protection. Therefore,
the City shall:
(a) Support projects, legislation and funding measures (including statewide bond
measures) that would increase water supply and improve water quality in this
region.
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(b) Support legislation that would establish or increase funding for local agencies to
analyze and mitigate potential impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities.
(c) Support measures that enhance local authority and flexibility to regulate solid
waste and recyclable materials.
(d) Support efforts that provide a dedicated stream of funds to projects benefiting
area beaches and waterways, including adequate and independent funding for
boating and waterways.
(e) Seek any appropriate one-time and/or long-term sources of funds and/or services
to enhance and protect Newport Bay, including Lower Newport Bay and Upper
Newport Bay dredging activities.
(f) Oppose legislation that would allow the development of new oil platforms along
the Orange County coastline.
(g) Support measures that improve funding resources and the science associated
with water quality testing and beach closure standards.
(h) Advocate for Regional Board control over fines and fees collected from water
quality violations so that such fines and fees remain in the region to be used
directly for water quality improvements.
(i) Support funding for remediation of closed oil operations where the land will
transition to habitat and open space, including in the Banning Ranch.
(j) Support efforts to complete the Orange Coast River Park.
(k) Support changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) that retain
CEQA's foundation of appropriately addressing environmental impacts but that
ensure that CEQA is not used as a tool for litigation and the delay of important
projects.
(1) Support efforts that ensure that public waters are accessible, safe and clean.
(m) Oppose measures that limit the City's ability to regulate the quality of public water
or limit public use.
Vll — COASTAL RESOURCES AND THE COASTAL ZONE. The City supports efforts
to protect and enhance public access and coastal resources in a manner that balances
the rights of the individual property owner and local government land use authority with
the public's constitutional right of access pursuant to Section 4 of Article X of the
California Constitution. Therefore, the City shall:
(a) Support legislation that provides funding or programs to address public access
to coastal resources.
(b) Support efforts that improves public assets in the coastal zone.
(c) Support efforts to protect and enhance natural and constructed coastal
resources.
(d) Oppose legislation that preempts or otherwise diminishes local control within the
coastal zone.
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(e) Oppose legislation that diminishes the land value of public and private property
in the coastal zone.
(f) Support legislation that promotes the fair and balanced implementation of the
California Coastal Act that emphasizes local input and local control.
(g) Support appropriate funding of the California Coastal Commission that
guarantees efficiency of operations, clarity of mission, and accountability.
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STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF ORANGE } ss.
CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH }
I, Leilani I. Brown, City Clerk of the City of Newport Beach, California, do hereby certify that the
whole number of members of the City Council is seven; the foregoing resolution, being Resolution
No. 2019-95, was duly introduced before and adopted by the City Council of said City at a regular meeting
of said Council held on the 51h day of November, 2019; and the same was so passed and adopted by the
following vote, to wit:
AYES: Mayor Diane Dixon, Mayor Pro Tem Will O'Neill, Council Member Brad Avery, Council
Member Joy Brenner, Council Member Duffy Duffield, Council Member Jeff Herdman
NAYS: None
ABSENT: Council Member Kevin Muldoon
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the official seal of
said City this 61h day of November, 2019.
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Leilani I. Br6wn
City Clerk
Newport Beach, California