Title
Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and Vacation Home Rental Division, recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign a Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding with the California Tahoe Alliance to encourage coordinated strategies for advocacy on proposed or existing state legislation for policies and regulations that support a broad range of environmental, restoration, recreation, transportation, and water infrastructure projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin, with a term upon execution through December 31, 2033; and
2) Authorize the Planning and Building Department Director, or designee, to execute any further documents, including amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding that do not add compensation to the Memorandum of Understanding, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The California Tahoe Alliance (Alliance) is a coalition of California agencies and jurisdictions, currently comprised of South Tahoe Public Utility District, Tahoe City Public Utility District, North Tahoe Public Utility District, Placer County, League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Tahoe Fund, City of South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and Lake Tahoe Community College, that work together for the purpose of identifying, coordinating, and advocating for state funding for the Lake Tahoe Basin to support coordinated implementation of the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP).
In 2015, El Dorado County was invited to participate in the Alliance and subsequently, on July 14, 2015 (File No. 15-0775, Item No. 19), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Alliance.
On April 10, 2018 (File No. 18-0417, Item No. 11), the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign an updated MOU with the Alliance to incorporate additional language and the addition of Exhibits to the MOU.
While each Alliance member, including El Dorado County, currently has an agreement with Platinum Advisors, LLC for the provision of assisting with lobbying and consulting services to achieve funding and policy goals for the Lake Tahoe Basin, continuation of collaborative participation in the Alliance allows for increased efforts across jurisdictional boundaries and as a result, greater achievement of a shared goal to protect Lake Tahoe Basin’s unique and valued resources.
The proposed updated MOU with the Alliance provides for a documented framework of cooperation to identify, coordinate, and advocate for California policies, regulations, and funding opportunities that support shared goals and objectives, such as:
- Building relationships with key legislators and cultivating new Tahoe Champions;
- Supporting the allocation of funding to programs and agencies to implement a broad range of environmental, restoration, recreation, transportation, and water infrastructure projects, including EIP projects;
- Supporting efforts to pass resource bonds which provide funding for programs and agencies that can fund a broad range of environmental, restoration, recreation, transportation, and water infrastructure projects, including EIP projects;
- Supporting efforts to maximize the amount of funding available from a variety of different funding programs including, but not limited to: Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (cap and trade funds), Propositions, and current and future bonds for projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin;
- Supporting changes to the definition of “disadvantage communities” that allow for rural areas, like the Lake Tahoe Basin, to better compete for funding; and
- Supporting legislative efforts and identifying key legislators to champion policies that provide new tools and resources to help strengthen the prospects for regional transportation in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
In addition to minor administrative changes, updates to the Alliance MOU include, inclusion of new members of the Alliance, the ability to form subcommittees as needed, revised expiration date, revisions to Steering Committee Representatives (Exhibit A), inclusion to Steering Committee Organization and Function (Exhibit B), changes to Steering Committee Responsibilities (Exhibit C), removal of a Policy Position (Exhibit D), and the insertion of Coordinator Responsibilities (Exhibit E).
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to approve the proposed MOU. This would result in the County terminating their participation in the Alliance and terminating their Agreement with Platinum Advisors, LLC, the lobbyist hired to assist the Alliance. This would ultimately diminish the opportunity to collectively work with other agencies to achieve and maintain environmental improvements in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
See Discussion/Background above.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with this MOU as there are no costs or funding match requirements. Alliance participants are expected to commit any staff time necessary to meet the goals of the MOU, which at this time is approximately one (1) hour per month.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) The Clerk of the Board will obtain the Chair’s signature on one (1) original copy of the MOU; and
2) The Clerk of the Board will forward the executed MOU to the Planning and Building Department, Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR Division, attention Brendan Ferry, for further processing.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Good Governance: Participation in the Alliance will further this strategic plan component of promoting the development of resources to identify and pursue additional revenue including local, state federal, and private funding, specifically for the Lake Tahoe Basin.
CONTACT
Brendan Ferry, Deputy Director of Tahoe Planning, Stormwater, and VHR Division
Planning and Building Department