SB 1514

Bill Subjects

Abstract

(1) Existing law requires ordinances enacted by a county board of supervisors to be signed by the chairperson of the board and attested by the clerk. Existing law requires city ordinances passed by a city council to be signed by the mayor and attested by the city clerk. This bill would specify that when attesting to a digital signature, a county clerk or a city clerk may presume that the signature is genuine and attributable to the signatory if the digital signature complies with specified requirements. (2) Existing law authorizes a registrar of voters to be appointed by the board of supervisors in specified counties to discharge all duties vested by law in the county clerk that relate to and are a part of election procedure. This bill would include the County of Sonoma among those counties in which the board of supervisors is authorized to appoint a registrar of voters. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the County of Sonoma. (3) Existing law prescribes requirements for the disposal of surplus land by a local agency. Existing law defines "surplus land" for these purposes to mean land owned in fee simple by any local agency for which the local agency's governing body takes formal action declaring that the land is surplus and is not necessary for the agency's use. Existing law provides that an agency is not required to follow the requirements for the disposal of surplus land for "exempt surplus land," except as provided. Existing law defines "exempt surplus land," to include various specified surplus lands that meet certain conditions, that include, among other conditions, where applicable, a specified amount of the residential units restricted to lower income households, as defined, with an affordable sales price or an affordable rent, as defined, for a minimum of 55 years for rental housing and land use for ownership housing, among other requirements. This bill would revise the definition of "exempt surplus land" to replace requirements for land use for ownership housing in the above-described restrictions with requirements for an affordable sales price or an affordable rent for 45 years for ownership housing. The bill would provide that, in the context of defining exempt surplus land, required affordability periods for rental housing, ownership housing, rental or ownership housing located on tribal trust lands, and owner-occupied units apply unless a local ordinance or a federal, state, or local grant, tax credit, or other project financing requires a longer period of affordability, as specified. The bill would also make other nonsubstantive changes. (4) Existing law requires a local agency to take formal action in a regular public meeting to declare that land is surplus and is not necessary for the agency's use and to declare land as either surplus land or exempt surplus land, as supported by written findings, before a local agency may take any action to dispose of it consistent with an agency's policies or procedures. Existing law, except as specified, requires any local agency disposing of surplus land to send, before disposing of that property or participating in negotiations to dispose of that property with a prospective transferee, a written notice of availability of the property to entities specific to the purpose of the availability. This bill would correct a cross-reference in that notice provision and make other nonsubstantive changes. (5) Existing law authorizes a public cemetery district that has annual revenues greater than $500,000 to withdraw its funds from the control of the county treasurer, however, it may nevertheless, deposit its funds in the county treasury of the principal county or the State Treasury, as specified. This bill would make a clarifying change to the provisions described above relating to public cemetery district funds. (6) Existing law requires a local agency, in enforcing building standards applicable to accessory dwelling units, that issues to an owner a notice to correct a violation of building standards to include in that notice a statement that the owner has a right to request a delay in enforcement, as specified. This bill would correct an erroneous citation contained in the provisions described above relating to accessory dwelling units.