CHAPTER 13. Strategic Growth Council and Climate Change Reduction [75120. - 75130.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 13.
in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75120. Section 75120.

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply: (a) “Council” means the Strategic Growth Council established pursuant to Section 75121. (b) “Regional plan” means either of the following: (1) A long-range transportation plan developed pursuant to Section 134(g) of Title 23 of the United States Code and any applicable state requirements. (2) A regional blueprint plan, which is a regional plan that implements statutory requirements intended to foster comprehensive planning as defined in Section 65041.1 of, Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 65080) of Division 1 of Title 7 of, and Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7 of, the Government Code. A regional blueprint plan articulates regional consensus and performance outcomes on a more efficient land use pattern that supports improved mobility and reduces dependency on single-occupancy vehicle trips; accommodates an adequate supply of housing for all income levels; reduces impacts on valuable farmland, natural resources, and air quality, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, increases water and energy conservation and efficiency; and promotes a prosperous economy and safe, healthy, sustainable, and vibrant neighborhoods.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75121. Section 75121.

(a) The Strategic Growth Council is hereby established in state government and it shall consist of the Director of State Planning and Research, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Business, Consumer Services, and Housing, the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, one member of the public appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, one member of the public appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and one member of the public to be appointed by the Governor. The public members shall have a background in land use planning, local government, resource protection and management, or community development or revitalization and shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. (b) Staff for the council shall be reflective of the council’s membership.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75123. Section 75123.

(a) A meeting of the council, including a meeting related to the development of grant guidelines and policies and the approval of grants, shall be subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), except that, for purposes of this section, “meeting” shall not include a meeting at which: (1) Council members are meeting as members of the Governor’s cabinet. (2) Council staff and member agency staff are meeting to discuss, but not take final action on, any of the following: (A) State agency coordination to improve air and water quality, improve natural resource protection, increase the availability of affordable housing, improve transportation, revitalize urban and community centers in a sustainable manner, and other priorities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 75125. (B) Preliminary policy recommendations and investment strategies to the Governor, the Legislature, and appropriate state agencies to encourage the development of sustainable communities, as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 75125. (C) Developing grant guidelines, such as those specified in Section 75125, that are otherwise subject to public participation process requirements. (b) The council may sponsor conferences, symposia, and other public forums, to seek a broad range of public advice regarding local, regional, and natural resource planning, sustainable development, and strategies to reduce and mitigate climate change.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75124. Section 75124.

Of the funds made available pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (c) of Section 75065, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) is hereby appropriated to the Resources Agency to be used in support of the council and its activities in accordance with this chapter.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75125. Section 75125.

The council shall do all of the following: (a) Identify and review activities and funding programs of state agencies that may be coordinated to improve air and water quality, improve natural resource protection, increase the availability of affordable housing, improve transportation, meet the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code) and the strategies and priorities developed in the state’s climate adaptation strategy known as the Safeguarding California Plan adopted pursuant to Section 71152, encourage sustainable land use planning, and revitalize urban and community centers in a sustainable manner. At a minimum, the council shall review and comment on the five-year infrastructure plan developed pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 13100) of Chapter 2 of Part 3 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code and the State Environmental Goals and Policy Report developed pursuant to Section 65041 of the Government Code. (b) Recommend policies and investment strategies and priorities to the Governor, the Legislature, and to appropriate state agencies to encourage the development of sustainable communities, such as those communities that promote equity, strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and promote public health and safety, consistent with subdivisions (a) and (c) of Section 75065. (c) Provide, fund, and distribute data and information to local governments and regional agencies that will assist in developing and planning sustainable communities. (d) Manage and award grants and loans to support the planning and development of sustainable communities, pursuant to Sections 75127, 75128, and 75129. To implement this subdivision, the council may do all of the following: (1) Develop guidelines for awarding financial assistance, including criteria for eligibility and additional consideration. (2) Develop criteria for determining the amount of financial assistance to be awarded. The council shall award a revolving loan to an applicant for a planning project, unless the council determines that the applicant lacks the fiscal capacity to carry out the project without a grant. The council may establish criteria that would allow the applicant to illustrate an ongoing commitment of financial resources to ensure the completion of the proposed plan or project. (3) Provide for payments of interest on loans made pursuant to this article. The rate of interest shall not exceed the rate earned by the Pooled Money Investment Board. (4) Provide for the time period for repaying a loan made pursuant to this article. (5) Provide for the recovery of funds from an applicant that fails to complete the project for which financial assistance was awarded. The council shall direct the Controller to recover funds by any available means. (6) Provide technical assistance for application preparation. (7) Designate a state agency or department to administer technical and financial assistance programs for the disbursing of grants and loans to support the planning and development of sustainable communities, pursuant to Sections 75127, 75128, and 75129. (e) Provide an annual report to the Legislature that shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following: (1) A list of applicants for financial assistance. (2) Identification of which applications were approved. (3) The amounts awarded for each approved application. (4) The remaining balance of available funds. (5) A report on the proposed or ongoing management of each funded project. (6) Any additional minimum requirements and priorities for a project or plan proposed in a grant or loan application developed and adopted by the council pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 75126.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75126. Section 75126.

(a) An applicant shall declare, in the application submitted to the council for financial assistance for a plan or project pursuant to this chapter, the applicant’s intention to follow a detailed budget and schedule for the completion of the plan or project. The budget and schedule shall be of sufficient detail to allow the council to assess the progress of the applicant at regular intervals. (b) A project or plan funded pursuant to this chapter shall meet both of the following criteria: (1) Be consistent with the state’s planning policies pursuant to Section 65041.1 of the Government Code. (2) Reduce, on as permanent a basis that is feasible, greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), and any applicable regional plan. (c) The council may develop additional minimum requirements and priorities for a project or plan proposed in a grant and loan application, including those related to improving air quality.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75127. Section 75127.

(a) To support the planning and development of sustainable communities, the council shall manage and award financial assistance to a city or county for preparing, adopting, and implementing a general plan or general plan element that is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote water conservation, reduce automobile use and fuel consumption, encourage greater infill and compact development, protect natural resources and agricultural lands, and revitalize urban and community centers. (b) For the purposes of this section, the preparation and adoption of a general plan may include a comprehensive update of a general plan, amendment or adoption of an individual element of a general plan, or any other revision consistent with the intent of Section 75065. (c) For the purposes of this section, the implementation of a general plan may include amendment or adoption of a specific plan, community plan, zoning ordinance, or any other plan, ordinance, or policy that is consistent with the intent of Section 75065. (d) The funding provided pursuant to this section for the preparation, adoption, and implementation of a general plan may also include funding any activity necessary to conform a general plan to a regional plan.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75128. Section 75128.

(a) To support the planning and development of sustainable communities, the council shall manage and award financial assistance to a council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, regional transportation planning agency, city, county, or joint powers authority, to develop, adopt or implement a regional plan or other planning instrument consistent with a regional plan that improves air and water quality, improves natural resource protection, increases the availability of affordable housing, improves transportation, meets the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code), and encourages sustainable land use. The financial assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be funded from moneys made available pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 75065. (b) In awarding financial assistance pursuant to this section, the council shall give first priority to an application seeking funding to add or enhance elements of a regional plan that are not funded with federal moneys.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75129. Section 75129.

(a) To support the planning and development of sustainable communities, the council shall manage and award financial assistance to a city, county, special district, nonprofit organization, or entity formed pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of the Government Code, if at least one of the parties to the joint powers agreement qualifies as an eligible applicant, for the preparation, planning, and implementation of an urban greening project that provides multiple benefits, including, but not limited to, a decrease in air and water pollution, a reduction in the consumption of natural resources and energy, an increase in the reliability of local water supplies, or an increased adaptability to climate change. An eligible project funded pursuant to this section shall not include a mitigation action that is required under existing law. The financial assistance provided pursuant to this section shall be funded from moneys made available pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 75065. (b) The council shall develop minimum requirements for funding eligible projects pursuant to this section, which shall require a project to meet at least one of the following criteria: (1) Use natural systems, or systems that mimic natural systems, to achieve the benefits identified in subdivision (a). (2) Create, enhance, or expand community green spaces. (c) The multiple benefits of a project, may include, but are not limited to, the establishment or enhancement of one or more of the following: (1) Tree canopy. (2) Urban forestry. (3) Local parks and open space. (4) Greening of existing public lands and structures, including schools. (5) Multi-objective stormwater projects, including construction of permeable surfaces and collection basins and barriers. (6) Urban streams, including restoration. (7) Community, demonstration, or outdoor education gardens and orchards. (8) Urban heat island mitigation and energy conservation efforts through landscaping and green roof projects. (9) Nonmotorized urban trails that provide safe routes for both recreation and travel between residences, workplaces, commercial centers, and schools. (d) The council shall give additional consideration to a funding project pursuant to this section that meets one or more of the following criteria: (1) The project uses interagency cooperation and integration. (2) The project uses existing public lands and facilitates use of public resources and investments including schools. (3) The project is proposed by an economically disadvantaged community. (e) Up to 25 percent of the moneys allocated pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 75065 may be used to award revolving loans or grants to a city, county, special district, nonprofit organization, council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, or entity formed pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of the Government Code, if at least one of the parties to the joint powers agreement qualifies as an eligible applicant, for the purpose of creating urban greening plans that will serve as the master document guiding and coordinating greening projects in the applicant’s jurisdiction. These urban greening plans shall be consistent with the jurisdiction’s general plan or regional plan, where one exists.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 75129.5. Section 75129.5.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the council may, using existing or private funds, provide public members of the California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force, established pursuant to Provision 8 of Item 0650-001-0001 of the Budget Act of 2022 (Chapters 43, 45, and 249 of the Statutes of 2022), a reasonable per diem allowance as specified in Section 11564.5 of the Government Code, or at a higher rate that may be established by the task force, for each day’s attendance at a noticed meeting of the task force. (b) The report required pursuant to Provision 8 of Item 0650-001-0001 of the Budget Act of 2022 (Chapters 43, 45, and 249 of the Statutes of 2022) shall be posted on the council’s internet website.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026