ARTICLE 2. Operating Agreements with Other Agencies and Organizations [5080.30. - 5080.44.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 2.

in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.30. Section 5080.30.

Agreements may be entered into between the department and any agency of the United States, any city, county, district, or other public agency, or any combination thereof, for the care, maintenance, administration, and control by any party to the agreement, of lands under the jurisdiction of any party to the agreement for the purpose of the state park system. The expenses of the care, maintenance, administration, and control may be paid from the general fund of the city, county, district, or other public agency, from the funds of the department, from any funds available to the agency of the United States for these purposes, as the case may be, or from revenues generated on the lands subject to the agreement.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.31. Section 5080.31.

(a) The general plan for a unit of the state park system that is the subject of an agreement entered into pursuant to this article shall, in addition to the requirements set forth in Section 5002.2, specifically evaluate and define the manner in which the unit is proposed to be operated. The general plan shall be reviewed by the commission for a determination that the unit will be operated in a manner that generally meets the standards followed by the department in its operation of similar units, that enhances the general public use and enjoyment of, and recreational and educational experiences at, the unit, and that provides for the satisfactory management of park resources. (b) The general plan for a unit that is the subject of an agreement entered into pursuant to this article may be prepared either by the department or by the public agency that is to operate the unit pursuant to the agreement.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.32. Section 5080.32.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), revenues received from lands subject to an operating agreement entered into pursuant to this article shall be available to the department only for the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of the unit of the state park system in which the lands from which the revenues were derived are located and any recreational trail providing access to those lands. (b) (1) As to operating agreements that are in force on September 30, 1994, if a local agency operates more than one unit of the state park system under the operating agreement, revenues received in excess of the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of one unit may be utilized for those purposes at other units of the state park system operated by the local agency. (2) As to operating agreements entered into, renewed, or renegotiated on and after October 1, 1994, revenues received from lands subject to an operating agreement in excess of the cost, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of those lands, as determined by the department, shall be available to the department, upon appropriation by the Legislature in the Budget Act, for expenditure for support of the department.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.33. Section 5080.33.

A concession may be authorized on lands subject to an agreement entered into pursuant to this article, so long as the public agency complies with public bidding procedures that provide for at least the same degree of participation and competition as the procedures established by Article 1 (commencing with Section 5080.01). No concession may be advertised for bid unless and until the director has approved in writing the terms on which the concession is proposed to be let.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.34. Section 5080.34.

Every agreement entered into pursuant to this article and every contract for a concession on lands that are subject to an agreement entered into pursuant to this article shall expressly prohibit discrimination against any person because of the marital status or ancestry of that person or any characteristic listed or defined in Section 11135 of the Government Code.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.35. Section 5080.35.

Whenever the department intends to enter into an operating agreement pursuant to this article with respect to a unit of the state park system, the department shall notify each Member of the Legislature in whose district that unit is located of its intention.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.36. Section 5080.36.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this article, the department may enter into an operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, and control of El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. The agreement shall include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) The district superintendent for the department shall provide liaison with the department, the nonprofit organization, and the public. (2) The nonprofit organization shall annually submit a written report to the department regarding its operating activities during the prior year and shall make copies of the report available to the public upon request. The report shall include a full accounting of all revenues and expenditures for El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park. (3) All revenues received from El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park shall be expended only for the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of the unit. (b) The district superintendent for the department shall, following submittal of the annual report under subdivision (a), hold a public meeting for discussion of the report and any operating policies or procedures. Any recommendation resulting from the annual public meeting shall be submitted by the district superintendent to the director for review and approval. (c) The general plan for El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park shall, in addition to the requirements set forth in Section 5002.2, specifically evaluate and define the manner in which the unit is proposed to be operated. The general plan shall be reviewed by the State Park and Recreation Commission for a determination that the unit will be operated in a manner that generally meets the standards followed by the department in its operation of similar units, that enhances the general public use and enjoyment of, and recreational and educational experiences at, the unit, and that provides for the satisfactory management of park resources. (d) Whenever the department intends to enter into an operating agreement with respect to El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, the department shall notify each Member of the Legislature in whose district the unit is located of that intention.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.36.1. Section 5080.36.1.

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the department and the City of Malibu are in the process of entering into an operating agreement for the purpose of negotiating a concession contract that would require the City of Malibu to repair and refurbish, and operate, the Malibu Pier, and that the standard 20-year term is insufficient to enable the City of Malibu to amortize the type and scale of repairs and improvements that the department will require the City of Malibu to make. (b) The department and the City of Malibu may enter into an operating agreement for the repair, refurbishment, and operation of the Malibu Pier for a period not to exceed 30 years if the operating agreement also requires the rent to be reviewed and adjusted at least every five years to reflect economic conditions in the area in which the pier is located.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.36.2. Section 5080.36.2.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the department may enter into a restoration agreement with Save Mount Diablo, a nonprofit organization, for the purpose of restoring the Mount Diablo Beacon on top of the Summit Building in Mount Diablo State Park. The agreement shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following: (1) A requirement that the restoration agreement shall follow the United States Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties guidelines and the guidelines set forth by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. (2) A requirement that the restoration agreement shall also comply with any applicable code of ethics or guidelines for practice governing the rehabilitation and preservation of historical sites and buildings. All plans for the work, the work in process, and the finished work shall be audited by a conservator company pursuant to a contract with the company. (3) All costs of the restoration of the Mount Diablo Beacon shall be incurred under the authority of, and be the responsibility of, Save Mount Diablo. (b) The restoration agreement that the department is authorized to enter into with Save Mount Diablo pursuant to subdivision (a) is intended to cover restoration work performed primarily by volunteers. However, nothing in this section shall preclude Save Mount Diablo from contracting for work performed by an individual or entity on a paid or for-profit basis.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.37. Section 5080.37.

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that revenues generated at Santa Monica State Beach may be expected to exceed the total costs incurred by the City of Santa Monica in caring for, maintaining, operating, administering, improving, and developing the unit and that a portion of those revenues may appropriately be made available to provide for the safety and convenience of the general public in the use and enjoyment of, and the enhancement of recreational experiences at, the Santa Monica City pier and other related shorefront facilities owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica. (b) Accordingly, notwithstanding Section 5080.32, whenever revenues generated from all sources at Santa Monica State Beach exceed the actual costs incurred by the City of Santa Monica in caring for, maintaining, operating, administering, improving, and developing that unit and exceed any foreseeable needs for the further improvement and development of that unit, the surplus shall be available for appropriation in the Budget Act to the city, as a local assistance grant, in the succeeding fiscal year for the repair of the Santa Monica pier and the improvement and development of parking facilities providing access to the pier until that repair, improvement, and development is complete. After the repair, improvement, and development is completed, 25 percent of the excess revenues shall be available for appropriation in the Budget Act to the city as a local assistance grant for the further improvement and development of the pier and other shorefront facilities owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica that adjoin the state beach. (c) The amount of any surplus shall be determined by the director, and the department may perform audits as may be necessary to determine this amount.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.38. Section 5080.38.

Notwithstanding any provision of this article, if title in fee, to the so-called Marconi property, near the community of Marshall in the County of Marin, is acquired at no cost to the state, the department may enter into an operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, and control of the Marconi Conference Center.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.39. Section 5080.39.

The department and other appropriate state and local agencies, and federal agencies to the extent permitted by federal law, with jurisdiction over inland waters are encouraged to cooperate with private groups and associations in order to do fish habitat and restoration work to implement the Adopt a Lake Program pursuant to Section 2003.5 of the Fish and Game Code.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.40. Section 5080.40.

(a) No operating lease or agreement shall be entered into, or amended, pursuant to this article unless at least 30 days’ written notice and a copy of the proposed operating lease or agreement, or amendment, has been provided by the director to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. (b) The director shall include with the proposed lease or agreement or amendment sufficient documentation to enable the Joint Legislative Budget Committee to evaluate fully the estimated operating costs and revenues and all terms upon which the lease or agreement or amendment is proposed to be entered into. Specifically, the documentation shall identify both of the following: (1) Any anticipated costs to the state for operation or development under the lease or agreement or amendment and the anticipated state share of total operation and development costs. (2) The anticipated annual revenues, net of operation costs, for the unit and the state’s share of these revenues. (c) Leases or agreements shall be exempt from subdivisions (a) and (b) when all of the following conditions exist: (1) The lease or agreement involves operation of only a portion of a unit of the state park system. (2) The term of the lease or agreement is for a period of 20 years or less. (3) The lease’s or agreement’s impact to the unit, including concessions revenue, will not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000) in annual gross revenue generated on the property. (4) The lease or agreement involves no significant change in state operational funding or staffing levels, and does not include present or future state expenditures for development of the unit. (d) Amendments to existing leases or agreements shall be exempt from subdivisions (a) and (b) when all of the following conditions exist: (1) The amendment involves operation of only a portion of a unit of the state park system. (2) The amendment’s impact to the unit will not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000) in annual gross revenue generated on the property. (3) The amendment involves no significant change in state operational funding or staffing levels, and does not include present or future state expenditures for development of the unit.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.41. Section 5080.41.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, until January 1, 2014, the department may enter into an operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, and control of a children’s museum in Old Sacramento State Historic Park in the City of Sacramento. The agreement shall include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) The district superintendent for the department shall provide liaison with the department, the nonprofit organization, and the public. (2) The operating agreement shall specify the manner in which the children’s museum is proposed to be operated. (3) All revenues received from the operation of the children’s museum shall be expended only for the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of the museum. (4) In constructing the children’s museum, the nonprofit organization shall incorporate historical architectural features consistent with buildings existing in Sacramento in the mid-1800s. (b) Whenever the department intends to enter into an operating agreement with respect to a children’s museum in Old Sacramento State Historic Park in the City of Sacramento, the department shall notify each Member of the Legislature in whose district the unit is located of that intention. (c) This section does not authorize the demolition of any state building.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.42. Section 5080.42.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the department may enter into an operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or portion of a unit, of the state park system, as agreed to by the director. The prohibition on park closures, pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 541.5, does not limit the department’s authority to enter into an operating agreement pursuant to this section, as provided in subdivision (e) of Section 541.5. The department may only enter into an operating agreement that involves the operation of the entirety of a park unit for no more than 20 park units. An operating agreement with a qualified nonprofit organization shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following conditions: (1) The district superintendent for the department shall provide liaison with the department, the nonprofit organization, and the public. (2) The nonprofit organization shall annually submit a written report to the department regarding its operating activities during the prior year and shall make copies of the report available to the public upon request. The report shall be available on the internet websites of both the department and the nonprofit organization. The report shall include a full accounting of all revenues and expenditures for each unit of the state park system that the nonprofit organization operates pursuant to an operating agreement. (3) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), all revenues that the qualified nonprofit organization receives from a unit shall be expended only for the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of the unit. The qualified nonprofit organization may additionally contribute in-kind services and funds raised from outside entities for the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of the unit. (B) If the qualified nonprofit organization determines that the revenues it has received from a unit are in excess of the revenues that are needed for the care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development of that unit, and that these funds are not already specified for or committed to specific purposes pursuant to an existing agreement or contract restricting the use of those funds, the qualified nonprofit organization may dedicate those excess revenues to another state park unit for that unit’s care, maintenance, operation, administration, improvement, or development. (4) General Fund moneys shall not be provided to a nonprofit organization to subsidize the operation or maintenance of a park unit. This paragraph applies to state parks, the full operation of which are turned over to a nonprofit organization, but does not apply to or preclude the department from entering into agreements with nonprofit organizations to operate a portion of a state park unit, or from entering into comanagement agreements with nonprofit organizations that involve the sharing of operational and financial responsibilities for the park unit and that have the effect of reducing state costs. This paragraph does not apply to park entrance fees, concession revenues, or any other revenues generated within a park operated by a nonprofit organization pursuant to this section. (5) Jobs maintained under a memorandum of understanding between the state and the represented bargaining units shall not be eliminated pursuant to the agreement and shall continue to be state employment. (b) An operating agreement entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall honor the existing term of a current concession contract for the state park unit subject to the operating agreement. (c) An operating agreement entered into pursuant to subdivision (a) shall specify the duties that the nonprofit organization shall be responsible for carrying out relative to management and protection of natural, historical, and cultural resources, and shall identify those management duties that shall continue to be conducted by the department, so that all core operations of the park are delineated. Scientific, architectural, and engineering functions that require special expertise or professional training shall only be conducted by or under the supervision of qualified persons with applicable expertise or training and subject to oversight by the department. (d) This section does not supersede the requirements of Section 5019.53 regarding the protection of natural, scenic, cultural, and ecological values. (e) The nonprofit organization and the district superintendent for the department shall, following submittal of the annual report pursuant to subdivision (a), hold a joint public meeting for discussion of the report. (f) If the department intends to enter into an operating agreement for the development, improvement, restoration, care, maintenance, administration, or operation of a unit or units, or a portion of a unit, the department shall notify the Member of the Legislature in whose district the unit is located, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water, the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife, and the chairs of the Assembly and Senate budget committees of that intention. The notification shall include estimated operating costs and revenues and core duties and responsibilities that are likely to be assigned to the nonprofit organization and the department. (g) For purposes of this section, a qualified nonprofit organization is an organization that is all of the following: (1) An organization that is exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. (2) An organization that has as its principal purpose and activity to provide visitor services in state parks, facilitate public access to park resources, improve park facilities, provide interpretive and educational services, or provide direct protection or stewardship of natural, cultural, or historical lands, or resources. (3) An organization that is in compliance with the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act (Article 7 (commencing with Section 12580) of Chapter 6 of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). (h) (1) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the department shall provide a report to the Legislature, on a biennial basis, of the status of operating agreements it has entered into pursuant to this section. The report shall include a list of units of the state park system with operating agreements, discussion of the management and operations of each unit subject to an operating agreement, an accounting of the revenues and expenditures incurred under each operating agreement, and an assessment of the benefit to the state from operating agreements entered into pursuant to this section. (2) A report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.43. Section 5080.43.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article or Article 3 (commencing with Section 5080.50), the department may enter into a restoration agreement with the Leland Stanford Mansion Foundation, a nonprofit organization, for the purpose of restoring the front staircase at the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historical Park. The agreement shall include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following: (1) A requirement that the restoration shall follow the United States Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties guidelines and the guidelines set forth by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. (2) A requirement that the restoration also shall comply with any applicable code of ethics or guidelines for practice governing the rehabilitation and preservation of historical sites and buildings. All plans for the work, the work in process, and the finished work shall be audited by the department. (3) All costs of the restoration of the front staircase at the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historical Park shall be incurred under the authority of, and be the responsibility of, the Leland Stanford Mansion Foundation. (b) Nothing in this section shall preclude the Leland Stanford Mansion Foundation from contracting for work performed by an individual or entity on a paid or for-profit basis.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 5080.44. Section 5080.44.

(a) The department may accept donations of money from public or private sources to be used for the purpose of funding park programs to benefit youth, as described in subdivision (b). (b) Notwithstanding Article 4 (commencing with Section 10335) of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, the department may enter into agreements, including agreements that involve the transfer of funds appropriated to the department, with public or nonprofit organizations that serve youth to provide service and learning opportunities for young people by performing work on state park system programs and projects under the supervision of department employees, where the work is not being performed by state park employees. Programs and projects covered under this subdivision include all of the following: (1) Restoring California’s natural, historic, archaeological, recreational, and scenic resources. (2) Training young people to be public land and resources managers and stewards for careers in public service. (3) Undertaking appropriate cultural and natural resource conservation in a cost-effective and appropriate manner.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026