CHAPTER
14. Great Redwood Trail Agency
5880.
(a) On or before July 1, 2022, the North Coast Railroad Authority shall be renamed the Great Redwood Trail Agency. If a majority of the agency’s board of directors are not appointed on or before July 1, 2022, the North Coast Railroad Authority’s board of directors shall oversee the agency’s operations under this chapter until a majority of the agency’s board of directors are appointed.(b) (1) The goal of this chapter is for the agency to use the existing right-of-way, or paths parallel to the right-of-way, to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain the northern portion of the Great Redwood Trail in, or parallel to, the right-of-way.
(2) The agency
shall assume, own, and manage all aspects of the rail operations from the North Coast Railroad Authority north of the county line separating the Counties of Mendocino and Sonoma at or near mile post 89, including, but not limited to, the common carrier license, and rail easements, licenses, and contracts.
5881.
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:(a) “Agency” means the Great Redwood Trail Agency.
(b) “Board” means the agency’s board of directors described in Section 5882.
(c) “Northern portion of the Great Redwood Trail” means the trail planned, designed, constructed, operated, and maintained in, or parallel to, the right-of-way pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 5883.
(d) “Right-of-way” means the entire length of the right-of-way transferred to the agency pursuant to Section 93031 of the Government
Code.
5882.
(a) The agency shall be governed by a board of directors, composed as follows:(1) The Governor shall appoint, subject to Senate confirmation, three board members, one representing the Department of Transportation, one representing the Natural Resources Agency, and one appointed at the Governor’s discretion, who are knowledgeable about trails, parks, or rivers.
(2) The Senate Committee on Rules shall appoint one board member who is knowledgeable about trails, parks, or rivers.
(3) The Speaker of the Assembly shall appoint one board member who is knowledgeable about trails, parks, or rivers.
(b) (1) Each member of the board shall serve a term of four years.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), each member shall serve on the board until the member’s successor has been appointed.
(c) The board shall elect a chair from among its board members who shall serve a term of one year. The chair may serve successive terms.
(d) The initial board members shall be appointed on or before July 1, 2022.
5883.
Upon receiving the North Coast Railroad Authority’s rights, privileges, and responsibilities, including any associated branch or spur lines, north of the county line separating the Counties of Mendocino and Sonoma at or near mile post 89, both of the following subdivisions shall apply:(a) To the extent funding is available, the agency shall do all of the following:
(1) Initiate or complete, or initiate and complete, the federal Surface Transportation Board’s railbanking process north of the county line separating the Counties of Mendocino and Sonoma at or near mile post 89.
(2) Inventory any parcel, easement, or contract related to the
right-of-way.
(3) Complete an environmental assessment of the conditions of the right-of-way for purposes of trail development.
(4) Plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain a trail in, or parallel to, the right-of-way.
(5) Conduct a thorough community engagement process that includes landowners, trail advocates, environmental groups, and the community at large. Items to be discussed during this process include, but are not limited to, trail configurations in, and parallel to, the right-of-way, including those on public lands, connecting the Great Redwood Trail to existing trails, and rail-crossing access and fees.
(6) Honor existing trail licenses and work with local and state governments and community groups to expeditiously provide new trail
license agreements that meet the goal of this chapter.
(7) Use the services of the California Conservation Corps, wherever feasible, for projects related to trails, environmental enhancements, and restoration, and other improvement projects.
(8) Use the services of conservation organizations, wherever feasible, for projects related to trails, fishing access, fish passage barrier restoration, and other environmental enhancement, restoration, and improvement projects.
(9) Prepare a master plan for the northern portion of the Great Redwood Trail, including any environmental analysis required pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)).
(10) Before January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, submit a
report to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, describing the agency’s progress towards fulfilling the requirements and goal relating to the right-of-way.
(11) Regulate public access to each segment of the right-of-way until the construction of the trail segment is completed, as determined by the agency.
(b) To the extent funding is available, the agency may do any of the following:
(1) Contract with a trail manager or organization to meet the requirements of this section.
(2) Contract with an operator to operate excursion rail service except that the service shall not interfere with or harm the northern portion of the Great Redwood Trail.
(3) Work with
landowners, fishing organizations, and others to locate and provide fishing and river access along the right-of-way. In doing so, the agency shall seek to discourage and prevent trespassing on private property.
5884.
The agency may transfer the responsibility of performing the acts described in this chapter to an appropriate state agency.5885.
(a) The Great Redwood Trail Program Fund is hereby created. Moneys in the fund shall accrue interest and be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of this chapter.(b) All revenue, including fee revenue, received pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in the fund.
5886.
The agency shall have and may exercise all rights and powers, expressed or implied, necessary to carry out the purposes and intent of this chapter, including, but not limited to, all of the following:(a) To enter into and perform all necessary contracts pursuant to Article 53.5 (commencing with Section 20815) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code.
(b) To fix and collect fees for the use of any land owned or controlled, or for any service provided, by the agency.
(c) To make grants.
(d) To acquire interests in real property.
(e) To lease, rent, sell, exchange, or transfer interests in real property.
(f) To undertake or fund projects and programs implementing this chapter or relating to the northern portion of the Great Redwood Trail.
(g) To provide for the management of the right-of-way and the northern portion of the Great Redwood Trail.
(h) To apply for and accept grants, gifts, donations of money and property, subventions, rents, royalties, or other assistance from public or private sources.
(i) To recruit and coordinate volunteers and experts to conduct interpretive and recreational programs, and to assist with construction projects and the maintenance of facilities.
(j) To enter into contracts and joint powers agreements.
(k) To sue and be sued.
(l) To contract with the State Coastal Conservancy, a state agency, or another organization to staff the agency.
5887.
The agency shall be subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code) and the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code).