AB 31 Signed by Governor - 10/04/2008

Governor signs AB31 on October 2nd, 2008 Great News!!!   While the country and the State of California reel from financial woes, they are both still operating and important needs like more park space are still being addressed. AB31, which the South Bay Parkland Conservancy has been advocating for 2 years now, was approved by the legislature and signed by Governor Schwarzenegger Thursday, October 2nd, 2008. As part of Proposition 84, a $5.5 billion resource bond passed in 2006, it provides $400 million for new parks in California for 'critically underserved communities.' Guess what, Redondo Beach is a critically underserved community with less than 3.0 acres per thousand residents. This was a key benchmark that I personally educated Kevin de Leon, the bills author, and our local State Assembly member Ted Lieu to consider. This bill originally started with population and density based parameters, and myself and others successfully argued that a ratio of parkland to residents was a much better criteria - and 3 acres per thousand residents was a level that fairly identified what became known as 'critically underserved communities.' Redondo Beach has 2.45 acres per thousand residents and is one of the California communities that will have priority for this funding. This is the type of tedious detail that requires years of engagement with government representatives, their staff, other like-minded organizations, and other agencies to not only get proper legislation written, but to develop relationships with the organizations that will be engaged in the granting process. Our project is on the map, and its in large part due to not only our efforts, but your continued support and encouragement. We could not have done it without YOU! Add another milestone to our goal to buy the AES site for public use. Not another mixed-use project with 'some' park, but ALL park with some commercial uses ONLY IF necessary to sustain it on a long term basis. Thank YOU! Here is the Governor’s signing message: http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/speech/10733/ Here is the bill, AB31  (you may right-click to save pdf document). http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_31_bill_20080930_chaptered.pdf