Sustainable communities.

(1) The Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006, an initiative measure approved by the voters at the November 7, 2006, statewide general election, makes about $5,400,000,000 in bond funds available for safe drinking water, water quality and supply, flood control, natural resource protection, and park improvements. Existing law establishes the Strategic Growth Council and appropriated $500,000 from the funding provided by the initiative to the Natural Resources Agency to support the council and its activities. The council is required to manage and award grants and loans to a council of governments, metropolitan planning organization, regional transportation planning agency, city, county, or joint powers authority for the purpose of developing, adopting, and implementing a regional plan or other planning instrument to support the planning and development of sustainable communities. This bill would make a local agency formation commission eligible for the award of financial assistance for those planning purposes. (2) Existing law, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act, specifies the factors that a local agency formation commission is required to consider in the review of a proposal for a change of organization or reorganization, including a regional transportation plan, as specified, and its consistency with city or county general and specific plans. This bill would additionally require the regional transportation plan factor to include the effect development in the area is likely to have on meeting the region's greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets established by the State Air Resources Board in adopted and future plans. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.