Consent 1.
Regular Board of Supervisors Meeting
Board of Supervisors
- Meeting Date:
- 09/11/2012
- Title:
- Adopt Resolution to delegate authority to the DCA to respond to routine land use plans
- Submitted By:
- Gussie Motter, Board of Supervisors
- Department:
- Board of Supervisors
Presentation:
No A/V Presentation
Recommendation:
Document Signatures:
# of ORIGINALS
Submitted for Signature:
Submitted for Signature:
NAME
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
N/A
TITLE
of PRESENTER:
of PRESENTER:
N/A
Mandated Function?:
Source of Mandate
or Basis for Support?:
or Basis for Support?:
Information
Agenda Item Text:
Adopt Resolution 12-75 delegating authority to the Deputy County Administrator to respond to routine federal and state land use plans and policies.
Background:
Various federal and state agencies regularly provide notification regarding land use plans and policies proposed in the County, and provide opportunity for the County to communicate concerns or comments. In an effort to create an advisory commission on matters related to federal and state lands within Cochise County, the Board of Supervisors (“Board”) established the Cochise County Public Lands Advisory Committee (“PLAC”) in 2007. Since its inception, the PLAC has been tasked to review proposed plans and policies related to federal and state land management, as well as following threatened or endangered species listing proposals and actions within Cochise County.
Upon receipt of proposed state and federal plans and policies, staff and the PLAC reviews the proposal(s), and staff drafts response which is reviewed by the PLAC. If the PLAC approves the written response to a proposed federal or state land use plan or policy, said response is routed to the Board for approval. If there is a need for additional discussion, the PLAC formally addresses the matter at their regular monthly meetings. If the PLAC wishes to revise the response, changes are made, and the PLAC reviews again. If approved, the response is forwarded to the Board for consideration. Upon Board approval, official written responses are signed by the Chair and forwarded to interested and relevant agencies and parties.
However, federal and state agencies oftentimes provide only a brief period for interested and potentially affected parties to submit comments regarding proposed plans and policies. As such, the current protocol described above may result in delays which can be problematic in ensuring that official County responses to federal and state agencies falls within established comment timeframes.
Occasionally, however, proposed land use plans and policies from federal and state agencies are relatively routine, and thus do not necessarily require careful consideration and formal action by the Board. By delegating signatory authority to the Deputy County Administrator for such proposals (e.g., the county’s recent response to the Forest Service’s Invasive Species Plant Control Program or perhaps a proposal to construct an interpretive station/parking/picnic area in a National Monument), time would be saved by not requiring formal action by the Board for responses to routine proposed land use plans or policies. If this authority is granted, proposed federal and state plans and policies would continue to be scrutinized by staff, the PLAC and the Board; significant or controversial plans and policies would be referred to the Board for action, with a more efficient protocol for County responses to federal and state agencies for routine matters. The Deputy County Administrator, in consultation with the County Administrator and the Board Chair, would be responsible for determining which matters should be referred to the Board.
Upon receipt of proposed state and federal plans and policies, staff and the PLAC reviews the proposal(s), and staff drafts response which is reviewed by the PLAC. If the PLAC approves the written response to a proposed federal or state land use plan or policy, said response is routed to the Board for approval. If there is a need for additional discussion, the PLAC formally addresses the matter at their regular monthly meetings. If the PLAC wishes to revise the response, changes are made, and the PLAC reviews again. If approved, the response is forwarded to the Board for consideration. Upon Board approval, official written responses are signed by the Chair and forwarded to interested and relevant agencies and parties.
However, federal and state agencies oftentimes provide only a brief period for interested and potentially affected parties to submit comments regarding proposed plans and policies. As such, the current protocol described above may result in delays which can be problematic in ensuring that official County responses to federal and state agencies falls within established comment timeframes.
Occasionally, however, proposed land use plans and policies from federal and state agencies are relatively routine, and thus do not necessarily require careful consideration and formal action by the Board. By delegating signatory authority to the Deputy County Administrator for such proposals (e.g., the county’s recent response to the Forest Service’s Invasive Species Plant Control Program or perhaps a proposal to construct an interpretive station/parking/picnic area in a National Monument), time would be saved by not requiring formal action by the Board for responses to routine proposed land use plans or policies. If this authority is granted, proposed federal and state plans and policies would continue to be scrutinized by staff, the PLAC and the Board; significant or controversial plans and policies would be referred to the Board for action, with a more efficient protocol for County responses to federal and state agencies for routine matters. The Deputy County Administrator, in consultation with the County Administrator and the Board Chair, would be responsible for determining which matters should be referred to the Board.
Department's Next Steps (if approved):
N/A
Impact of NOT Approving/Alternatives:
All official written responses to proposed federal and state plans and policies would have to go to the Board of Supervisors for formal action.
To BOS Staff: Document Disposition/Follow-Up:
Please return a copy of the recorded Resolution to Community Development, attn: Michael Turisk.