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SCAG’s MAIN OFFICE 818 West 7th Street, 12th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017 l www.scag.ca.gov COUNTY REGIONAL OFFICES Imperial l Orange l Riverside l San Bernardino l Ventura

MARCH

8-12th National League of Cities Congressional City Conference

13th RHNA & Housing Element Reform Subcommittee Meeting

18th Legislative/Communications & Membership Committee Meeting

APRIL

3rd Regional Council & Policy Committee Meetings

8-11th California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO) Annual Conference

15th Legislative/Communications & Membership Committee Meeting

22-25th NAFTANEXT Summit26-30th American Planning Association National

Planning Conference

Legislation and Policy Affecting Our Region March 2014

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOvERNMENTS

S C A G S P O T L I G H T

RC ReportHighlights from the Regional Council Meeting

INFORMATION – PANEL URGES COLLABORATION TO EASE DROUGHT EMERGENCY

SCAG convened a panel of water experts for today’s joint meeting of the Regional Council (RC) and policy committees who warned that without a sustained, collaborative commitment at the local, regional and state level, the region’s projected growth over the next 25 years will worsen the

region’s water resource challenges. “We need the kind of immediate legislative action that we’re seeing right now. More important, we need long-term strategies to ensure reliable and safe local, regional and state water supplies,” said SCAG President Greg Pettis. SCAG is seeking ways to forge comprehensive solutions to help ensure a stable water supply as it works with local agencies to develop land-use and transportation plans to create more sustainable communities. Learn more at http://bit.ly/1jWFxp8.

ACTION – RC RELEASES SCAG’S DRAFT 2014-15 BUDGET FOR PUBLIC REvIEwThe RC approved the release of SCAG’s proposed $46.8 million FY 2014-15 budget for a 30-day public review and comment period. The proposed budget includes funding for the Sustainability Planning Grant Program, implementing the Southern California Job Growth and Economic Recovery Strategy, developing the 2015 Federal Transportation Improvement Program, continuing outreach and public involvement efforts to implement 2012 RTP/SCS strategies, enhancing SCAG’s GIS Services Program to better serve cities and counties, and expanding the Regional Planning & Policy Student Intern Program. View the proposed budget at http://bit.ly/1ovc5H0.

ACTION – NOMINATIONS FOR 2014–15 SCAG OFFICERSThe RC approved the nominations for the 2014-15 Officer positions submitted by the Nominating Committee. Nominees are Hon. Carl Morehouse of Ventura as President, Hon. Cheryl Viegas-Walker of El Centro as 1st VP, and Hon. Michele Martinez of Santa Ana as 2nd VP. Their names will be forwarded to the General Assembly in May for ratification, after which they will assume their new posts.

From the Executive DirectorAdditional News for the Month

SCAG DELEGATION vISITS BARSTOw, NEEDLES AND BLYTHEA delegation from SCAG including President Greg Pettis, Hon. Carl Morehouse, Hon. Cheryl Viegas-Walker, Hon. Pam O’Connor and Hon. Jim Hyatt toured the cities of Barstow, Needles and Blythe in the far eastern portion of the SCAG region. While in Needles, Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor and Needles Mayor Edward Paget posed for a photographer as they showed off their ‘most west’ and ‘most east’ cities along Southern California’s portion of Route 66. The historic route, also known as the Mother Road, stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica. The trip underscored the vastness and diversity of the region we represent. SUSTAINABILITY AwARDS PROGRAMSCAG has a long and proud tradition of recognizing projects from member cities and agencies that demonstrate excellence in integrated land use, transportation and environmental planning. That tradition continues this year – with one change – the name of the awards program. The recognition program formerly known as the Compass Blueprint Awards is now the “SCAG Sustainability Awards.” The new name better conveys the overall goals and benefits outlined in SCAG’s landmark 2012 – 2035 RTP/SCS that the entire region had a role in developing and is now working to implement through outstanding planning projects. Please encourage your local jurisdictions to submit their best planning projects for consideration.

The SCAG Sustainability Awards represent the highest achievement in planning by local jurisdictions and agencies in the region, offer a prestigious platform to showcase some of the best planning work occurring in the country and will be presented as part of SCAG’s Regional Conference & General Assembly, May 1 – 2.

Visit www.scag.ca.gov for more information and to download the nomination packet. The application deadline is 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 21. If you have questions, please contact Christopher Tzeng at tzeng@scag.ca.gov or 213-236-1913.

Southern California’s Water Future Forum, Joint Meeting panelists (left to right) James Famiglietti, Ph.D., Director, Center for Hydrologic Modeling, UCI; Mark Grey, Ph.D., Director of Environmental Affairs, BIASC; David W. Pedersen, General Manager, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District; Brandon Goshi, Manager of Water Policy and Strategy, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, William Croyle, Drought Manager, California Department of Water Resources and Moderator Richard Atwater, Executive Director, Southern California Water Committee

Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Connor and Needles Mayor Ed Paget point to their respective cities along historic Route 66.

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2014 Regional ConferenceGeneral Assembly

SOUTHERN CAL I FORNIA ASSOC IAT ION OF GOVERNMENTS

&Highways to High-Tech: Innovative Mobility Strategies for Southern California

Renaissance Esmeralda Indian Wells Resort & Spa Indian Wells, CA 92210 l www.scag.ca.gov/ga2014

May 1-2, 2014

Hon. Cheryl Viegas-Walker Hon. Michele MartinezHon. Carl Morehouse

www.scag.ca.govStay Connected

Hon. Greg Pettis