Chapter 6. Inland Parks And Recreation Areas of California Harbors And Navigation Code >> Division 8. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 6.

The board of supervisors may manage the business of the district and promote the commercial interest of the harbor by advertisement of its advantages and by the solicitation of business within or without the district, in other states, or in foreign countries, through employees or agencies as are expedient, and it may organize, promote, conduct, and advertise programs of community recreation and the advantages of the district's park and recreational facilities. Nothing in this section authorizes revenues derived from tide and submerged lands granted in trust by the state to a district, or from lands acquired with those trust revenues, to be used by the district for any purpose other than for proper trust purposes on the granted lands, or for the acquisition, improvement, and maintenance of property adjacent to the granted lands when the property is necessary to further the purposes of the trust grant.

The term "inland parks and recreation areas," as used in this chapter, includes, but is not limited to, open-space land, as defined by the provisions of subdivision (b) of Section 65560 of the Government Code, except that such term shall not include open-space land, as defined in paragraph (2) of such subdivision. The provisions of Section 5900.4 shall not apply to the acquisition of forest lands, rangeland, or agricultural lands when the acquisition is for the purpose of establishing hiking, bicycling, or equestrian trails or where the lands are being acquired for their scenic or aesthetic values.

The board of supervisors of any harbor improvement district organized and existing pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 5800) may authorize the district to acquire, develop, operate, and maintain inland parks and recreation areas pursuant to this chapter.

If the district is authorized to acquire, develop, operate, and maintain inland parks and recreation areas, the board of supervisors shall, by resolution, adopt a new name for the district which will reflect its new duties and responsibilities.

If the district is authorized to acquire, develop, operate, and maintain inland parks and recreation areas, at least 75 percent of its annual expenditures shall be devoted to that purpose until such time as the total expenditure of district and county funds for land, structures, and improvements which is used for inland park and recreation purposes shall have equaled the total expenditure of district and county funds for land, structures, and improvements which is used for beach and harbor purposes. Thereafter, the district shall devote at least 50 percent of its annual expenditures averaged over each five-year period for inland park and recreation purposes.

For the purpose of determining the annual expenditures required by Section 5952, only such expenditures for land, structures, and improvements as are raised by local taxation within the district shall be included and the district shall be both charged and credited with the expenditures for land, structures, and improvements made by the county in which the district is located, both for beach and harbor purposes and for inland park and recreational purposes. Within 90 days after the effective date of this section, the auditor-controller of the county in which the district is located shall report to the board of supervisors the moneys raised by local taxation for land, structures, and improvements by the district and by the county for beach and harbor purposes and inland park and recreational purposes. The future annual expenditures, at the ratio set forth in Section 5952, shall be for those expenditures paid from funds raised by the levy of taxes by the district.

In acquiring, developing, operating, or maintaining inland parks and recreaton areas, the district shall follow and comply with, as nearly as possible, the procedures provided in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 5940) of this part in regard to the acquisition, improvement, or maintenance of lands for public beaches.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 5940 to 5954, inclusive, the district may acquire, develop, operate, or maintain public beaches or inland parks and recreation areas without holding the hearings and making the findings required by such provisions if there is compliance with Section 21151 of the Public Resources Code and Section 65402 of the Government Code; provided, however, that the board of supervisors shall hold at least one public hearing prior to the approval of any such project. Harbor improvement district funds may be expended prior to the public hearing for the purpose of obtaining compliance with Section 21151 of the Public Resources Code and Section 65402 of the Government Code.

The district may purchase, collect, trade, exchange, or otherwise acquire exhibition or study material necessary or proper for the use of museums or exhibits maintained by the district, and may sell, lend, or exchange the material, according to the established custom of museums.