Council to Set City's Legislative Priorities

At its first meeting of the year, the Lake Forest City Council plans to spell out the city's approach to legislation in 2012.

The council is scheduled to vote on its legislative platform—a document meant to provide city staff with policy guidelines concerning Lake Forest's stance on ongoing issues.

If staff feels it is "necessary ... to respond to a legislative proposal in a timeframe that does not allow the City Council to take formal action," the 11-point list would guide that response, according to a staff report.

"Under this circumstance, staff would express positions on bills that are consistent with the policy guidelines contained in the [legislative platform]," the report says. "Staff would subsequently present the subject legislation to the City Council at its next meeting."

The draft document, identical to that adopted in 2011, emphasizes the city's interest in maintaining local control.

The adoption of such a platform by the city's governing body is a regular occurrence at the beginning of a new year.

Lake Forest City Council meets 7 p.m. Tuesday in . At the meeting, , will take up their respective leadership positions.

Below are the guidelines that will come before the council at its first meeting of 2012:

1. The City supports legislation that leads to greater financial independence from federal, state and/or county government, and protects local resources from seizure by federal, state and/or county agencies.

2. The City supports legislation maintaining maximum local flexibility in all areas of its responsibility and operations.

3. The City supports legislation that advocates fair and proportionate representation on countywide and regional boards.

4. The City will take into consideration the strategic goals adopted by the League of California Cities.

5. The City opposes legislation that makes the city more dependent on federal, state and/or county government of agencies for policy direction.

6. The City opposes any legislation that is inconsistent with the doctrine of home rule, interferes with the local exercise of police powers over local land use, or requires a federal, state and/or county entity to develop model planning practices and policies.

7. The City opposes measures that diminish the current authority or financing capability of redevelopment agencies.

8. The City opposes legislation that imposes intrusive, unnecessary or unfunded state-imposed mandates or preempts local authority.

9. The City opposes legislation that seeks to impede the construction of the Foothill-South, the proposed extension of the 241 Toll Road south to the I-5 near San Clemente, and Portola Parkway.

10. The City supports efforts to amend the current occupancy calculation in the Uniform Housing Code (UHC) to achieve a more reasonable standard, thereby improving the health, safety and residential character of our community.

11. Staff is authorized to continue to advocate a position for a bill which has been amended into a new bill number as long as the language and intent remain substantially unchanged.