In administering the program, the conservancy shall, consistent with the purposes of this chapter, do all of the following:
(a) Create an advisory group to offer advice, expertise, support, or service to the conservancy, without compensation. The advisory group may be comprised of members of the environmental community, local government, local agencies, and public and private representatives, who are all involved in projects consistent with the goals of this program pursuant to Section 31173.
(b) Prepare a Santa Ana River Parkway and Open Space Plan that shall, at minimum, do all of the following:
(1) Determine the policies and priorities for conserving the Santa Ana River and its watershed.
(2) Identify underused, existing public open spaces and recommend ways to provide better public use and enjoyment in those areas.
(3) Identify and prioritize additional low-impact recreational and open-space needs, including additional or upgraded facilities and parks that may be necessary or desirable.
(c) Give priority to river-related projects that create expanded opportunities for recreation, greening, aesthetic improvement, and wildlife habitat along the corridor of the river and in parts of the river channel that can be improved without infringing on water quality, water supply, and necessary flood control.
(d) Implement the program in conformance with all related general and specific plans and zoning regulations of local agencies within the Santa Ana River region.
(e) Provide for program lands and facilities to be operated and maintained in accordance with the purposes of this chapter.
(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 562, Sec. 1. (SB 1390) Effective January 1, 2015.)