Vintage

Orange County Cities Working Together

Stay Connected with the Orange County Division:


Email:  

 

Premier Division Sponsor

 

To view city information, use the following links

Division Events
The Orange County Division hosts regular meetings that bring leaders from the public and private sector to discuss issues facing local government.  Below is a listing of recent and upcoming events.

Upcoming Division Events

The Orange County Division
Annual Installation of Officers Ceremony and Reception
is set for September 9, 2010!

 
Please note: For Elected Officials, City Managers and Sponsors only.
Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for information on attendance and sponsorship opportunities.
 
 
 
 
 Annual Conference Logo
 

Annual Conference
Orange County Division Luncheon


Friday, September 17, 2010
12:30 pm to 1:30 pm

 
 Room 31C, Upper Level
San Diego Convention Center
111 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
 
Members $45
Non-members $59
 
Join fellow Orange County Division
members to commemorate a year of
successes, recognize our volunteers and
give your input on League Resolutions.
(Vote following luncheon) 
 
 
 
 

The Orange County Division, League of California Cities Presents:


Cal Green

On January 1, 2011, CALGreen will go into effect. The OC Division is partnering with the City of Costa Mesa to provide a review of this mandatory measure and how cities can prepare.

Join us for an event for City Planning Directors, Public Works Directors, Planning Commissioners, and Elected Officials

Featuring:

Lynn Jacobs
Director, California Department of Housing & Community Development

Doug Hensel
Assistant Deputy Director, California Department of Housing & Community Development

Thursday, September 30, 2010
9am to noon
Costa Mesa City Council Chambers
77 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Register Now!

 
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries: Can Cities "Just Say No"?

As the number of medical marijuana dispensaries has nearly tripled across California in the last two years, cities in Orange County and beyond are grappling with how to contain and -- if possible -- eliminate these operations on ground ranging from land use authority to public safety concerns. 

The Orange County Division devoted its July 8 Division Meeting to this topic, and an exploration of the legal and public safety considerations surrounding the issue.

The evening's panel featured discussion with Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens, Lieutenant Adam Powell of the Sheriff's Special Investigations Bureau, Senior Deputy Counsel Nicole Sims of the County of Orange, Orange County Deputy District Attorney Jeff Shunk and attorneys Jeff Dunn (Best, Best & Krieger) and Patrick Munoz (Rutan & Tucker). 

Munoz outlined perhaps the strongest case for cities looking to keep dispensaries away from their borders, “The Bottom line is, selling marijuana is illegal.”  Munoz added that local land use continues to be at the discretion of cities, and that this remains the strongest legal grounds for denying dispensaries. 
Still, with the proliferation of mobile delivery services, and the reality that “grow houses” and the violence associated with smuggling and production of marijuana knows no boundaries, all panelists agreed that collaborative approaches are necessary to truly address the impacts of medical marijuana.
Jeff Shunk stressed that a regional or countywide approach is needed to address these long term concerns. 

Addressing the potential “legalization” of marijuana on the November State Ballot with Proposition 20, Sheriff Hutchens voiced concerns that this would only serve to create additional “grey areas” given marijuana is still an illegal substance under federal law.   Hutchens also stressed that laws do carry weight in society, and that banning harmful substances under the law remains among our strongest tools to combating their impacts.

For cities looking to address medical marijuana dispensaries, panelists urged their legal counsel to review California Government Code 37100, stating simply that “The legislative body may pass ordinances not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of the State or the United States.”  This was the subject of a recent law review article on the closure of medical marijuana dispensaries in California and is the basis for cities to “Just Say No.” 

See a photo gallery for this event here.  Read also a story on the dismissal of a suit challenging Dana Point’s closure of a dispensary in this week’s OC Register.

 
2010 City Infrastructure Conference
On Thursday, May 20 the Orange County Division, in partnership with AAE, Inc presented the first annual City Infrastructure Summit at the Westin Hotel in Costa Mesa.

Themed “Visioning Today, Building Tomorrow,” the day-long event featured presentations from elected officials, infrastructure professionals and other public and private sector experts. “This event is a first-of-its-kind conference designed exclusively to support city leaders as they plan and build the future of their cities and for better and stronger communities,” said Division Executive Director Lacy Kelly.  

Opening comments were delivered by Division President Jerry Amante, followed by Blake Anderson, Co-Chair of the 2010 Infrastructure Report Card Committee, who discussed the key findings of that publication in a presentation on “Where Are We Now and Where Do We Need to Go?”  Anderson also showed a video synopsizing the Report Card and featuring footage from the April roll-out event hosted by the Orange County Leadership Symposium.  The clip is available on the Division website.  
Read more...
 
Division Presents "Understanding the Benefits and Challenges to California’s Public Pension System"

In California, the average amount that cities, counties and schools pay for pension benefits, as a percentage of their payroll, has more than doubled to 26 percent from 12.4 percent in 2001, according to the Public Employee Post Employment Benefits Commission.

In one high profile example, overall public safety expenditures accounted for more than 70 percent of Vallejo's budget at the time of its bankruptcy. The Division’s November 12 Division Meeting centered on this complex and often volatile topic with panel discussion on “Understanding the Benefits and Challenges to California’s Public Pension System.”  

Read more...
 
Division Discusses the Use of 'Twitter' in Public Safety

On October 8, the Division’s monthly Division meeting tackled the social media phenomenon, with a particular emphasis on how online tools life Twitter and Facebook can assist public safety workers in keeping their residents safe, informed and engaged.

OCTA’s Ted Nguyen was on hand before the event to show attendees the ropes on Twitter, and highlight its applications for elected officials and public agencies.  During the evening’s panel discussion, Division Members and guests hear from Ryan Burris of the Orange County Sherriff’s Department, Lieutenant John Hare of the City of Irvine Police Department, Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion of the Orange County Fire Authority and John Miller of the U.S. Forest Service.  

See the Photo Gallery of this event here.

Read more...
 
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>

Page 1 of 3