Department of Parks and Recreation: Big Basin Redwoods, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks.

Assembly Member Pellerin's proposal to streamline land acquisitions for three California state parks responds to extensive damage from the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Wildfire. The legislation exempts property acquisitions for Big Basin Redwoods, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks from State Public Works Board oversight through January 2031, allowing the Department of Parks and Recreation to directly purchase lands needed for rebuilding and ecological enhancement.

The bill establishes specific requirements for these acquisitions, including fair market value appraisals by licensed professionals and Department of General Services contract approval. Property purchases must be preceded by public meetings at least 30 days before closing, with mandatory notifications to county supervisors and adjacent landowners. The Department must post transaction details online and make documented efforts to contact neighboring property owners displaced by the 2020 fire.

These temporary provisions aim to expedite the relocation of visitor facilities away from sensitive areas while maintaining public transparency in land transfers. The legislation preserves all other applicable regulations governing state property acquisitions, with the streamlined process expiring in 2031. The bill's findings cite the unique circumstances of wildfire recovery and the need to act promptly on priority land purchases to fulfill the Department's vision for rebuilding and connecting these parks.