Recreation and Park Districts Principle Enabling Act
Public Resources Code §5780 et seq.
Public Resources Code - PRC
DIVISION 5. PARKS AND MONUMENTS [5001 - 5877]
( Division 5 added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 94. )
CHAPTER 4. Recreation and Park Districts [5780 - 5796.20]
( Chapter 4 repealed and added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 15, Sec. 4. )
ARTICLE 1. General Provisions [5780 - 5780.9]
( Article 1 added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 15, Sec. 4. )
5780.
(a) This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Recreation and Park District Law.
(b) The Legislature finds and declares that recreation, park, and open-space facilities and services are important to improving and protecting the quality of life for all Californians. The Legislature further finds and declares that the provision of recreation, park, and open-space facilities and services are essential services which are important to the public peace, health, and welfare of California residents. Among the ways in which local communities have provided these facilities and services has been the creation and operation of recreation and park districts. For at least seven decades, state laws have authorized recreation and park districts to provide recreation programs, local parks, and open spaces. Local officials have used this statutory authority to serve the diversity of California’s communities and residents. In enacting this chapter, it is the intent of the Legislature to create and continue a broad statutory authority for a class of special districts that provides community recreation, park, and open-space facilities and recreation services within specified boundaries and under local control. It is also the intent of the Legislature that recreation and park districts cooperate with other public agencies and private organizations to deliver those facilities and services. Further, the Legislature encourages local communities and local officials to adapt the powers and procedures provided by this chapter to meet the diversity of their own local circumstances and responsibilities.
(Repealed and added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 15, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2002.)
GVRD FORMATION
In April of 1944, joint resolutions were passed by the City Council of the City of Vallejo and the Board of Supervisors of the County of Solano calling for the creation of a park and recreation district serving Vallejo Township. In May, the Board of Supervisors held a public hearing and passed a resolution calling for an election to be held, asking residents to ratify the decision to create the Greater Vallejo Recreation District. The election was held on June 6th and on June 14th of 1944, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution certifiying the results - 81% of Vallejo voters had approved - and establishing the Greater Vallejo Recreation District. In 1957 the California Legislature passed the Recreation and Park District Law codifying the role of, resposiblities of, and rules governing Park & Recrecation Special Districts. In 1958 the GVRD Board of Directors passed a resolution stating the district's intent to reorganize to conform to these statues which began the process that ultimately led to official recognition from the California Secretary of State on December 26, 1958 and since that day GVRD has operated according to CA Public Resourses Code Division 5, Chapter 4, as it's been amended over the years.
GVRD's governing body is its Board of Directors, mad up of 5 Directors, three appointed by the Vallejo City Council, two appointed by the Solano County Board of Supervisors to fixed 4-year terms.
Establishing Resolution Accessible PDF
