SMMC-MRCA 3/28/2011 to 6/1/2011

Land Preservation and Development Deals in the L. A. and Ventura County Mountains, March to June 2011

(Taken from the agendas for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the MRCA)

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CalTrans Provides Funds to Save North End of Simi Hills, between Rocky Peak Park and Sage Ranch park

FOR MORE INFO: FROM THE MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a Caltrans Contribution Agreement, District Agreement No. 07-4903, to receive mitigation funds from the State Route 118 and Rocky Peak Road on and off-ramp project, Santa Susana Mountains, City of Simi Valley. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

Photos of this area are posted here: https://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/SageRanchSimiHills962009#5378565824937880978

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SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS:

SMMC 3/28/11-- comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008111048), City of Los Angeles. [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3] [Map 4] [Map 5] [Map 6] [Map 7] [Resolution] [Comment Letter]

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County on Notice of Consultation for 2701 April Road project adjacent to Malibu Creek State Park, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Map] [Resolution] [Comment Letter] [Map 2]

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Forest Lawn Memorial Park – Hollywood Hills Master Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008111048), City of Los Angeles. [Resolution] [Attachment] [Staff Report]

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County on Final Environmental Impact Report for the Pepperdine Campus Life Project (sch No. 2008041123), watersheds of Marie/Winter/Middle canyons, unincorporated Malibu area. [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Attachment 5] [Comment Letter]

SMMC 4/25/11-- “The Edge (U2)’s housing tract--concerning public benefits program associated with Coastal Development Permit application numbers 4-10-040, 4-10-041, 4-10-42, 4-10-043, 4-10-44, and 4-10-045 (formerly application numbers 4-07-067, 4-07-068, 4-07-146, 4-07-147, 4-07-148 and 4-08-043) and authorize entering into an agreement to secure such public benefits, Sweetwater Mesa, unincorporated Malibu area. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4]

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to the City of Calabasas on the Notice of Preparation for the proposed 77-acre Messenger Development located at 4790 Las Virgenes Road, Malibu Canyon watershed. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

SMMC 5/23/11-- transfer of jurisdiction and control from State Coastal Conservancy of APN 4458-009-900, 24038 Malibu Road, City of Malibu. [Map] [Staff Report]

SMMC 5/23/11-- add two potential Coastal Slope Trail – Sweetwater to Tuna Canyon Park parcels (apns 4453-016-004 and 006) in Carbon Canyon to the Conservancy Workprogram, Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 4/6/11-- acceptance of conservation easement, approximately 0.3 acres, over portion of APN 5565-011-011, on Horse Shoe Canyon Road, Laurel Canyon, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

MRCA 4/6/11-- acceptance of conservation easement, approximately 0.2 acres, over portion of APN 2428-006-042, on Oak Point Drive in the Cahuenga Pass area, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3]

MRCA 4/6/11-- amending Resolution No. 10-106 and authorizing acquisition of APNs 5576-009-055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063 AND 064, Hollywood Knolls, South of Lake Hollywood. Negotiators: Joseph T. Edmiston and Daniel Fitzgerald. Under consideration: price and terms. (This item may be heard in closed session pursuant to Section 54956.8 of the Government Code.) [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acceptance of the offers to dedicate trail easements associated with Coastal Development Permit Nos. 5-89-133 (Stiepel), 5-89-1149 (Thorne), 5-87-983 (Forge), 5-89-260 (Norman), 5-90-106 (Niemier), 5-89-124 (Ashley), 5-89-123 (Ashley), incorporated and unincorporated Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Map 2]

MRCA 5/4/11-- “The Edge” project-- public benefits program associated with Coastal Development Permit application numbers 4-10-040, 4-10-041, 4-10-042, 4-10-043, 4-10-044, and 4-10-045 (formerly application numbers 4-07-067, 4-07-068, 4-07-146, 4-07-147, 4-07-148 and 4-08-043) and authorize entering into an agreement to secure such public benefits, Sweetwater Mesa, unincorporated Malibu area. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3]

MRCA 6/1/2011-- authorizing acceptance of the offers to dedicate scenic easements and/or open space easements associated with Coastal Development Permit Nos. 5-90-265 (Nesse), 5-89-743 (Segal), 5-90-106 (Niemier), 5-88-938 (Ohanian/Bennett), 5-90-327 (Javid), 5-89-960-A (McCallister), 5-90-246 (Bolton), incorporated and unincorporated Malibu. [Map] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

MRCA 6/1/2011-- accepting the assignment of the right to apply for 1992 per parcel funds (8.b.1) from the City of Los Angeles, and approving the filing of an application for designated Proposition A funds for the acquisition of APNs 5576-009-055, 056, 057, 058, 059, 060, 061, 062, 063, and 064, known as the La Rocha Acquisition Project, and entering into a Project Agreement with the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District to acquire said properties. Hollywood Dell area, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2]

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VERDUGO MOUNTAINS:

SMMC 3/28/11-- acceptance of donation of fee title on and over Canyon Oaks development open space, Verdugo Mountains, City of Los Angeles. [Map] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

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VENTURA COUNTY:

SMMC 4/25/11-- comment letters to City of Simi Valley regarding Ready Project, 890 and 900 West Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley. [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Resolution]

SMMC 4/25/11-- 300 room hotel--- comment letter on the Draft Specific Plan for the Hummingbird Nest Ranch, City of Simi Valley. [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Comment Letter]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a Caltrans Contribution Agreement, District Agreement No. 07-4903, to receive mitigation funds from the State Route 118 and Rocky Peak Road on and off-ramp project, Santa Susana Mountains, City of Simi Valley. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acceptance of multiple conservation easements totaling approximately 11 acres from the (Cal Lutheran) University Village project over APN 521-0-031-140 and acceptance of processing funds, Thousand Oaks. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Map 2]

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SANTA CLARITA VALLEY:

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission on Mission Village Project (sch No. 2005051143), Newhall Ranch. [Staff Report]

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to City of Santa Clarita Planning Commission on One Valley One Vision General Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008071133), Santa Clarita. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attach 1] [Attach 2] [Attach 3]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a contract with Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority for pre-acquisition services directly related to the acquisition of parcels in the Upper Santa Clara River watershed and San Gabriel Mountains. [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Map 2] [Staff Report]

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SANTA SUSANA MOUNTAINS:

SMMC 5/23/11-- advance of funds to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority from CF-0907 for Browns Canyon restoration project, unincorporated Chatsworth. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing the acceptance of a donation of a portion of APN 2826-026-005 and potentially portions of APNs 2826-026-006 and 014 located west of Interstate 5 in the Newhall Pass, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acquisition of APN 2816-031-001 totaling 9.3 acres using in lieu mitigation fees, Santa Susana Mountains, Devil Canyon, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

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HIGH DESERT—LA COUNTY:

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a management agreement and contract with Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority for property management of approximately 187 acres bordering Elizabeth Lake Road, from the Joshua Ranch project, City of Palmdale. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]

MRCA 4/6/11-- authorizing entering into a management agreement and contract with Desert and Mountain Conservation Authority for administration, acquisition expenses, initial site preparation, and property management services for a 480-acre property, from the AV Solar Ranch One project, located between Highway 138 and California State Parks Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, unincorporated Antelope Valley. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Map 2]

MRCA 4/6/11-- requesting transfer and acceptance of Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy properties located north of the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor Zone in Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Attachment 2] [Map]

SMMC 4/25/11-- transfer of apns 3059-004-900, 3059-005-900, 3079-004-900, 3091-018-900, 3091-018-901, 3236-006-901, 3236-007-903, and 3318-002-900 located north of the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor zone to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Map] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3] [Map 4] [Map 5] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

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ASSORTED:

SMMC 4/25/11-- grant of Proposition 84 funds to the City of Los Angeles for a natural area within the boundaries of Cesar Chavez Recreation Complex in the San Fernando Valley. [Attachment] [Map] [Attachment 2] [Staff Report] [Resolution]

SMMC 5/23/11-- comment letter to Los Angeles County on the Draft 2035 General Plan. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Attachment 5] [Attachment 6]

SMMC 5/23/11-- grant of Proposition 84 funds for Green Solutions Phase III, Project Planning and Design, Upper LA River Watershed. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3]

MRCA 5/4/11-- authorizing acceptance of donation of approximately 1.09 acres of natural land, APN 2569-022-054, between La Crescenta and Tujunga, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]
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SCC 3/2011 to 5/2011: Coastal Land buys by the State this spring

Our taxes funded purchase of 2970 acres this spring on our coastline

From the agendas of the State's Coastal Conservancy:

http://scc.ca.gov/2011/05/06/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-may-19th-2011/

http://scc.ca.gov/2011/03/04/coastal-conservancy-public-meeting-march-17-2011/

3/17/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $706,000 to the City of Laguna Beach, Orange County, for acquisition of the 7.8-acre Domanskis property adjacent to the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park for open space, public access, and habitat preservation.

3/17/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $240,000 to Save the Redwoods League to complete the acquisition of a 500 acre property commonly known as the “Raiche-McCrory Property” and add it to the Area of Critical Ecological Concern managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management within the area known as “The Cedars” in western Sonoma County.

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5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $1,445,000 to the City of Santee to acquire 105 acres and design a trail on the Walker Property along the San Diego River, San Diego County, for the purpose of protecting and restoring habitat and providing compatible public access.

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5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $3,000,000, including $500,000 of funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to The Trust for Public Land for acquisition of the 63-acre Ocean Meadows property in Devereux Slough, Santa Barbara County.

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $3,100,000 to the Solano Land Trust toward acquisition of approximately 1,500 acres of the Rockville Trails Estates property, and preparation of a property management plan.

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5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $1,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District for the acquisition of approximately 540 acres of the 955-acre Owen property in order to expand the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Alameda County.

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5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $750,000 to LandPaths to acquire a remainder interest in the 120-acre Ranchero Mark West property in Sonoma County for the protection of natural resources, public access, and education.

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to acquire the 97-acre Silva property for addition to the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve near the town of La Honda in unincorporated San Mateo County.

5/19/2011--Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $315,000 to the Northcoast Regional Land Trust to acquire an approximately 36 acre parcel at the confluence of Martin Slough and Swain Slough in the Elk River watershed in Humboldt County to facilitate the future restoration and enhancement of wetlands, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat on a portion of the property, and the preservation and enhancement of coastal agriculture on the remaining area.

WCB 2/2011 to 6/2011

Big Purchases of Land and Development Rights at Important Calif. Wildlife Linkages coming up in June

Includes outright purchase of 2342 acres and purchase of “conservation easements” on another 25,173 acres

http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2011/06/page/7/

HIGHLIGHTS:

Mono County—108 acres
Santa Cruz—8.5 acres
Fresno--.15 acres
Palm Springs—70 acres
Western Riverside co—715 acres
San Diego--250 acres
Lassen Foothills—8455 acres
Sierra Crest—2683 acres
Mendocino co—Willits—8544 acres
Sonoma co—4046 acres
Contra Costa co—1159 acres
Half Moon Bay/San Mateo co—140 acres
San Luis Obispo—1337 acres

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NOTICE OF MEETING--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD--June 2, 2011

FOR FULL AGENDA:

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=29798

FOR MAPS OF ALL PURCHASES: https://goo.gl/photos/4sCAiQdbBKFFu3si9

Wheeler Ridge Wildlife Area, $550,000 Expansion 3, Mono County
--grant to Eastern Sierra Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 108± acres located south of the town of Mammoth Lakes and north of the town of Bishop in Mono County.

Santa Cruz Long-Toed Salamander, $60,000 Larkin Valley Santa Cruz County
--acquisition in fee of 8.5± acres at the northwest corner of Larkin Valley Road and Metiver's Way in Santa Cruz County.

San Joaquin Fish Hatchery (Hovannisian Property) $28,500 Fresno County
-- acquire a fee title to 0.15± acres of land for future public access to the San Joaquin River Parkway and the San Joaquin Fish Hatchery.

Thousand Palms Conservation Area (Gabison) $705,000 Riverside County
-- acquiring 70± acres of land located west of the City of Thousand Palms

Western Riverside County MSHCP (2006), $1,704,650 Expansions 6—9 --to acquire four properties totaling 715± acres. .

San Diego County MSCP/HCPLA 2009 (Gibson) $885,000 -- to acquire in fee 250± acres located south of Interstate 8 and northwest of Harbison Canyon Road in San Diego County.

Lassen Foothills, Expansion 6 (Gaumer Ranch) $2,545,000 Tehama County
-- a grant to The Nature Conservancy to acquire a conservation easement over 8,455± acres of land for protection of deer and mountain lion habitat, and native oak woodlands, located within the Deer Creek watershed in southeast Tehama County and approximately six miles east of Highway 99.

Sierra Crest Conservation Easement, Phase III $2,420,000 Sierra County
-- a grant to the Truckee Donner Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,683± acres located approximately 16 miles northwest of the town of Truckee, in close proximity to Webber Lake, in Sierra County.

Eel River Peninsula $8,559,000 Mendocino County
-- a grant to Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over 8,544± acres of threatened and endangered species habitat, deer range habitat, oak woodlands and old growth forests, wildlife corridors, riparian areas and to provide future wildlife oriented public use opportunities, located east of the town of Willits in Mendocino County.

Baxter Ranch $2,360,242 Sonoma County
--to acquire a conservation easement over 4,046± acres within the Coastal Range, in close proximity to the Lake Sonoma Recreational Area, 10 miles west of the City of Cloverdale, in Sonoma County.

San Joaquin Multi-Species Conservation Plan $1,847,966 (Thomas) Contra Costa County
-- to acquire 1,159± acres in the Diablo range within the City of Pittsburg east of the town of Clayton.

Pillar Point Bluff Complex $3,010,000 San Mateo County
--to acquire in fee 140± acres along the Pacific Ocean immediately to the west of the Half Moon Bay Airport near the town of Half Moon Bay.

Nick Ranch Conservation Easement $2,375,000 San Luis Obispo County
--a grant to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to acquire a conservation easement over 1,337± acres of land for the protection of rangeland, grazing land and grassland areas, located approximately 20 miles east of the City of San Luis Obispo, near the small rural community of Pozo, within the Salinas River watershed and next to the federally designated Machesna Mountain Wilderness and the Los Padres National Forest, within San Luis Obispo County.

Gualala River--discussion of 14,000 acre conservation easement purchase; approved at 9/2011 meeting

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2/2011: WHAT’S BEING SAVED:

Siskiyou County—5929 acre conservation easement at Little Shasta River

Humboldt County---2903 acre conservation easement at Charles Mountain Ranch in southeast Humboldt county

Mendocino County

—13,913 acre conservation easement at Gualala River

--45,576 acre conservation easement at the Usal Forest

--disburse up to $3,000,000 to Save-the-Redwoods League to acquire approximately 957 acres known as the Shady Dell Creek Tract, as part of the 50,635-acre Usal Redwood Forest Conservation Project in northern Mendocino County. http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/1101bb/20110120Board05_Shady_Dell_Creek_Acquisition.pdf

(NOTE: the Usal forest was purchased from the Hawthorne Timber Company in 2007 by the Redwood Forests Foundation in order to preserve it as a sustainably logged forest. The funds from the State will help pay off the loans which were used to buy the land.)

--disburse up to $2,500,000 to The Conservation Fund to acquire the approximately 464-acre Smith Tract portion of the Ten Mile Ranch, located adjacent to the Ten Mile River, Mendocino County.

http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/1101bb/20110120Board06_Ten_Mile_River_Acquisition.pdf

Yuba County—833 acre conservation easement in the Yuba Highlands

Contra Costa County—798 acres—Barron property south of Pittsburg

Ventura County:

disburse up to $500,000 to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy to acquire and prepare a stewardship plan for 70 acres of the Hollingsworth Ranch property along the Ventura River in unincorporated Ventura County.

http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/1101bb/20110120Board11_Hollingsworth_Ranch.pdf

Los Angeles County

118 acres at Cold Creek in Malibu

151 acres in Claremont

8 acres in Rubio Canyon in Altadena

Riverside County

92 acre conservation easement at Mystic Lake (Ramona)

40 acres at Big Morongo canyon

71 acres near Hemet, Western Riverside exp 5

San Diego County

132 acres in Potrero

89 acres in East Elliot and Otay Mesa

1081 acres at Jacumba Peak

278 acre conservation easement in Mendenhall Valley—Palomar Mountain

385 acres in San Felipe Valley north of Julian

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To read the full agendas,

Wildlife Conservation Board, February 24, 2011
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=31265&inline=1

FOR MAPS OF WCB PURCHASES: https://goo.gl/photos/9akMd2P2oLy1mTzV8