WCB 2/2012: CA Taxes will save more land next month...

State will save over 5000 acres for wildlife in February land deals

NOTICE OF MEETING--WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
February 23, 2012
http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=41336

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=46216

TOTALS: 2923 acres of full ownership (called "fee" ownership), and 2190 acres of development rights purchased (called "conservation easements")

Arcata Community Forest Expansion (Schmidbauer) $650,000.00
Humboldt County, 22 acres fee


Swiss Ranch Conservation Easement, Expansion 4, $555,000.00
Calaveras County, 468 acre CE


Santa Rosa Mountains, Expansions 14 and 15, $145,000.00
Riverside County, 30 acres fee, cooperative project with Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


Upper Mission Creek / Big Morongo Canyon Conservation Area, Expansions 1—4, $20,000
Riverside County, 235 acres fee


Miller Forest  $1,228,750, 1622 acre Conservation easement, Humboldt County, grant to the Northcoast Regional Land Trust


Noyo River Redwood Conservation Property $4,010,000
Mendocino County, 428 acres fee, grant to the Mendocino Land Trust


Salmon Falls Reserve, Expansion 2, $2,370,000.00
El Dorado County, 605 acres fee, grant to the American River Conservancy

Dos Rios Ranch $5,509,000.00
Stanislaus County, 1603 acres fee
a cooperative project with California Natural Resources Agency, Department of Water Resources, U.S. Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, San Francisco Public Utility Commission, and Tuolumne River Preservation Trust

Huge areas along Nor-Cal's Klamath River were saved in 2011...

State funds Tribal Buyout of Big Humboldt County Forest areas

In the first purchase in what is hoped to eventually total a 47,000 acre addition to the far-northern Californian tribe called the Yuroks, the state's taxpayers paid almost $19 million to buy over 22,000 acres of coastal timberland in 2011 that was owned by one of the state's largest forest owners.

 (click on map to enlarge)

FOR MORE DETAILS:


http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_19655990
April 15 -- New purchase -- The Yurok Tribe and Green Diamond Resource Co. finalized the purchase of 22,237 acres, doubling the tribe's land base.

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_17854771

http://www.yuroktribe.org/documents/phaseIpressrelease.pdf
includes map

http://www.yuroktribe.org/government/selfgovern/YUROK%20TRIBAL%20PARK%20%20final%20lori%20edits%2013106.pdf

http://www.yuroktribe.org/news&issues/news/documents/april_newsletter.pdf
In December, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) voted to authorize financing of $18.75 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for the Yurok Tribe to purchase the land.

http://www.northcoastjournal.com/blogthing/2011/04/14/yurok-tribe-doubles-size/

http://www.westernrivers.org/pages/blueCreek.html

SMMC-MRCA 12/5/2011 to 1/11/2012

L.A. mountain park news...Could a golf course be converted to clean-up urban runoff, rather than be converted into just another housing tract?

From the agendas of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority in December 2011 and January 2012:

VERDUGO MOUNTAINS:

support letter for City of Los Angeles Proposition O application for Verdugo Hills Storm Water Project encompassing the Verdugo Hills Golf Course and Blanchard Creek Flood Control Channel. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] --SMMC 12/5/11

--------------------------
MALIBU--SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS:

comment letter to Los Angeles County on Notice of Consultation for 1809 Tuna Canyon Road, adjacent to Rocky Ledge open space, unincorporated Topanga Canyon. [Comment Letter] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Resolution] --SMMC 12/5/11

comment letter to City of Malibu on Notice of Proposed Project for new single-family residence at 6050 Murphy Way (Coastal Development Permit No. 11-046), between Escondido and Ramirez canyons. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2] --SMMC 12/5/11

Lechuza Beach Public Access Improvements Project, City of Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] [Map ] --SMMC 12/5/11

contract with Penfield & Smith Engineering for the Malibu Road Accessway. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] --MRCA 1/11/12

acceptance of an offer to dedicate a trail easement associated with Coastal Development Permit No. 5-90-327 (Javid) and all subsequent amendments, City of Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] --MRCA 1/11/12

access agreement for groundwater monitoring well replacement on the Conservancy Bluffs property, City of Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] --SMMC 12/5/11

sale of a slope easement on APN 2166-013-900 and the acceptance of conservation easement on APN 2166-013-014, Woodland Hills. [Staff Report] --MRCA 12/14/11
 [Staff Report] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Attachment 4] --MRCA 1/11/12

acceptance of a conservation easement over a portion of APN 2275-025-001 (14545 Mulholland Drive), for wildlife movement purposes, in Sherman Oaks, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] --MRCA 12/14/11

resolution opposing commercial signage within 500 feet of MRCA-managed parkland or visible from the Mulholland Scenic Parkway corridor. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] --MRCA 12/14/11

------------------------------------

SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS--WHITTIER/PUENTE HILLS:

comment letter to the National Park Service on the San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Draft Special Resource Study and Environmental Assessment. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Map] --SMMC 12/5/11

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L.A. RIVER:

grant of Proposition 84 funds to the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation, a non-profit organization, for project planning and design of the Piggyback Yard site, Upper Los Angeles River Watershed. [Staff Report] [Resolution] --SMMC 12/5/11

Los Angeles River and Caballero Creek Confluence Park, Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] --MRCA 1/11/12

-----------------------------------

SANTA CLARITA VALLEY:

acceptance of a donation of four parcels APNs 2813-023-044, 2813-023-045, 2813-023-046, 2813-023-047 totaling 3.96 acres in an unnamed Mint Canyon tributary of the Santa Clara River, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Map] [Staff Report] [Resolution] --MRCA 12/14/11

---------------------------------

ASSORTED:

comment letter to Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning on Preliminary Draft Significant Ecological Area and Hillside Management Area Conditional Use Permit Ordinance. [Staff Report] --SMMC 12/5/11

comment letter to Bureau of Land Management on Draft South Coast Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Map] [Attachment]--SMMC 12/5/11

Topanga state park news...

State releases EIR for Plan for L.A.'s Topanga state park, probably few changes in the works.

 (Eagle rock's caves)

(Santa Inez canyon's waterfalls)

from the newsletter for the L.A.-Santa Monica Mountains chapter of the Calif. Native Plant Society: http://lasmmcnps.org/PDF/TOYON%20Jan-Feb%2012%20Color.pdf

the California Dept. of Parks and Recreation has sent notice of a Draft Environmental Impact Report for the
Proposed Topanga State Park General Plan. The Draft EIR may be viewed at http://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=25956 (see links to 5 sections on right side of this page) and comments are due by Jan. 23, 2012. The General Plan will establish management goals, guidelines, and objectives and will outline a number of zones including a wildlands zone setting aside over 70% of the Park's acreage for minimal development with modest camping opportunities; a cultural preserve to heighten the interpretation and protection of cultural resources; a historic zone including the former Rancho Las Lomas Celestiales (Trippet Ranch); as well as areas for resource management and recreational and interpretive programs. Comments should be directed to: Luke Serna, Park & Recreation Specialist, 8885 Rio San Diego Dr., Suite 270, San Diego, CA 92108 or by email to enviro@parks.ca.gov

Some maps from thier website:

Miscellaneous Planning Documents

DRAFT Managment Zone Map
DRAFT Topanga Planning Matrix
DRAFT Resource based Trail/Camping Map*
DRAFT Visitor-use based Trail/Camping Map*

FOR MORE OF MY MAPS AND PICTURES OF TOPANGA STATE PARK:
https://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/TopangaStateParkWaterfallsTrippettRanchEagleAndSkullRocks

More industry or parks along the L.A. River?

Pivotal Decision for Rio de Los Angeles State Park Nears

by Justin Cram

http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/landofsunshine/la-river/contending-the-future-of-the-rio-de-los-angeles-state-park.html
on December 30, 2011 1:27 PM

The long term vision for Rio de Los Angeles State Park hangs in the balance as a key decision by a real estate developer comes to a head this New Year's Eve.

Formerly known as Taylor Yards, a freight-switching facility from the 1920s until 1985, the nearly 200-acre property has been highly sought after by public space and environmental advocates for revitalization due to its proximity to the Los Angeles River. 40 acres were acquired by the city (see map label D below), establishing a multi-functional park in 2007 providing soccer, baseball, and softball fields, as well as a walking loop. The park serves the Cypress Park and Glassell Park communities and is a primary example of the collaborative efforts of organizations to revitalize the Los Angeles River.





Map of the land parcels in the area formerly known as Taylor Yards

Trammell Crow Company, a Texas-based real estate developer, has the option until December 31st to purchase a 44-acre parcel (see map label G-2) of river front property that could link the state park directly to the Los Angeles River. Many of the original advocacy groups--The City Project, Friends of the Los Angeles River, and The River Project--involved with securing the first 40 acres of the property have joined together in urging the company to drop its purchase option and are urging the public to help by signing their online petition.