SMMC-MRCA 10/5/2011 to 11/9/2011

State may add 40 acres to Topanga State Park

plus

Big Wind Energy Plans up near California Poppy Preserve

Baldwin Hills connector trail plans revealed

And more, From the recent agendas of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority:

L.A. CITY PORTION OF SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS:

acceptance of conservation easements over portions of 1400 Linda Flora Drive (APNs 4377-002-036 and 037), Bel Air, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Attachment] MRCA 10/5/2011

Bundy Canyon--grant of mitigation funds (I-405 Sepulveda Pass Widening Project, Corps No. SPL-2008-464-PHT) from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for a riparian habitat restoration and creation project in the Bundy Canyon or Ballona Creek watershed. [Staff Report] [Attachment] MRCA 11/9/2011

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

MALIBU:

acquisition of 42.83 acres in the Topanga Canyon watershed. [Staff Report] [Map] MRCA 11/9/2011

(above: Eagle Rock in Topanga State Park)

scenic easements and/or open space easements associated with Coastal Development Permit Nos.

5-89-025 (Andrews), Cold canyon

5-90-199 (Morgan Trust), Latigo canyon

5-90-514 (Petrusis), Latigo canyon

5-90-680 (Ross), Latigo canyon

5-88-639 (Cappello), Cold canyon

5-90-1000 (Pankow), Old Topanga canyon, Cold Canyon

5-90-1130 (Shamonki), Topanga canyon

5-90-991 (Revere), Old Topanga canyon

5-90-690 (Miel), Latigo canyon

5-88-501 (Bay), Topanga canyon

5-90-327 (Javid Development), Corral canyon, Topanga lookout

5-89-993 (Azar), Latigo canyon

5-90-566 (Berger), Old Topanga canyon

4-92-189 (Dore) and

5-91-588 (Wallis), Old Topanga canyon, Topanga canyon

incorporated and unincorporated Malibu. [Staff Report] [Map 1] [Map 2] MRCA 10/5/2011

Lechuza Beach Public Access Improvements Project, City of Malibu. [Staff Report] [Attachment ] [Map] MRCA 10/5/2011
[Staff Report] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Map] SMMC 10/24/2011 (MEETING CANCELLED)

trail easements associated with Coastal Development Permit Nos.
5-90-1094 (Amezquita--Trancas canyon) and
5-91-829 (Johnson--Topanga canyon),
incorporated and unincorporated Malibu. [Staff Report] [Attachment] [Map] MRCA 11/9/2011

comment letter to City of Malibu on Trancas Highlands Water System and Utility Improvements, and Two New Single Family Residences on Anacapa View Drive, Initial Study No. 07-005, Mitigated Negative Declaration No. 07-005, and Coastal Development Permit Nos. 06-051 and 07-121, Trancas Canyon and Steep Hill Canyon watersheds, City of Malibu. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] [Map] SMMC 10/24/2011 (MEETING CANCELLED)

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

BALLONA WETLANDS--BALDWIN HILLS:

CEQA phase of the Park to Playa project.Ballona Wetlands to Baldwin Hills [Staff Report] [Map]MRCA 11/9/2011

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

PALMDALE--SANTA CLARITA VALLEY:

sale of cellular tower and communication easements at Ritter Ranch, Palmdale. (This item may be heard in closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.1(a). Negotiators: Joseph T. Edmiston and American Tower Corporation. Under Negotiation: price and terms.) [Staff Report] MRCA 11/9/2011

comment letter to Los Angeles County on the Notice of Preparation for the proposed Blue Sky Wind Energy Project in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Attachment] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Map 3] [Map 4] [Map 5] [Resolution] [Map 6] [Comment Letter] SMMC 10/24/2011 (MEETING CANCELLED)

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

SIMI HILLS:

sale of cellular tower and communication easements at Sage Ranch, Simi Valley. (This item may be heard in closed session pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.1(a). Negotiators: Joseph T. Edmiston and American Tower Corporation. Under Negotiation: price and terms.) [Staff Report] MRCA 11/9/2011

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

EAST L.A. HILLS:

comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan Draft Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2009031002). [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Comment Letter] SMMC 10/24/2011 (MEETING CANCELLED)

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

VENTURA COUNTY:

comment letter to the California Public Utilities Commission on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Presidential Substation Project in the Tierra Rejada Valley, sch 2009021059. [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Resolution] [Attachment 3] [Comment Letter] SMMC 10/24/2011 (MEETING CANCELLED)

Close ties revealed between oil regulators and those who would wreck L.A.'s planned Baldwin Hills urban mega-park

Oil v Parks in L.A.

3/15/2010--LOS ANGELES (AP) — This sprawling metropolis is built atop one of the richest oil basins in the world. Wells dot the city landscape, some hidden behind hollow building facades much like a Hollywood movie set, or,  in the case of Beverly Hills High School, encased in a tower painted with flowers.

For decades it had been assumed that one oil field, the historic Inglewood, just minutes from the downtown skyline, would eventually play out, that the nodding pumpjacks would give way to an elaborately planned, two square-mile park.

But in 2004 Houston-based Plains Exploration & Production Co., which had acquired the drilling rights from Chevron, used new technology to discover that only 35 percent of the reserves had been pumped out and began to drill the first of what would eventually become 600 new wells over the next 20 years. This renewed push for oil was helped along by county and state regulators who determined that the additional
wells didn't require any environmental review.

One state engineer charged with granting new permits apparently saw himself as more of a cheerleader for Plains than an impartial regulator, according to e-mails acquired by the Associated Press and an investigation by the state auditor. Not only did he own stock in the company whose wells he was approving, he solicited donations from the oil companies he regulated for his wife's nonprofit.

"Just keep up the good work," state regulator Floyd Leeson wrote to a high-ranking Plains' official in March, 2005, "and I will TRY to keep (my boss) from hitting you guys with any more retarded fines … Remember, I'm on YOUR side … go PXP!"...

for full story:

http://www.cityprojectca.org/blog/archives/3750

New Park Has 360 Degree View of L.A.

-
The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook has opened to the public!

Finally opening up the western half of the Baldwin Hills park project which sits on lands entirely surrounded by the concrete of Los Angeles, the State Parks department has completed a hilltop visitor's center which is open to the public (as long as there are funds to staff it!). The park is a work in progress, and so far, about 1/3rd of the land of the total planned area of the park has been acquired by the government from the oil companies which have operated there for many years.

The grand opening was April 18th, 2009--Here are photos, maps, planting lists and more...

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/BaldwinHillsScenicOverlookGrandOpening#

L.A.'s Baldwin Hills Could be 2/3rds Saved Soon

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

Negotiations for Huge addition to Baldwin Hills State Park are Underway; If Bought By Regional Conservation Authority, 2/3rds of Planned Park would be Public-Owned

(Please click on map to enlarge)

The dark green area in the map on the left shows a 296-acre oil field that may be acquired soon by the Baldwin Hills Regional Conservation Authority. Not much info is available except that the Authority discussed the sale at its June 28, 2007 meeting. The sagebrush covered parcel would extend the State park so that the public would have hiking trails with views of both downtown L.A. and the Pacific Ocean. For more information, see http://smmc.ca.gov/BHRCA.html or http://www.bhc.ca.gov/