WCB 5/2012: State wildlife land buys for May 2012...

Over 17,000 acres to be saved for Critters this Month

NOTICE OF MEETING

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

May 31, 2012, 10:00 AM

State Capitol, Room 112, Sacramento, California 95814

preliminary agenda:
http://www.nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=46452

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=54666

SUMMARY:

SISKIYOU COUNTY: 3104 ACRES

HUMBOLDT COUNTY: 8461 ACRES

BUTTE COUNTY: 918 ACRES

FRESNO COUNTY: 11 ACRES

MONTEREY COUNTY: 113 ACRES

RIVERSIDE COUNTY: 1372 ACRES
SOLANO COUNTY: 2910 ACRES

SAN DIEGO COUNTY: 139 ACRES
LOS ANGELES COUNTY: 1030 ACRES

Little Shasta Conservation Easement (Townley) $1,327,900, Siskiyou County

grant to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over 3,104± acres of land for protection of critical winter range for elk and other regional California wildlife and protection of grasslands that sustain working landscapes, located east of the City of Yreka and the town of Montague in Siskiyou County.

Charles Mountain Ranch Conservation Easement, $1,200,000, Phase II Humboldt County

grant to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to acquire a working forest conservation easement over 4,437± acres located eight miles southeast of Bridgeville in Humboldt County

Chalk Mountain phase 2--4024 acre forest conservation easement in Humboldt county---$2 million

Little Chico Creek Oak Woodland Conservation Easement $315,000 Butte County

To consider the allocation for a grant to Northern California Regional Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 239± acres of land to protect and preserve oak woodland habitat located seven miles northeast of Chico in Butte County. WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA-POSTPONED TO 3/2013 MEETING

679 acres in Daugherty Hill wildlife area-expansion 13, in Butte County, $2.7 million
WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA-POSTPONED TO 8/2012 MEETING

San Joaquin River Parkway, $245,000 Camp Pashayan #2, Fresno County

acquisition of 11± acres of land by the San Joaquin River Conservancy for the protection of riparian and oak woodland habitats and provide future public use opportunities, located along the San Joaquin River, just east of State Highway 99 in the City of Fresno, in Fresno County.

Marks Ranch $552,076 Phase II, Monterey County

grant to the Monterey County Parks Department to acquire 113± acres to protect native grasslands, oak woodlands, riparian woodlands and seasonal wetlands that serve as an import wildlife corridor, located west of Salinas, adjacent to the Toro County Park, along Highway 68, in Monterey County.

Santa Margarita River Ecological Reserve, $25,000 Expansion 4, Riverside County

acquisition of 21± acres of land, southwest of the City of Temecula, in Riverside County.

Santa Rosa Mountains (Blixeth 1), $10,000 Expansion 16, Riverside County

acquire 1,342± acres of land for the protection of Peninsular bighorn sheep habitat, and to provide future wildlife oriented public use opportunities.

Upper Mission Creek / Big Morongo Canyon $5,000 Conservation Area, Expansion 5, Riverside County

acquire 9± acres of land for the protection of core habitat linkages, fluvial and aeolian sand transport corridor, alluvial fan habitat, and mountainous habitat important for the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, Peninsular bighorn sheep, and other species addressed in the Coachella Valley Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan and provide future wildlife oriented public use opportunities, located north of the City of Palm Springs in Riverside County.


47 acres in San Diego County-El Cajon
92 acres in San Diego County--Michelson

763 acres in Suisun Marsh in Solano County, $1.5 million
982 acres in Suisun Marsh--Grizzly Ranch in Solano County, $2 million

1165 acres in Rockville Trail Estates in Solano County, $2.8 million


1030 acres in Soledad Canyon in Los Angeles County, Nominn property, $2.48 million

dammit--Tejon ranch resort passes court test...

Crummy Court Ruling for California Condors

It appears that Tejon ranch has won the first big court battle over their plans to build 30,000 homes along the San Andreas fault at the extremely fragile wildlife migration pinchpoint between southern and Central California.

This shows the weakness of our state's main environmental law which requires revelation of impacts but then lets the government choose to ignore them (see story of our battle to save more of the Ballona wetlands where this law failed us: http://ballona-news.blogspot.com/2012/04/some-sad-news-yet-we-count-our.html )

Anyway, this battle for Tejon is far from over. This is because the federal government (headed by that pesky liberal Barack Obama) has yet to approve Tejon's permits to locate 3400 homes right in the middle of endangered species habitat, that of the huge and prehistoric-looking California Condor. The issuance of this permit, called a "take permit", because it would allow Tejon to kill wildlife by bulldozing their homes, has been sitting in limbo despite the issuance of massive reports by the developer three years ago.

In 2011, federal officials reported that the condor is all over and expanding its use of Tejon's dreamed-of mountain resort. So unless Obama caves in to the developers, the victory in state court is just one in a long war.

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=10191&current_edition=2012-04-20

MORE INFO:

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=9873¤t_edition=2012-02-10 
2/10/2012: FWS’ Root said no change has been made to the development footprint of Tejon Mountain Village. Radio telemetry and GPS mapping by the U.S. Geologic Survey confirmed last year that wild California condor are recolonizing the areas on which TRC and partner DMB Associates plan to build over 3,400 Tejon Mountain Village resort homes, condominiums, 700 hotel rooms, two golf courses and a commercial zone.

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2/2/2012 http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/02/tejon_ranch_project_could_affect_27_plants_and_animals.php
 Tejon ranch—changes to alternatives in HCP

http://scvnews.com/?p=25770 http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/59286/

The public will be able to comment on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the Draft Tehachapi Uplands Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan until May 3, 2012

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=9861¤t_edition=2012-01-27

The documents address critical habitat concerns for the endangered California condor, which has been shown with radio telemetry to be repopulating sections of Tejon Ranch which had previously been intended by the developers to be included in the Tejon Mountain Village resort community, hotels and commercial sectors. A draft environmental impact report (DEIR) for the 23,000 home Centennial project is also expected to be issued this year. http://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom/release.cfm?id=77

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/02/03/2012-2294/tehachapi-uplands-multiple-species-habitat-conservation-plan-kern-county-ca

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LAWSUIT STORIES:

http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/california-appeals-court-declines-to-halt-tejon-ranch-development-cultural-resources/

http://tejonranch.com/press-release/appellate-court-upholds-tejon-mountain-village/

http://www.kget.com/mostpopular/story/Massive-Tejon-development-clears-legal-hurdle/6ocAO8LOBEur58KE0rzfbw.cspx

http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Massive-Tejon-development-clears-legal-hurdle/6ocAO8LOBEur58KE0rzfbw.cspx

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x768326129/Court-upholds-study-of-Tejon-development

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FEDS DECLINE TO PROTECT A TEJON LIZARD:

10/7/11 Tehachapi slender salamander denied endangered species protection http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/10/tehachapi-slender-salamander-denied-endangered-species-protection.html On Friday, the service rendered its final conclusion: Batrachoseps stebbinsi does not warrant a spot on the endangered species list. An analysis determined that cattle grazing, road construction, flood control projects, disease, severe wildfires, prolonged drought and construction of Tejon Ranch’s proposed 7,860-acre residential and commercial development, the Tejon Mountain Village project, would not impact the species in the foreseeable future. The salamander resides in two canyons about 13 miles apart and separated by a freeway 60 miles north of Los Angeles.

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http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/52336/

The species consists of two populations, the Tehachapi Mountains population and the Caliente Canyon population, which are separated from each other by dry, rugged, mountainous terrain. The range of the Tehachapi Mountains population is about 13 miles southwest of the Caliente Canyon population on property owned by Tejon Ranch and the California Department of Parks and Recreation at Fort Tejon State Historic Park. The Caliente Canyon population is located at the northeastern end of the Tehachapi Mountains, near the small community of Loraine. …Construction of the Tejon Ranch's proposed 7,860-acre residential and commercial development, the Tejon Mountain Village project, is not expected to be a substantial threat to the Tehachapi Mountains population of the salamander. The project does not overlap with areas where the species has been found or the areas that the Service considers to be occupied by the salamander. …An advance copy of the 12-month finding can be viewed online today at the Federal Register Public Inspection Page: http://go.usa.gov/924 . When the finding publishes in the Federal Register on October 11, it will be available at http://www.fws.gov/ventura or at http://www.regulations.gov. ----------------------------------

SCC 1/2012 to 3/2012: More coastal land purchases....

State Buying 1709 acres on our Coastline

From the agenda of the State's Coastal Conservancy in January and March of 2012

http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2012/1201/index.htm

http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/sccbb/2012/1203/index.htm

PROPERTIES ARE IN SONOMA, LOS ANGELES, HUMBOLDT, AND MARIN COUNTIES

modify deal involving the 495-acre Bordessa Ranch property on the Estero Americano in western Sonoma County. Coastal Conservancy-1/19/2012

$6,250,000 for engineering, hydrologic analyses, geotechnical assessments, and public access design and further authorization to disburse up to $240,000 to the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Foundation for data collection and technical review to support environmental impact analysis and permit applications for the restoration of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve in Los Angeles County. Coastal Conservancy-1/19/2012

$2.92 million to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to purchase 5 contiguous undeveloped lots on Las Tunas Beach, Los Angeles County, for the purpose of providing public access to the coast. Coastal Conservancy 3/29/2012

$223,600 to the Northcoast Regional Land Trust to acquire the 20-acre Freshwater Farms Nursery, Humboldt County for the purposes of protecting and restoring habitat and agricultural lands, and providing public access. Coastal Conservancy-1/19/2012

$1,000,000 for the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements over the 1,194-acre Barboni Ranch in Marin County. Coastal Conservancy 3/29/2012

 Barboni Ranch in Marin County--click on map to enlarge

SMMC-MRCA 2/15/2012 to 4/23/2012

Mountain Park Agency Seeks to Buy another 225 acres of the Topanga Summit to Summit trail---would virtually complete ring of parkland surrounding the iconic canyon on L.A.’s Wild Side

Topanga, Summit-to-Summit/Henry Ridge Motorway Parcel Acquisition to include APNs 2080-013-001, 003, 007 and 008; and 4436-023-002, unincorporated County of Los Angeles. [Map ] [Staff Report]   MRCA 3/14/2012

The Summit to Summit motorway is a wide dirt road with virtually no houses that separates Topanga canyon from the San Fernando Valley. Due to its width, the road is a favorite of mountain bikers.

OTHER ITEMS PULLED FROM THE PARK AGENCY MEETING AGENDAS FOR FEBRUARY TO APRIL OF 2012:

L.A CITY PORTION OF SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS:

comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills Master Plan Final Environmental Impact Report (sch No. 2008111048), Hollywood. [Resolution] [attachment 1] [map 1] [map 2] [map 3] [attachment 2] [attachment 3] [Staff Report] SMMC 2-27-2012

comment letter to the City of Los Angeles on the proposed project at 2775 Cahuenga Boulevard (apn 5549-003-004), Case No. Aa 2012-707-wtm, Mulholland Scenic Corridor, City of Los Angeles. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] [Attachment] [Map] [Map 2] SMMC 4-23-2012

Laurel Canyon and Mulholland Land Acquisition Project grant application. [Resolution] [Map] [Comment Letter] SMMC 4-23-2012

acquisition of conservation easements on portions of APNs 5565-003-036, 037, 039, 040 and 041, Laurel Canyon, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution]   MRCA 3/14/2012

application for grant funds for the Laurel Canyon and Mulholland Acquisition Project, Laurel Canyon, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment]   MRCA 3/14/2012

comment letter to the City of Los Angeles on the San Vicente Communications Tower project, San Vicente Mountain Park, 17500 Mulholland Drive. [attachment 1] [attachment 2] [attachment 3] [attachment 4] [attachment 5] [attachment 6] [Resolution ] [Comment Letter] SMMC 2-27-2012

comment letter to the City of Los Angeles regarding proposed residential development and subdivision on 20367 Delita Drive, Chalk Hills, Woodland Hills. [Resolution] [Map] [Photograph] [Comment Letter] SMMC 4-23-2012

sale of either a slope easement or a temporary construction easement on APN 2166-013-900 and entering into a maintenance agreement for said easement area with the owner of APN 2166-013-014, Woodland Hills. [Staff Report] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Attachment 3] MRCA 2-15-2012

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SIMI HILLS:

comment letter to California Department of Transportation on US 101/Palo Comado Interchange Project Final Draft IS/EA. [Resolution] [attachment 1] [attachment 2] [attachment 3] [attachment 4] [Comment Letter] SMMC 2-27-2012

comment letter to California Department of Transportation and the City of Calabasas on the Lost Hills Road/US-101 Overcrossing Replacement and Interchange Modification Project Initial Study with Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental Assessment. [Resolution] [attachment 1] [attachment 2] [attachment 3] [attachment 4] [Comment Letter] SMMC 2-27-2012

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SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS:

comment letter to the City of Los Angeles on proposed Mount Lukens Communications Tower, 5150 Mount Lukens Road, Tujunga and Verdugo Peak Communications Tower, 1658 Vista Drive, Glendale. [Comment Letter] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Map ] [Resolution] SMMC 4-23-2012

management of the newly acquired Big Tujunga Canyon park property. [Staff Report] SMMC 4-23-2012

Lopez Canyon riparian habitat restoration and creation project, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] SMMC 4-23-2012

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L.A. RIVER:

grant of Proposition 84 funds to the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority for project planning and design of the Pacoima Wash Greenway-El Dorado Park, City of Los Angeles. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [attachment] SMMC 2-27-2012

Albion Dairy Project grant application. [Comment Letter] [Resolution] SMMC 4-23-2012

acceptance of an easement over a portion of APN 5442-031-043 for ingress and egress and utilities, adjacent to Marsh Park, from LA River Lofts, LLC, a California limited liability company. [Staff Report] [Resolution] MRCA 4-4-2012

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BALLONA CREEK:

adopting greenway Project Plan and a Youth Employment Plan for the Ballona Creek to Parks Connection Loop project funded by the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2]   MRCA 3/14/2012

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ASSORTED MALIBU AND WESTERN SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS:

preparation of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area trail management plan and joint eir/eis. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] SMMC 4-23-2012

[Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] MRCA 4-4-2012

Memorandum of Understanding with the Linkage Implementation Alliance (lia) addressing habitat connectivity between the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests and the Santa Monica Mountains. [Resolution] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] [Map] [Staff Report]  SMMC 4-23-2012

Lechuza Beach, acceptance of the following offer to dedicate a lateral access easement: 5-85-533 (Reiker), Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] MRCA 3/14/2012

Lechuza Beach, transfer of an easement to the owners of 31820 Seafield Drive, Malibu on and over approximately 1200 sq. feet of a portion of Lot A, City of Malibu. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] MRCA 3/14/2012 

Carbon Canyon, acceptance of a donation of APN 4453-016-008 and portions of 4453-020-008, totaling approximately 13 acres, unincorporated Malibu area. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map 1] [Map 2] MRCA 3/14/2012 

Las Tunas Beach--acceptance of a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy to acquire APNs 4449-007-013 to and including 017. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map]   MRCA 3/14/2012

[Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map ] MRCA 3/14/2012

YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER…

ExxonMobil Closes Eyes to Big Money Buyout for its Piece of East L.A. County Wildlife and Trail Corridor

from Hills For Everyone, Friends of the Puente Hills Wildlife Corridor
Newsletter No. 26 Spring 2012
http://hillsforeveryone.org

Our effort to preserve the Missing Middle of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor was stalled in late 2011 when Aera Energy and the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) failed to reach agreement on terms for an appraisal. OCTA was in the process of appraising Aera’s land, located north of Brea and south of Rowland Heights. Funding for the appraisal and potential acquisition of the Orange County portion of Aera’s land would have come from Renewed Measure M, Orange County’s transportation sales tax. This funding source already secured important natural lands next to Chino Hills State Park in 2011. These funds are intended to mitigate freeway project impacts.

Aera Energy LLC was formed in June 1997 and is jointly owned by affiliates of Shell and ExxonMobil. The company was seeking special treatment paid for by the taxpayers of Orange County. Claiming, on the one hand to not want to take taxpayer money (apparently forgetting the generous federal oil subsidies), this oil company nevertheless wanted to review the taxpayer funded appraisal even before the OCTA committee members had a chance to review it. Aera also wanted the opportunity to then withdraw from the process if it didn’t like the appraised value. It goes without saying (or maybe it doesn’t) that Aera could always have simply rejected any offer to purchase that OCTA might have made. This may have been an unlucky convergence of gamesmanship and the holidays, but for now Aera is out of the running for Renewed Measure M dollars in this first funding cycle.

This is just the latest failure in a string of missteps by Aera. After having successfully leveled the hills on the western edge of Yorba Linda, Aera submitted its plans for the backdrop of Brea and Rowland Heights over 10 years ago. Since the property lies within a designated Significant Ecological Area (SEA) in Los Angeles County’s General Plan, the 3,600 unit project needed approval by the County’s SEA Technical Advisory Committee. When the committee requested major changes to the plan to better avoid harming the rare and disappearing oak and walnut woodlands, Aera withdrew the project in a huff. Five days before Christmas in late 2006 Aera next took its plan to Diamond Bar hoping to be annexed into that city. Part of the new plan included relocating the County owned Diamond Bar Golf Course next to Aera’s housing project and then freeing the City to develop the golf course property into a mall. When even development friendly Diamond Bar couldn’t stomach the massive bulldozing of the hills, conversations between the City and Aera ended in 2008.

For two years Aera has said it plans to resubmit a project to Los Angeles County. At this point they don’t seem to be making too many friends in either Los Angeles or Orange County with their mixed messages. Since funding is available from other sources, one solution is for Aera to hire its own (state approved) appraiser to conduct a valuation at their own cost. This could smooth the way for a sale.

North L.A.'s Vasquez Rocks park may grow...

County may expand famed movie-location park

excerpted from:
http://scvnews.com/?p=21669

11/19/2011--"Targeted for acquisition in Agua Dulce are 31 acres of land at 32820 Deerglen Lane, east of the current Vasquez Rocks park boundary. Known as the Boyle property, county assessor records show the land is owned by Iving H. Blank and Ronaye Boyle. A 2,625-square-foot, 3-bedroom home built in 1964 sits on the property.
The land would be added to the current park and used for preservation and public nature education...."

The price for the 31 acres is quoted as $679,000. The parcel is shown in orange with an "a" and the label "pink house"--click on the maps to enlarge

For more photos of Vazquez rocks park: https://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/VasquezRocksSanGabrielSierraPelonaMountainsPinchpoint

NOTE: Fort Ord is 28,000 acres. The same size as San Francisco.

Monterey County Politicians reverse course on urbanizing Fort Ord, a closed ex-military base

http://www.landwatch.org/index.html

2/22/2012--Dear Friends:

This past Tuesday, February 14th, the Board of Supervisors did an about face and reversed its decision on the Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) / Whispering Oaks Business Park. LandWatch is thrilled with the outcome. Not only did the Board rescind its decision to re-zone the site, but it also rescinded its approval of the environmental document.

After an approval by the Board in July 2011 to overturn the Planning Commission's unanimous denial of the project, LandWatch took the necessary step to file a lawsuit on the project's environmental documents and support the Fort Ord Rec Users with their successful referendum petition on the site re-zoning. Faced with a successful referendum and a lawsuit, the Board had two options: rescind its original decision or allow voters to decide the project's fate.

A big "thank you" to the numerous volunteers and community leaders who made this effort a success. Now, thousands of oak trees and miles of trails in the former Fort Ord are spared.
Sincerely, Amy White, Executive Director

judge says no to Kern Co. - San Andreas fault new sprawl

Judge Nixes Tejon Pass Sprawl Development Project

Frazier Park Estates Goes Back to the Drawing Board

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2012/bakersfield-tejon-pass-project-02-13-2012.html

After litigation by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, a superior court judge has struck down plans for a large housing development -- including 41 acres of houses and condos -- to be built in the Frazier Mountain area of southern Kern County, Calif. This sensitive, rugged mountainous area is home to highly endangered California condors and other sensitive species, including North America's fastest land animal, the pronghorn. The plan was for an area west of Tejon Ranch's massive Tejon Mountain Village -- another, even more massive project, which threatens a wide array of wildlife. The Center has been fighting Tejon Ranch development for years.


2/13/2012--BAKERSFIELD, Calif.— Plans for a large scale housing development proposed in the Frazier Mountain area of southern Kern County, Calif. were struck down by a superior court judge on Friday, Feb. 10, in a victory for groups fighting for smart growth in the region. The Frazier Park Estates project would have included 41 acres of houses and condominiums on steep and rugged terrain in the rural mountain area near Lebec and the Tejon Pass area of Interstate 5.

Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman of the Kern County Superior Court agreed with TriCounty Watchdogs and the Center for Biological Diversity that Kern County had failed to adequately analyze the project’s water supply; that the project description inconsistently described the project as having anywhere from 188 to 661 residences; and that the county improperly justified deferred mitigation for the project’s impacts. The suit was brought under the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.

“This was the wrong project in the wrong location and never should have been approved by the county,” said Jan de Leeuw, spokesperson of TriCounty Watchdogs, a local environmental and smart-growth organization. “It threatened our very limited groundwater supply and would have radically changed the rural character of the region.”

Twisselman’s ruling voided the environmental impact report prepared by Kern County and will prevent developer Frank Arciero from proceeding with the project until — and only if — a new report that complies with the law is prepared and approved.

“CEQA does not permit the lead agency to approve a large residential project before the full extent of the project’s impact on the environment is fully understood,” said Babak Naficy, attorney for the groups. “The judge found that this EIR failed on three grounds: (1) the description of the size of the project was inconsistent in the EIR and county resolutions, (2) the County had illegally deferred analysis of the project’s impact on water supply and (3) the mitigation of impacts on biological impacts was improper.”

“This is an extremely important habitat area for scores of threatened, endangered, and rare species, including the California condor, so it’s important that any development be carefully thought out,” said Adam Keats, urban wildlands director at the Center. “This is a huge victory for smart planning, especially considering the tremendous pressure from developers this area has been under.”

The proposed project is located west of Tejon Ranch’s massive Tejon Mountain Village project. That project has also been vigorously fought by TriCounty Watchdogs and the Center for Biological Diversity, among others.

Developer Frank Arciero first brought to the county project plans for a development that included more than 700 single family homes and a commercial area in 2003. Negative comments from a variety of community members on the original draft environmental impact report led Kern County Planning Department to pull the report and ask the developer to submit a new one, recommending that no more than 188 residences be built, but the next plan called for 557 residences. Urged on by Supervisor and Chair Ray Watson, the board of supervisors approved the updated plan and changed the zoning to accommodate the larger project.

The TriCounty Watchdogs, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Lebec Water Board, and even the county’s own planning department and commision, as well as many local residents were concerned from the beginning that the development was not well planned, threatened the area’s water supply, and didn’t represent smart growth for rural communities.

SMMC-MRCA 1/23/2012 to 1/25/2012

L.A. Mountain park Development Threats and New park Plans

from the agendas of the boards of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority:

resolution authorizing the Executive Officer to enter into a professional services contract with the law firm of Pircher, Nichols, and Meeks relative to certain interests the Authority may have in respect to the Chevron Whittier Hills acquisition and the proposed disposition of a portion thereof by the city of Whittier. [no attachment] MRCA 1/25/2012

comment letter to City of Los Angeles on Warner Center Regional Core Comprehensive Specific Plan. [Attachment] [Map 1] [Map 2] [Resolution] [Comment Letter] [Attachment 2] SMMC 1/23/2012

comment letter to Southern California Association of Governments on 2012-2035 Draft Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy. [Attachment ] [Map ] [Map 2] [Map 3] [Map 4] [Map 5] [Map 6] [Resolution] [Comment Letter] SMMC 1/23/2012

comment letter to the City of Santa Clarita on the Draft Environmental Impact Report for Mancara at Robinson Ranch Project; sch No. 2006041029. [Resolution] [Attachment ] [Map] [Attachment 2] [Comment Letter] SMMC 1/23/2012

comment letter to Los Angeles County on Notice of Preparation for Wildflower Green Energy Project, Sierra Pelona Range, unincorporated Los Angeles County. [Map 1] [Map 2] [Resolution] [Comment Letter] [Attachment 1] [Attachment 2] SMMC 1/23/2012

grant to the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District in Camarillo for an open space, trail, and greenway planning study. [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Attachment] SMMC 1/23/2012

grant application to the Wildlife Conservation Board and associated documentation for Verdugo Mountains (Mountain Oaks) property, City of Glendale. [Attachment] [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] [Map 2] [Map 3] SMMC 1/23/2012
The proposed application would be for approximate 50 parcels totaling approximately 42.5 acres. This is currently a single ownership with a willing seller interested in a conservation sale.

       

a new preserve in Sonoma county...

Sonoma Land Trust and LandPaths link up to create Bohemia Ecological Preserve
New 554-acre preserve created near Occidental

SANTA ROSA, CALIF., January 31, 2012

FOR FULL STORY: http://www.sonomalandtrust.org/news_room/press_releases/120131.html

Two Sonoma County nonprofit conservation groups, Sonoma Land Trust and LandPaths, announced the creation of a new 554-acre nature preserve on the Bohemia Ranch located between Occidental and Monte Rio near Camp Meeker. The forested land adjacent to the famous Bohemian Grove contains a waterfall, camping potential and fields of rare plants. The new preserve, named the Bohemia Ecological Preserve, was created through the purchase of a conservation easement by Sonoma Land Trust and a pending donation of the restricted land by Ted and Phyllis Swindells to LandPaths, which will manage the property for resource protection and public use.

...Sonoma Land Trust purchased the conservation easement that extinguished the development rights over four parcels of land totaling 554 acres for $1.45 million. Purchase funds were provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The Parish family purchased 352 acres of the ranch and agreed to work with LandPaths to provide trail access across a part of their private land and to cooperate in the management of a shared watershed. The Swindells and the Parishes have pledged to provide $100,000 in seed funds for the management and stewardship of the preserve.

MORE: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/19/BATO1N8KSC.DTL

North of the new preserve is the famed redwood grove which is a private redwood conference center used by rich and well-connected groups. For more stories on this grove, click here: http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search?q=Bohemian+grove