Santa Monica Mountains Task Force

While the deadline has passed to submit a letter, the content of this petition, for those not in the know, is one of extreme importance.

As Los Angeles sees more push from developers threatening its fragile ecosystem and wildlife, this ordinance seeks to maintain wildland corridors and passages to ensure not only the protection of flora and fauna, but to help us battle fires and address the impacts of climate change.

Find here the Task Force’s letter of support for the ongoing effort to preserve wildlands and enhance wildland connectivity.

This video from LA This Week explains why Los Angeles needs a Wildlife Ordinance and how important it is for our ecosystem and environmental health.

Oak trees play a critical role in the ecosystem of the Santa Monica Mountains. 5000 species of insects, 150 birds, 105 mammals, 58 reptiles and amphibians, and 5 fish are dependent on oaks for their survival.

Often, following a wildfire or in response to combating climate change, there is a community response to plant trees in order to “do something”. Many areas of the mountains do not support trees, however, and some areas that do now may not in the future. It’s crucial to avoid indiscriminate tree planting in places where planting is not necessary or successful, and to focus restoration efforts in areas where trees can persist into the future.

The LA County Native Tree Priority Planting Plan is a coordinated effort by land managers and ecologists to consider the anticipated effects of climate change, and the recent impacts from the seven-year drought and Woolsey Fire, regarding restoring and expanding native oak and riparian woodlands within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

The plan articulates strategies to maintain biodiversity and resiliency of local trees and woodlands that provide critical habitat and linkage connectivity, as climate change creates significant stressors to their long-term survival.

During the trail crew’s off-season this summer, some of our volunteers spent a morning at Trippet Ranch in Topanga State Park with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, who have been working with CA State Parks to restore 10 acres of oak woodlands that were devastated during the last drought.

“Growing trees that will outlive us gives us a tangible, real action to take in the face of the myriad climate associated problems facing our planet,” said Rosi Dagit, Senior Conservation Biologist for the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains. “Planting them in places where they have a chance to live long lives means taking a thoughtful approach to our restoration efforts, and using the info we have to make the best possible choices so that the trees survive.”

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DEVELOP is a NASA program which partners with organizations like the RCDSMM that are interested in integrating NASA Earth Science observations to inform their environmental decision making. The program addresses environmental and public policy issues through interdisciplinary research projects, building capacity in partner organizations to better prepare them to address the challenges that face our society and future generations around the globe.

Under this program, the Santa Monica Mountains Climate Team at JPL is using data collected by two airborne NASA Earth Observations (satellites) to isolate vegetation and monitor the changes to said vegetation over time.

UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar) senses physical properties, and areas of vegetation are isolated by looking for rough or complex surface returns. AVIRIS (Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer) measures over two hundred spectral bands, making it very sensitive to variations in spectral reflectance between the live and dead vegetation within these areas.

To learn more about how the NASA program informs the Native Tree Priority Planting Plan, watch this video (run time 3:00).

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As we helped water and monitor the hundreds of young coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) trees that were recently planted to mitigate for the loss experienced in the park, Rosi described the project as an “act of hope”, in reference to the fact that none of us will see these young trees reach maturity for ourselves.

At its August 17th, 2022 meeting, the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF) unanimously approved the updated State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations. These regulations retain the identical road standards as in the 2020 regulations that we supported. They include minimum 20 foot wide roads, dead-end roads no longer than 800 feet to 1 mile, as well as many other specifications. The regulations apply to all residential, commercial, and industrial development in both the state responsibility area and in very high fire hazard severity zones in incorporated cities.

The BOF rejected the efforts during the past two years by the Rural County Representatives of California, Sonoma County, and the California Building Industry Association to gut the regulations. This would have encouraged development in dangerous fire-prone areas. This outcome would not have been possible without the participation of concerned individuals, grassroots and environmental organizations and our valued partners.

The BOF, as well as the California Attorney General’s Office, decisively confirmed that the regulations concerning access to a parcel being developed apply to all existing roads. The Exception process must follow strict requirements with material facts to demonstrate the Same Practical Effect as the State Fire Safe Regulations within a development perimeter. For substandard public roads needing improvement to meet the regulations, the public agency must determine whether the agency or the applicant will pay for the upgrade. If no upgrades are made, the development cannot proceed.

Thank you to SAFRR: State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations (our northern/southern CA Alliance) and all who joined the battle to ensure our fire fighters and evacuees will have the safest possible ingress and egress while navigating hillside roads during an emergency.

Many in the Task Force are no doubt familiar with the ongoing clean-up — or lack thereof — over in the area of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, in the Santa Monicas’ neighboring mountains. While Boeing has long since agreed to address the hazardous levels of chemical and radioactive waste still present, they’re using a program of “conservation easement” to skirt the responsibility.

This article was written by one of our occasional trail-crew volunteers, Jaimi Dowdell:

How Boeing created a nature preserve that may also preserve pollution

The National Park Service, California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority have reinitiated preparation of the long-awaited Trail Management Plan (TMP) for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). The public is invited to participate in the planning process.

The TMP will establish the overall vision for future development and management of the SMMNRA trail network. Based on identified desired conditions for park natural, cultural and recreational resources, the TMP will prescribe a comprehensive plan for circulation, access, and allowable trail uses for trails throughout the national recreation area.

Specifically, the plan will:
• Determine which roads and trails should be maintained, removed, and/or enhanced.
• Identify which of the unofficial trails should be removed and which should be made official.
• Determine the types of trail uses (e.g. hiking, biking, and/or equestrian) that are appropriate on each road and trail.
• Identify those roads and trails that lead to damage of the natural and cultural resources of the park, for example a trail that passes through an area of sensitive natural resources, and need to be re-routed and/or reconstructed.
• Identify trail connections necessary to create trail loops and/or connect to trails outside the park.
• Identify opportunities for new trails, where appropriate.
• Identify necessary trail facilities, such as restrooms, parking, and drinking water.

The public review draft of the new Trail Management Plan is close to being released. Sign up here to receive updates about the TMP from California State Parks, including opportunities to submit feedback on the forthcoming plan.

One fun fact, little-known by many Angelenos, is that Los Angeles is the only major city in the world bisected by a mountain range. That would be the Santa Monica Mountains… the raison d’etre of this Task Force. It rises in Griffith Park and Hollywood Bowl in the east, and stretches to Point Mugu Rock on the Pacific Ocean in Ventura County, on the west. These mountains, straddling approximately Mulholland Drive/Highway, separate the San Fernando Valley from the “Westside,” and the Verdugo Mountains and San Gabriel Valley from the heart of the city. Along with other agencies, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, a state agency, is the curator and protector of this asset and legacy.

The crown jewel of the Santa Monica Mountains is the Backbone Trail, running along the spine of the mountains from Will Rogers’ house in Pacific Palisades to Point Mugu, about 67 miles in length. A few years ago, the last sections of this trail in private ownership were conveyed to the County or Conservancy, meaning that today this resource is secure for generations of our posterity. Some years ago, when I was younger and fitter and nimbler than today, I through-ran the entire length of the Backbone Trail in 21 hours. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Most hikers take about a week to complete the trek.

These mountains are constantly under threat from spec-developers seeking to grade, build, and develop in what is now open space wilderness. The mountains, in turn, are subject to jurisdiction by a patchwork quilt of public agencies and political entities. These include the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, National Park Service, California State Parks, Coastal Commission, and other agencies. If your mission is to look out for the mountains, and to seek, protect and enlarge them, that’s a lot of politicians to keep track of.

As you may have noticed from what is filling your mailbox, we’re now in the middle of “Election Season.” The first big primaries are coming up on June 7, with run-offs in November. Like I said, that’s a lot of politicians to keep track of. Those folks will be deciding what development shall be allowed, versus what pristine acreage will be acquired and put up for public use.

The Sierra Club is bureaucratized, and has a “Political Committee” devoted to evaluating and endorsing candidates for national, state and local public office. I’m not on it, thankfully, but two of our members are. It would be improper for me to issue personal endorsements, but I can tell you of some of the key races.

The sprawling, massive City of Los Angeles (population 4 million, second-largest in the country) is divided into 15 districts, each represented by a member of the City Council. By comparison, the state of Wyoming has about half a million people. Three of these 15 districts are highly relevant to the Santa Monica Mountains: 4, 5 and 11.

Mike Bonin, the controversial councilperson for District 11 — including Brentwood and Palisades up to the Valley — is stepping down, and will not run for re-election. That vacuum is being filled by about 8 candidates, each with their own views about development, the environment, building housing for the un-housed potentially in open space, fire danger, and expansion of public wilderness open space. I happen to live in District 11, and have been invited to fundraisers, meet-and-greets, and candidate debates. And I’ve been attending, meeting the candidates and questioning them.

The County of Los Angeles is much bigger than the City. With a population over 10 million, over 4,000 square miles, and with 88 incorporated cities, it’s home to more than one-quarter of all Californians. The County has jurisdiction over a huge section of the Santa Monica Mountains, and is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors, dubbed the “Five Little Kings.” Each of these “kings” commands more governing and financial power ($35 billion total) than the Governors of most states. The race to watch is Supervisorial District 3, which includes most of the mountains. Four candidates are leading: State Senators Henry Stern and Bob Hertzberg, West Hollywood City Councilmember Lindsey Horvath, and small business owner Jeffi Girgenti.

Rob Bonta, California’s Attorney General, is also up for re-election, and is opposed by several candidates. The Attorney General is critical in enforcing environmental protections throughout the state, and represents state agencies like the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, State Parks, and Coastal Commission. All of which are hugely critical to the preservation of our mountains.

Finally, the Mayor’s race for the City of Los Angeles has attracted lots of attention and press. The two leading candidates are billionaire developer Rick Caruso and Congresswoman Karen Bass, representing the 37th congressional district in Washington. Two other candidates, City Attorney Mike Feuer and City Councilman Kevin DeLeon, representing the 14th District, lag far behind. Last week I attended a meeting of community leaders from the Valley and Westside interviewing Karen Bass.

So there’s a lot percolating in the pot right now, and Yours Truly is struggling to stay on top of it all. Regardless — please vote on June 7!

Eric Edmunds, Chair
Santa Monica Mountains Task Force

From the office of Councilmember Paul Koretz, Fifth District.

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March 2, 2022 – LOS ANGELES, CA – Today the Los Angeles City Council voted in favor of a motion that directs the Department of General Services to identify City-owned surplus property in the Santa Monica Mountains Zone and codify that the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) shall have the first right of refusal to acquire such lands for conservation at the City of Los Angeles’s purchase price plus any administrative and management costs incurred by the City.

In 2008-9, LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa initiated the “Own A Piece of LA” program to itemize, account for, and offer undevelopable slivers of City surplus land and/or remnant parcels to adjoining neighbors since they are deemed incapable of independent development and can only be of use to adjoining property owners. However, with advanced engineering innovations in recent decades, development in sensitive ecological areas has increased, resulting in the fragmentation and degradation of essential remaining wildlife habitat connectivity and corridors, particularly in the Santa Monica Mountains Zone, home to the Southern California subpopulation of the Mountain Lion. Local mountain lions are now a “candidate” species under consideration for listing as “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) by the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

“While I have been working with the City Planning Department for the better part of a decade to protect wildlife habitat connectivity in the Santa Monica Mountains, it is imperative that we be certain we are not at the same time inadvertently selling off parcels for development that could obstruct the very linkages we are working so hard to protect,” said Councilmember Paul Koretz. “Thank you to Councilmembers Raman and Blumenfield for continuing to partner with me in our shared commitment to protect our precious wildlife and habitats in our Santa Monica Mountains.”

“Wildlife habitat connectivity is so essential to the survival of the cornerstone species we share our Santa Monica mountains with, and many areas are in serious danger of being blocked if we do not act urgently and consciously,” said Paul Edelman, Deputy Director of Natural Resources and Planning, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and its chief biologist. “Today’s action by the City Council is so important and affirms the State legislature’s 1979 Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Act, but more steps need to be taken sooner rather than later.”

“Our park land is precious and acknowledging the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy’s right of first refusal at the original purchase price for surplus City land underscores our commitment and prevents any confusion,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield. “When critical open space is lost, it’s usually lost forever and the SMMC is the biggest protector of our wildlife corridors, open space, and indigenous plant species in the region.”

“This motion allows the Santa Monica Conservancy to have the right of first refusal when the city disposes of public land in the Santa Monica Mountains. My district contains so much of the beautiful and unique Santa Monica Mountain range, and I am so proud to partner with Councilmember Koretz to ensure that we preserve as much of this land as possible and prevent it from being developed,” said Councilmember Nithya Raman.

“It is essential for our collective long-term health that caution preempts short-term profit when addressing City-owned open space in the Santa Monica Mountains,” said Tony Tucci, co-founder of Citizens for Los Angeles Wildlife (CLAW) who brought this issue to the City Council’s attention. “Today’s City Council vote recognizes that undeveloped City-owned lands of any size in our hillsides let us all “breathe” and that this land has an inherent and immediate value to our environment and a long-term benefit for the wellbeing of both our wildlife and human populations of Los Angeles.”

“Thanks to Councilmembers Koretz, Raman and Blumenfield for ensuring the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has an opportunity to preserve our precious natural resources one surplus lot and sliver of land at a time,” said Wendy-Sue Rosen, Brentwood Alliance of Canyons & Hillsides.

Los Angeles is located in a global biodiversity hotspot called the California Floristic Province, which means that it includes more than 1,500 endemic plant species, that at least 70 percent of the area’s original habitat has been lost, and that the rest is endangered by human activities. Much of the remaining biodiversity within Los Angeles is located in the mountains and hillsides including the Santa Monica Mountains Zone. Plants and animals need these interconnected ecosystems to continue to exist and flourish within this urban context and this biodiversity hotspot is jeopardized by increased development and habitat fragmentation.

The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) has unveiled a new professional sports-themed specialty license plate to provide a sustained revenue source to expand park access.

Revenue generated by the specialty license plates will expand access to parks across the state and improve these parks and open spaces.

The first license plate in the professional-sports series is in partnership with the Los Angeles Rams. CNRA looks forward to speaking with more professional sports teams in 2022 to strike agreements to make more specialty license plates available.

FAQ for California Sports Team-Branded License Plates

Order your LA Rams License Plate

Join the MRCA for a community meeting on Mission Canyon Park updates.

Thursday, February 17th from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm

They will be covering the following topics:
– Mission Canyon Presentation: Changes to the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration
– Public comments

The meeting will be held in English with Spanish translation via Zoom.

Zoom Info
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83435465318
Meeting ID: 834 3546 5318
Passcode: 774553

Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
877 853 5357 US Toll-free
When prompted, enter the Meeting ID

For support CEQA documents, please visit:
www.missioncanyonpark.com

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La Autoridad de Recreación y Conservación de la Montañas (siglas en inglés MRCA) tendrá una reunión comunitaria, para compartir actualizaciones sobre Mission Canyon Park.

El jueves 17 de febrero a las 6:30-7:30 pm

Discutiremos:
– Presentación de Mission Canyon: cambios al studio inicial/declaracion negative de mitigacion
– Comentarios públicos

Zoom sitio, haga clic abajo
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83435465318
Numero ID de la reunion: 834 3546 5318
Passcode: 774553

Marca por teléfono manualmente
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
877 853 5357 US Toll-free
Despues de marcar, entre el numero ID de la reunión.

Para obtener documents de CEQA de soporte, visite:
www.missioncanyonpark.com

Happy New Year! As I write this, it’s raining… I’m delighted to say. This, plus the big rains we had at year’s end, are hopefully a first step to us digging out of our deep hole from drought and climate change. Soon, the Santa Monica Mountains will be greening up, and hikers and trail-runners can enjoy verdant vistas and a new crop of wildflowers.

Recently, those mountains got a big boost in court, as well. Following a hard-fought, one-month trial in Santa Monica Superior Court, attended virtually by several members of the Task Force, the Judge ruled that residents of a small enclave in Malibu called Sycamore Park have no right to bar access by hikers and the public from using their community to access trails in Escondido Canyon Park.

One defendant in the case was the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), a public agency who owns a parcel of land in the enclave. It lies next to an important trailhead leading to Escondido Falls, the largest falls in the Santa Monicas. Not surprisingly, this trail, and trail-system, are very popular. But in 2015, a handful of Sycamore Park homeowners got together and took it upon themselves to put up “No Trespassing” signs and hire a security guard to keep hikers and the public away from Via Escondido Drive. Not content with that, they sued MRCA (itself a holder of property easement rights on Via Escondido) alleging it had no right to invite in the public.

After hearing from dozens of witnesses and examining dozens of old property deeds, the Court disagreed. Famed hiking expert and author John McKinney testified as an expert witness for us. The Court is about to order the residents to remove their signage, including signs misdirecting hikers to a different trailhead a mile west on Pacific Coast Highway. It will likely order that the security guard can no longer keep the public out of Via Escondido.

MRCA was represented as counsel of record in the case by your Chair. This reminds us again that the Sierra Club Santa Monica Mountains Task Force is a trident with three prongs: trail-building and maintenance by our wonderful volunteers; leading of hikes and outings, to familiarize as many as possible with the trails, panoramas, and wonders of the mountains; and finally, activism in the political and legal arenas.

The Sycamore Park case is not over. Now that the court’s 16-page, single-spaced Statement of Decision has been made (as of January 17th), the trial enters Phase Two. MRCA will sue for money damages over the security guard’s wrongful exclusion of its rangers and agency employees, and deprivation of access to its property. After that, there will probably be an appeal.

But for the moment, there is much to celebrate. The last time we had this much joy was two years ago, when the Task Force went to court and single-handedly stopped wealthy U2 guitarist “The Edge” from grading pristine and protected wilderness above the Malibu Pier in order to build five mansions.

It’s a war that never ends, folks. Constantly, we need courage and stomach for battle. Again, Happy New Year to all. And hope to see you at our next Zoom meeting on February 7th!

Eric Edmunds, Chair
Santa Monica Mountains Task Force