"A lead agency is required to recirculate an EIR when significant new information is added to the EIR after public notice is given of the availability of the draft EIR for public review under Section 15087 but before certification.
As used in this section, the term "information" can include changes in the project or environmental setting as well as additional data or other information.
New information added to an EIR is not "significant" unless the EIR is changed in a way that deprives the public of a meaningful opportunity to comment upon a substantial adverse environmental effect of the project or a feasible way to mitigate or avoid such an effect (including a feasible project alternative) that the project's proponents have declined to implement."
Grab your clubs, a couple of friends, and head on over to the VHGC for 9 or 18 holes of golf, or make a little time for some practice on the driving range. The VHGC is open evenings.
Visit Play VHGC! for basic information about the course, including prices, phone number and even an indepth review of the course.
AB 212 & the Verdugo Hills Golf Course
"This was a truly bad bill, in every sense of the word."
Los Angeles Daily News Editorial, June 9, 2008
A 2008 state zoning ordinance bill tailored to benefit MWH Development, could have provided the developer the zoning changes necessary for the proposed 229 unit housing development.
The Los Angeles City Council, led by Councilmember Wendy Greuel, opposed the bill, which was eventually pulled by its sponsor, State Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes.
Read on for information about how this bill evolved and how it was stopped.
Check out Eric Noland's article, "Storm Water Project Could Save Golf Course", available for viewing on the magazine site [pg.9]. Or in pdf format at SaveTheGolfCourse.Org.
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to V.O.I.C.E. on behalf of efforts to save the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. You can donate online via Pay Pal. Just click the "Donate' button.
Or you can mail your tax-deductible donation to: V.O.I.C.E., P.O. Box 273, Montrose, CA 91021
Special thanks to V.O.I.C.E. for providing webspace for the Save the Golf Course effort.
Saving the Verdugo Hills Golf Course property is one of V.O.I.C.E.'s current projects.
During the next two weeks City Councilman Richard Alacon's motion to designate the Tuna Canyon Detention Station a Historic-Cultural Monument will return to the Planning & Land Use Management Committee [PLUM] and to the Los Angeles City Council for final determination. The public is welcome to attend.
PLANNING & LAND USE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 at 2:00PM
Board of Public Works Edward R. Roybal Hearing Room 350 Los Angeles City Hall 200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Committee Members: Ed Reyes, Jose Huizar, Mitch Englander
LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL
Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.
John Ferraro Council Chamber, Room 340 Los Angeles City Hall
200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
If you plan to attend either of the meetings, please let us know as soon as possible. Carpooling is encouraged!! When you RSVP, please indicate which meeting you plan to attend; whether you will be carpooling; and, if so, indicate if you will be the driver or a passenger.
Email:
Let the city know whether or not you favor designating Tuna Canyon Detention Station as one of the city's Historic-Cultural Monument. In a few words let them know why you think this is important.
Sign the petition:
Ask LA City Planning and Land Use Management Committee and the LA City Council: "Grant historical/cultural landmark status to the former site of Tujunga Canyon Detention Station". Visit Change.org to sign the petition.
Share this email:
Let your friends and family know about the efforts to preserve the history of Tuna Canyon Detention Station. The history of Tuna Canyon Detention Station was erased lost decades ago. With no physical remains and no efforts to preserve its history, the site became 'out of sight / out of mind'. A historical vacuum. It's time to correct that.
Visit Little Landers Historical Society's "Tuna Canyon Detention Station" Facebook page, which provides a gathering place for all things related to Tuna Canyon Detention Station, including photos, articles, video clips, and suggestions on how people can help preserve the lessons of this very painful period of our nation's history. Tuna Canyon Detention Station is history. A painful history that must be preserved so that we learn from our mistakes.
There have been questions raised about the motives of community members and others, suggesting that recognition for Tuna Canyon Detention Station is an effort to stop a proposed housing development. The historic designation does not apply to the golf course. The motion specifically identifies the Tuna Canyon Detention Station.
Approval of Councilman Richard Alarcon's motion to recognize the historic significance of Tuna Canyon Detention Station would not prevent redevelopment of the property. Councilman Alarcon's motion is about acknowledging history and preserving its lessons.
History neglected, is history lost.
L.A. Cultural Heritage Commission Denies Historic-Cultural Monument status for Tuna Canyon
On Thursday, April 18, 2013, the Cultural Heritage Commission voted 4-0 against granting Historic-Cultural Monument status to Tuna Canyon Detention Station, which was located in the foothills of Tujunga, CA., December 1941 until October 1943.
The motion for HCM status was introduced by L.A. City Councilmember Richard Alarcon in October 2012. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Eric Garcetti. After the city council voted 14-0 in favor of the motion, City Planning was authorized to complete an application and present it to the Cultural Heritage Commission.
Over forty people attended the hearing, the majority in favor of recognizing Tuna Canyon Detention Station. During public comments Haru
CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS ALARCON MOTION INITIATING CONSIDERATION OF THE SITE OF THE FORMER TUNA CANYON DETENTION STATION AS A HISTORIC-CULTURAL MONUMENT
For Immediate Release, February 12, 2013
(Los Angeles, CA) - Today, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously supported a motion by Councilmember Richard Alarcon directing the Planning Department to prepare a Historic-Cultural Monument application, for review and consideration by the Cultural Heritage Commission, for the Tuna Canyon Detention Site, which is located in the area of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. It also instructs the Cultural Heritage Commission to support a report, after reviewing the application, to the Council regarding the inclusion of the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Site in the City's list of Historic-Cultural Monuments. Read on
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER RICHARD ALARCON FOR CHAMPIONING THIS CAUSE. WE ALSO THANK COUNCILMEMBERS PAUL KREKORIAN & TOM LABONGE, FOR SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MOTION 12-1625.
We really appreciate the council's unanimous support for the motion and for this recognition of the Tuna Canyon Detention Station. This is an important first step in the process: Authorizing the application to move forward.
What is 'Recirculation' and WHY is it important to the VHGC?
The California Environmental Quality Act [CEQA] requires that a lead agency, in this case the City of Los Angeles, must 'recirculate' an EIR when significant new information is added to the Environmental Impact Report after the public has concluded its public comments on the original document. Note: Public comment for the VHGC EIR ended in August 2009.
The purpose of recirculation is to make sure the public is not deprived of the opportunity to comment upon significant changes/additions to the EIR.
The city is not recirculating TRAFFIC. The foothill communities contend that TRAFFIC is a section that must be recirculated. Traffic studies conducted in 2008-2009 are out of date. In addition the activation of 210 Freeway onramp timers was not vetted in the original EIR and must be considered now because of its impact on surface streets, in addition to freeway traffic.
While we await the release of the recirculated portions you can view public responses to the original document. We thank the STNC for making this available online.
MORE TO FOLLOW!
Preservation Efforts: Councilman Richard Alarcon focuses on environmental and historic concerns
Actor and director George Takei was born in Los Angeles. In a segment of his interview with the Archives of American Television, Takei talks about his memories of World War II as a Japanese-American. Takei's 2012 Broadway production of 'Allegiance: A New American Musical' explores this shameful chapter of American history.
Takei's words, in his interview as well as his production of 'Allegiance', emphasize the importance of never forgetting what happened post-December 7, 1941.
On October 29, 2012 Los Angeles City Councilmember Richard Alarcon met with community members voicing his support for preservation of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course as well as the importance of saving the historical record of the Tuna Dentention Center.
Alarcon has introduced a motion to the Los Angeles City Council calling for the Verdugo Hills Golf Course be placed on the city's list of historic monuments to preserve for future generations the significance of the Tuna Detention Center.
Lloyd Hitt, former president of the Little Landers Historical Society, described the impact of the assault on Pearl Harbor and the United State's retaliation and incarceraton of Japanese, German, and Italian heritage, many of whom were American citizens. The majority of detainees at Tuna Detention Center were Japanese or Japanese-Americans. John Newcombe's documentary "Rancho La Canada" includes a segment about the local detention and incarceration of Japanese, German and Italian during World War II.
A scene from John Newcombe's documentary "Rancho La Canada" depicting the incarceration of Japanese at what is now the Verdugo Hills Golf Course.
At Councilmember Alarcon's request Ken Berstein, manager of the Los Angeles Office of Historic Resources, spoke at the meeting detailing the process for historic designation. Berstein said the site has "tremendous historical significance," however that does not automatically qualify the site. A series of criteria must be met and that will be addressed during the evaluation process.
October 10, 2012 Community Meeting Recirculation &
How You Can Help the VHGC
It was standing room only at the October 10th Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council [STNC] Meeting, which focused on the City of Los Angeles' plan to recirculate some parts of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course Environmental Impact Report [EIR]. This is the first we have heard about the DEIR since the public comment period concluded in August 2009.
Below are the handouts that were distributed on October 10. They provide detailed information for VHGC supporters, enabling you to contact your elected officials as well as the City of Los Angeles City Planning Department.
Once the recirculated documents are made public,time will be critical. we will only have 45 days in which to review the material and submit comments.
If you disagree or find fault with the recirculated EIR it is essential that you notify city planning using the contact information found in the above flyers.
In addition, talk to your friends, neighbors and family members about the proposed 224 unit housing development and the risk of losing the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. Spread the word any way you can.
On Wednesday, April 18th, Mark Gold, Chair of the Citizens Oversight Administrative Committee [COAC] thanked the Bureau of Sanitation and its Watershed Protection Division for developing the Verdugo Hills Storm Water project, praising their efforts.
City Councilmembers Paul Krekorian and Richard Alarcon attended the meeting and spoke eloquently about the significance of the storm water project and its recreational and water quality benefits. Krekorian and Alarcon also acknowledged the strong community support for the project and the dedicated efforts of so many to preserve the Verdugo Hills Golf Course and expand its use. Your voices are being heard.
Since last year, when Krekorian recommended the VHGC for Prop O consideration, the COAC has begun setting aside potential surpluses for a contingency fund, thereby assuring all current projects will have the funds necessary to be completed. Gold indicated that as current projects reach completion, committee members would have more definitive numbers to consider for new projects.
Gold, former president of Heal the Bay, emphasized the critical need for water projects such as the VHSWP and the funding needed to implement such projects. He referred several times to a clean water bond measure that is being considered by L.A. County, perhaps as early as November 2012. There was also discussion regarding state water bonds and the dearth of water projects designated for Southern California.
The good news is Gold said that the Verdugo Hills Storm Water Project meets the necessary criteria for Prop O funding. The COAC was unable to vote on Wednesday as they lacked a quorum. However, based on Gold’s comments it appears that an eventual vote will simply be a formality. Then it comes down to availability of funding.
One of the most important exchanges of the meeting was a discussion between Paul Krekorian and COAC Chair, Mark Gold.
You can view the transcript which Krekorian's office released.
First off, we will be arranging a public presentation of the Verdugo Hills Storm Water Project to showcase the beauty and practicality of the plan. It’s important for the foothill communities to see first-hand what the Verdugo Hills Golf Course could become.
Next, we will heed Mark Gold’s advice and scour funding sources at the state and federal levels, as well as non-profit entities. We expect our elected representatives to do the same. We ask all supporters of the VHGC to join us in this effort of search out additional funding.
Finally, if the Final Environmental Impact Report [FEIR] is released and does not adequately address the significant negative environmental impacts we detailed in our Draft EIR public comments, we will challenge its conclusions.
We thank the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation and their Watershed Protection Team for developing the Verdugo Hills Storm Water Project. The project offers an innovative storm water solution aimed at both generating revenue for sustainability as well as providing water conservation and stormwater benefits.
Partial
View of "Verdugo Hills Golf Course & Regional Park" Designed by
Richard Toyon, 2008
Verdugo Hills Storm Water Project, which is being
evaluated for Prop O funding, builds upon the Regional Park Plan with additional
water elements to enhance storm water recapture and reduction of pollutants.
For example, the Storm Water Project would include sub-surface storage capacity while retaining important recreational
benefits such as the golf course/driving range and hiking trails.
Proposition O is the bond measure passed by the voters of Los Angeles
in 2004 that funds projects to clean up pollution in the City’s
watercourses, beaches, and the ocean. Councilmember Krekorian proposed two potential new projects
for Proposition O funding: the Verdugo Hills Golf Course and the
Studio City Golf and Tennis Center.
While nothing is certain at this point, this is a small positive step
in the fight to save the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. We thank
Councilmember Krekorian for his continued support for preserving
this historic recreational resource and we ask him and our new Councilmember Richard Alarcon, who also supports this project, to continue their efforts to accomplish that task.
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Letter of Support
"The Verdugo Hills Storm Water Plan would acquire the 25-acre Verdugo Hills Golf Course and the adjacent 33-acres of hillside open space, maintain the golf course as a public recreational facility, and construct significant water-related infrastructure designed to improve water quality and increase capacity for storm water capture and ground water recharge. In addition, it would enhance open space, improve habitat, and provide new opportunities for outdoor recreation in a park-poor section of Los Angeles. This is wholly consistent with the intent of Prop O."
~ Excerpt from SMMC Letter in Support of Prop O Funding
We thank the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy [SMMC] for their support for the Verdugo Hills Storm Water Project.
The letter is available for viewing on the SaveTheGolfCourse.Org website.
