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Summary of Public Scoping Comments Newsletter Available for Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study

Monday, August 29th, 2011

What follows is the contents of an email we received from the National Park Service:

 

Summary of Public Scoping Comments Newsletter Available for
Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study

Thank you for taking time to send us scoping comments to help guide the Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study. We received more than 2,000 comment letters and e-mails. Over the past several months, we have been reviewing and analyzing your ideas, suggestions and questions. We thank you for taking the time to comment. We’ve learned a lot about the issues that concern you, the special places that you value, and what you hope this study process will accomplish. This summary of Public Scoping Comments, “What We Heard from You,” is now available in Newsletter #2.

The public comments focused primarily on the following broad topics:

– suggestions for the scope and definition of the study area
– suggestions for the study process
– natural and cultural resources that the NPS should consider for possible significance
– existing recreational uses and future recreational needs
– issues and opportunities to be considered in the study process

Also included in this newsletter is an update to our “Frequently Asked Questions” and “Next Steps in the Study Process.”

We look forward to staying in touch with you throughout the process!

Anne Dove                          Margie Steigerwald
Project Manager                   Planner
We need your help getting the word out! 

Given the size and complexity of the study area, we need your help in getting the word out about the study.  If you know anyone who would be interested in this study, please forward this message to them and encourage them to sign-up for our distribution list. 

Download Newsletters

 Contact Information

Mail:      National Park Service
                  Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study
                  570 W. Avenue 26, #175
                  Los Angeles, CA  90065

Website:  �
www.nps.gov/pwro/rimofthevalley

 E-mail:     pwr_rimofthevalley@nps.gov 

 Phone:     Anne Dove, Project Manager (323) 441-9307
                       Margie Steigerwald, Planner (805) 370-2373

 

Posted in Los Angeles, San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Monica Mountains, Verdugo Mountains | Comments Closed

Safer Streets for Cyclists – take action!

Friday, June 17th, 2011

We are mountain bikers but we too sometimes ride our bikes on the streets. Please help us to support California Bicycle Coalition 3-foot passing legislation.

Senate Bill 910, cosponsored by the California Bicycle Coalition and the City of Los Angeles, would require motorists to give bicyclists at least three feet of clearance when passing from behind under most circumstances.

The California Senate approved SB 910 on June 1. On Monday, June 27, the bill will be up for a vote by the Assembly Transportation Committee. We need bicyclists like you to contact Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal, the chair of the committee, by phone, email or fax to let her know why this bill is so important to the safety of all bicyclists on the road!  A file documenting all messages of support for SB 910 accompanies the bill as it moves through the legislative process. This information is read by legislators and their staff and helps make the case for the bill. Your voice definitely counts! The deadline for calling or sending a message is 5 PM Tuesday, June 21.

You can express your support for SB 910 by phone or by email or fax. Click here for more information.

 

 

 

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Posted in Advocacy, California, Health, Los Angeles, Regions, Road Riding | Comments Closed

CORBA/IMBA Affiliation Update

Wednesday, June 1st, 2011

A few months ago we told you about our decision to partner with the International Mountain Bicycle Association’s (IMBA) chapter program. The process is complete, and we are happy to announce that the transition is going very well. However, there are still a few things that were unforeseen, one of them being the renewal process.

Many CORBA members have recently received a renewal notice from IMBA, which may be confusing. This is because your CORBA membership automatically became an IMBA membership when we made the transition. No problem! Simply renew your new IMBA membership and select CORBA as your local chapter each time you renew. From now on when you renew, you will renew both your IMBA and CORBA membership at the same time, with everything being handled by IMBA. If renewing by telephone, please make sure to indicate CORBA as your local chapter.

We encourage you to continue to make donations directly to CORBA to help support our local efforts of advocacy, trail building and maintenance, free monthly mountain bike skills classes, Youth Adventures at-risk youth outings, Kids Club, and our web site www.corbamtb.com. CORBA still receives a percentage of membership dues though through this affiliation with IMBA, but dues alone can not support our programs entirely. Our Trail Crew requires annual tool purchases, and Youth Adventures is in constant need of bikes, parts, and helmets, as well as snacks for participants because many of these kids can not even afford a granola bar for themselves or come to the outing without having had breakfast. Other costs include licensing and insurance for our trailers and ride programs. It adds up! Click here to go directly to our donation page. http://www.corbamtb.com/join/donate.shtml Thank you for your support in helping us keep trails open to bicycles!

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Posted in Advocacy, CORBA News, Los Angeles, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Voice Your Support of Trails TODAY!

Thursday, May 12th, 2011
FROM THE CALIFORNIA BICYCLE COALITION:

Our partners at America Bikes just found out late last night that the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee is deciding what goes into the next federal transportation bill today and tomorrow.

We need every advocate in California to take action TODAY!

If we don’t act now, dedicated funding for biking and walking programs may be written out of our transportation system for the next six years.

Senator Barbara Boxer is the chair of this committee and we need you to get word to her in every way and medium possible TODAY that we’re counting on her continued support for dedicated funding for biking and walking.

In every media interview related to Bike to Work Week, please be sure to thank the Senator for her continued support for dedicated funding for biking and walking, specifically Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails Program.

In addition, we ask that you alert all your members and supporters as soon as possible, urging them to call the Senator’s office today. Please use the message below.

Our apologies for hitting you on a day when you’re already very busy, but we just learned of this after 10 p.m. last night and with all the media being generated about Bike to Work Week this is a great opportunity for maximum impact. Again, we can’t stress the urgency enough: To preserve dedicated funding for biking and walking in next transportation bill we need California to get Sen. Boxer to take action today.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at (916) 446-7558 or dave@calbike.org.

Dave Snyder

Relaunch Director/CEO
_________________________________________________________________________

Senator Barbara Boxer needs to hear from you RIGHT NOW.

The committee she leads in the US Senate, the Environment and Public Works Committee, is deciding what goes into the very important federal transportation bill today and tomorrow. She needs to know that we want her to fight for bicycling and walking programs like Transportation Enhancements (the federal funding sources that helps pay for bicycling and walking facilities and programs throughout California), Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails program.

If we don’t act now, bicycling and walking programs may be written out of our transportation system for the next six years.

At this very moment, she is negotiating with other senators who don’t think bicycling and walking are an important part of the transportation bill. She needs to know that we have her back on this issue and she shouldn’t give up on these crucial programs.

Call Senator Boxer right now and tell her:

“I am one of your constituents and I think bicycling and walking need to be a part of the transportation bill. Please ensure that Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and the Recreational Trails program continue with strong and dedicated funding as they are today.”

Calls to DC are best. Her Washington, DC office number: (202) 224-3553. If it’s busy and you’re short for time, here’s her LA office number: (213) 894-5000.

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Posted in Advocacy, California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Franklin Canyon Fundraiser

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Reposted from an email sent to CORBA by Ellen Scott. For more information email epaulascott@gmail.com. For additional details click here for a previous article on this blog.

Okay Friends and Preservers of the Hastain Trail in Franklin Canyon!

We are officially ready to fund raise and the kick off for this event is Saturday, April 9th from 8 A.M. to 1 P.M. It’s a picnic breakfast, brunch, lunch fund raiser in the meadow by the ranch house in Franklin Canyon.  Bring your own food and/or bring food to share, whatever you like.  Picnic and then hike or hike and then picnic. Come early if it looks like it will be a hot day, come late if it’s cool. Bring your happy selves and your guitar or your harpsichord and your checkbook.  If you can’t make it, send your check with someone who can.  Make it out to Stephen Jones.  His credentials and information follow.
Land Use Attorney Stephen Jones has consulted with us pro bono to this point and is ready to proceed as we have a strong case for ‘Implied Dedication to Public Use.’  (Thank you to those who have come forward with information regarding use of the Hastain Trail from the mid 1960’s to 1972.)  Stephen Jones will continue to work for us at half his normal rate and comes highly recommended.
Mr. Jones’s current information is as follows;
Stephen L. Jones (St. Bar No. 71383)
Overton, Lyman & Prince, LLP
500 South Grand Ave., 19th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Background:    Presently involved in major easement dispute in Malibu
1999-2000  Represented Benedict Canyon Homeowners in defeating
an oversized project.
1976-1983  Atty. with Latham and Watkins  (Land Use and Real Estate
Litigation)
1976 JD from University of Michigan
1967-1969  Member of the Institute of Advanced Studies
1967 PHD in Mathematics from University of Wisconsin
Fun Information:  Stephen Jones has been a U.S. Chess Master since 1962.  He was
the U.S. Senior Chess Champion in 2002 and has held
miscellaneous titles in between.
Pertinent quote: Don Loze of the Benedict Canyon Homeowners Association referred to
Mr. Jones as, “…the best Land Use Attorney in the city… an expert
litigator.”

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Posted in Advocacy, Los Angeles, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Local Trail Users Fight with Developer over Hastain Trail

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Nestled in the hills between Beverly Hills and Studio City is a section of Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy land frequented for many years by hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers. The Hastain Trail, which leads up to the ridge between Franklin and Coldwater canyons has been in use for more than 40 years. Recently the trail was blocked by a fence, and sections of the pristine ridge were bulldozed.

There has been an outcry from trail users against the development. While the trail does pass through private land, apparently neither the previous nor the current landowners had ever made attempts to prevent or dissuade the use of the trail until the fence was erected earlier this year.

Even more frustrating is that the MRCA had the funds to purchase the private parcels at their appraised value and preserve this last remaining open space in 2005. Hadid, the current owner, paid more than their appraised value, something the MRCA is unable to do.

Save Franklin Canyon Protest

The Save Franklin Canyon protest

According to an article in the Los Angeles Daily News the developer had begun grading with an expired permit. Another in-depth article appeared today in the Studio City Patch listing the expired permits. We refer CORBA news readers to those two articles for a more complete coverage of the situation.

The loss of more open space and a very popular trail in the middle of our urban landscape is something that affects us all. Ellen Scott, a local hiker, has begun a grass roots effort to salvage the Hastain Trail, perhaps through legal action, or perhaps through negotiation with the developer. It appears there may be grounds for a prescriptive easement, or some other form of compromise between the developer and the trail users, though Hadid has thus far avoided negotiations.

The  group held a protest last Saturday, March 19, 2011, in which local hikers and mountain bikers carried placards expressing “Save Franklin Canyon,” and “We Need This Canyon.”

For more information or to get involved in the efforts to salvage this popular trail, visit the group’s web site at http://SaveFranklinCanyon.com.

 

 

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Posted in Los Angeles, Trail Access | Comments Closed

LA Bike Plan Passes Unanimously

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Today the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed the Los Angeles Bike Plan. It is no longer a draft document.

Everyone’s goal at the March 1, 2011 Council session was to do whatever necessary to get the plan passed today. Councilman LaBonge needed to give his equestrian constituents something they could live with so that the plan could move forward. The result was an amendment (underlined) to policy 3.3.5:

Continue the existing off-road bicycle trail and analyze and explore opportunities for additional off-road bicycle facilities and continue to abide by LAMC section 63.44 B16. Any proposal to consider the use of mountain bikes on City park trails must first be thoroughly reviewed and analyzed by the Board of Recreation & Parks and its staff.

This simply puts in writing what will have to happen anyway before any changes to bike access to City Parks could be made. It was enough to placate the equestrian community, and did not really change anything. It was enough of a deal to get the Plan passed.

(more…)

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Posted in Advocacy, Los Angeles, Trail Access | 2 Comments »

LA County Draft Trails Manual Public Hearing

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

LA County Draft Trails ManualOn February 28, 2011, about 50 people gathered in the beautiful Birch Room at Descanso Gardens in La Canada. We were there to review and comment upon the most recent draft of the Los Angeles County Trails Manual. But let’s back up a bit…

Last July, CORBA board members met with LA County Planning and Sapphos Environmental (the contractor developing the Trails Manual for the County), in a Mountain Biker only public forum. At that meeting only three CORBA board members attended, the County representatives, and nobody else. The Equestrian-only meeting had many more participants, as did the Hiker-only meeting. Since this document will not set any policy regarding trail designations, Sapphos deemed it more productive to hold separate meetings with each user group. Each group gave their input on what they’d like to see covered in the trails manual, and their special concerns.

At that time in July 2010 there was only one section of the trails manual available for review: the section concerning trail design standards. Most of the standards in that preliminary section were adapted from IMBA’s Trail Solutions book, and other reputable multi-use trail construction texts. It was to be a technical document on building and designing trails, with no influence on the contentious issues around trail user groups and trail designations.

The County’s stated policy and goal is to accommodate all user groups on all trails possible. It is a multi-use, bike-friendly policy that works. We were informed at that time that there would be another round of public hearings as the manual was developed, based on the input from user groups at these meetings. The Manual is being developed with a grant from Supervisor Antonovich’s 5th district, in which the vast majority of the County’s trails can be found. The County has never had any offical trail standards, and many of the older trails are not really sustainable by today’s standards. However, this document would NOT be applied retroactively to existing trails, but will serve as the reference for all new trails that come before the County. It is likely that many of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County will also adopt this manual for their own standards once it is ratified by the County Board of Supervisors.

Fast forward to the February 28, 2011 public hearing. Steve Messer, and CORBA member/local cycling promotor and activist Dorothy Wong attended the meeting, along with about 40 local equestrians and hikers. For a welcome change from other meetings in which CORBA has been involved, the biggest issues raised were not contentious user conflicts, but rather, design standards pertaining to potentially flawed trail designs and citations from outdated Equestrian studies and facility designs.

(more…)

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Posted in Los Angeles, Palos Verdes, San Gabriel Mountains, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Mountain Bike Component of LA Bike Plan In Jeopardy!

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Anyone interested in riding their bicycle off-pavement in any Los Angeles City Park needs to be at the Los Angeles City Council Meeting this Tuesday March 1.

According to sources close to the City Council, the mountain bike feasibility study is about to get stripped out of the bike plan. City Council member Tom LaBonge wants to introduce last minute motion to send the Bicycle Plan back to the Transportation Committee for “revision” (read removal?) before passing the plan by full council.

If you can’t attend the meeting then we encourage you to call La Bonge’s office at (213) 485-3337 or email at councilmember.labonge@lacity.org to share your opinion on LA Bike Plan.

Also make sure to let your city Councilperson know too. This is your city! This is your community! Get involved or lose opportunities to ride dirt in LA. Click here to find your City Councilperson.

Here are few talking points:

1.  Mountain bicyclists have participated in good faith in the entire planning process.
2   The draft plan requires the city to “analyze and explore  opportunities for additional off-road bicycle facilities.”
3.  It requires the city to look at the experience and practices of other cities and of neighboring open space land managers.
4.  It requires an inventory of city dirt roads and trails.
5.  It calls on the city to “evaluate and address multiple user groups’ needs in the City’s limited public park land.”
6.  Mountain biking is a safe, sustainable, health promoting activity.
7.  Among the three purposes of the bike plan are:  Increase the number and type of bicyclists in the city and Make the City of Los Angeles a Bike Friendly community.  The studies of mountain biking on trails are totally appropriate with those goals.
8.  To pull this language now is unwarranted.
9.  The plan has been vetted.  The time to pass it as drafted is NOW.

 

 

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Posted in Advocacy, Health, Los Angeles, Media, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Local Spin on Great Outdoors Program

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Click here for an article by KCET.

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Posted in California, Environment, Los Angeles, Media, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access | Comments Closed

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