L.A. County to review Santa Monica Mountains general plan
By Michael Picarella
pic@theacorn.com

Citizens of Los Angeles County can help protect the Santa Monica Mountains, among other areas, from large-scale developments.

L.A. County is in the process of updating its general plan and will host interactive workshops to solicit feedback from citizens on plans and policies.

Among the topics will be the county’s Significant Ecological Area (SEA) study, which is a regulation designed to prevent large-scale developments such as subdivisions, commercial projects and schools, according to Laura Shell from the office of L.A. County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. The SEA is part of the conservation element of the general plan, she said.

"Staff will review the results of (the community workshops) and make appropriate revisions to the proposal before scheduling it for public hearings before the Regional Planning Commission and the county Board of Supervisors," Shell said.

The county’s general plan has existed since 1980. About two years ago, an update began. How long the process will take is undetermined, Shell said.

The SEA zoning has been a hot topic in Calabasas. A group called the Land Use Preservation Defense Fund sent mailers asking area residents to help the organization fight against what it called illegal and expensive homeowner regulations.

"This mailing was sent by a private organization and is unfortunately full of misinformation," Shell said.

In a letter from Shell to a concerned Agoura resident, she wrote, "The mailing claims that you’ll need a conditional use permit to do anything in a SEA. This is untrue. Single-family homes, which comprise the vast majority of developed properties within the Santa Monica Mountains, are exempt from the SEA regulations. Existing single-family residences and new ones would not be affected by the update.

"The mailing also states that ‘the legal life of your non-conforming agricultural uses such as horses, gardens and other recreational facilities will be terminated in one to five years.’ This is also completely untrue," Shell wrote.

The Santa Monica Mountains are primarily zoned for rural and agricultural uses. "They are encouraged in the area, not discouraged," Shell said.

The SEA designation includes a tiered regulatory procedure that will allow for even more exemptions. It’s purpose, according to Shell, is to ensure a higher level of review for intense development proposals.

"The SEA proposal would not grant public access to any private properties, would not mandate the use of native landscaping and would not prohibit fences," Shell said.

Private consultants hired by L.A. County endorsed SEAs in the general plan. The consultants evaluated the county’s remaining open space, according to Shell, and made recommendations based on that study.

"During the 22 years of SEA program implementation, the county has never considered SEAs as open space preserves," Shell said. "Instead, the program has sought to balance large or intensive development with the conservation of the county’s most important biological resources."

The Land Use Preservation Defense Fund that sent out mailers had incorrect or expired contact information. Therefore, it was impossible to contact a source for this story.

The county’s upcoming interactive workshops as part of the general plan process include the following:

Calabasas: From 6 to 8 p.m. Wed., March 17 at the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District boardroom, 4232 Las Virgenes Road

Topanga: From 6 to 8 p.m. Tues., March 23 at Topanga School, 141 N. Topanga Canyon Road