Plan would try to preserve Soka campus in Calabasas

By Michael Picarella pic@theacorn.com

The California Legislature has earmarked $22 million of Proposition 50 funds for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to purchase and preserve the 600-acre Soka University of America campus in Calabasas, according to a recent letter from the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation (LVHF). But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may slash the Conservancy’s budget, and the LVHF and other groups want to stop him.

LVHF is an umbrella organization that represents several homeowners associations in western L.A. County along the 101 Freeway corridor.

Louise Rishoff, a representative of state Assemblywoman Fran Pavley (D-Woodland Hills), confirmed the amount of money that could go to the Conservancy and said she thinks the governor will approve it. Whether that money is used to purchase Soka or not is another matter, she said.

The state recently audited the Conservancy and said it had misused $7 million in public-approved bond money that was earmarked for open space acquisitions and parkland restoration in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

According to the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation, the audit may have negatively swayed the opinion of Schwarzenegger.

Conservancy officials have denied any misuse of money.

"We have taken spending the public’s dollars extremely seriously," said Joseph Edmiston, executive director of the Conservancy. "That’s why people should look at our web page (at www.smmc.ca.gov/audit.html, which shows our audit response and) goes point by point, dollar for dollar."

Many homeowners in LVHF have written letters in support of the Conservancy and the purchase of Soka, according to LVHF president, Steve Hess.

"The federation is primarily interested in land use issues in the area, and Soka is the premier issue presently in front of us," Hess said. "The federation is entirely in support of the Conservancy and in support of releasing Prop. 50 funds to the Conservancy for the purchase of the Soka property."

A letter from Mountains Restoration Trust President Stephen A. Harris has also encouraged residents to support the purchase.

Harris, the LVHF and others are calling for a letter-writing campaign to Schwarzenegger and others in support of spending $22 million from Prop. 50 to buy Soka.

Letters in support of allocating money to the Conservancy for the purpose of acquiring Soka can be sent to:

1. Office of the Governor, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814; fax: (916) 445-4633

2. Bonnie Reiss, senior advisor to the governor; fax: (916) 445-4633

3. Terry Tamminen, secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency, 1001 I St., Sacramento, CA 95814; fax: (916) 324-0909

4. Mike Chrisman, secretary, California Resources Agency, 1416 9th St., Ste. 1311, Sacramento, CA 95814; fax: (916) 653-8102

Send copies of your letters to:

1. State Sen. Sheila J. Kuehl, State Capitol, Room 4032, Sacramento, CA 95814; fax: (916) 324-4823

2. State Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-0041; fax: (916) 319-2141

Soka is at the corner of Mulholland Highway and Las Virgenes Road in Calabasas. It’s a private liberal arts college based on a system of education developed by a Japanese educator.

Wendy Harder, a Soka spokeswoman, said school officials are still studying the proposal.

According to a letter from Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky to Soka and the Conservancy, "The Soka property is the most important unprotected property in the Santa Monica Mountains, located at the geographic and natural resources center of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area."

Edmiston said, "We’re excited at the prospect, if, in fact, there is a prospect (for the sale)."

The Conservancy hopes to use the Prop. 50 funds—along with bond money from the Coastal Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Board—to purchase the Soka property within a year, according to the LVHF.