SOKA purchase near $35 million needed by April 15

SOKA purchase near $35 million needed by April 15 By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

The deadline is fast approaching for a group of 10 public agency partners to buy the 588-acre Soka property in Calabasas in hopes of preserving it as open space.

The property, owned by the Japanese Soka University of America, is known locally as Gillette Ranch in honor of former owner King C. Gillette, the razor mogul.

If the $35-million deal goes through, it would end a decade-long effort by environmental groups to acquire the land located at the corner of Mulholland Highway and Las Virgenes Road.

The National Parks Service, California State Parks and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which will own the title to the property, plan to join seven other agencies in acquiring enough funds for the purchase.

The option to buy the pristine Santa Monica Mountains property expires April 15.

One of several public hearings to discuss the sale was last Friday at De Anza Park in Calabasas.The meeting was conducted by Ron Schafer, a district superintendent for California State Parks, and Rorie Skei, chief deputy director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

"No one agency is writing a single check," Schafer said. If one or two agencies do not raise the necessary money, the entire deal might collapse, he said.

Fran Pavley, State Assembly member for the 41st District, said this would be the fourth attempt to purchase what she considers the "heart of the Santa Monicas."

In 2001, the State Court of Appeals and later the State Supreme Court ruled against a development agreement between Soka and Los Angeles County in which the campus size would have doubled. In 2003, another court ruling closed the book on Soka expansion for good when it overturned a development permit given to the university by the California Coastal Commission.

Despite their success in halting Soka growth, the enviornmental groups wanted to close the campus for good.

Mary Wiesbrock, chair of Save Open Space, read a letter asking Gov. Schwarzenegger for funds to buy the property, money that she says has already been approved by voters through propositions. "Sadly, this part of Southern California, greater Los Angeles, remains the most park poor metropolitan area in the nation," Wiesbrock said.

"The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area serves the largest urban population in California," Wiesbrock said, adding that the area is the most diverse of all the nation’s parks.

"Gillette Ranch would provide a superb environment for educating youngsters in the greater Los Angeles area about California’s natural history," Wiesbrock said.

Mary Sue Maurer, vice president of the Greater Mulwood Homeowners Association, told the group that the property is located in the heart of the Malibu Creek watershed, "the most ecologically significant watershed in Los Angeles County." She said the Soka property is a critical link in the Santa Monica Mountains wildlife corridor.

Homeowner groups, equestrian, environmental and preservation groups, and city, county and state officials attended the meeting to voice support for the purchase.

"We need to save some places for ordinary people," one speaker told the audience.

Nobody spoke out against the purchase.

Reports indicate that the Conservancy will contribute $10 million to the pot, while the State Parks department will pay about $7 million and the National Park Services about $2.5 million.

The city of Calabasas is said to have committed $850,000 and Agoura Hills is being asked to pay $250,000

The remaining $15 million is to be contributed by four state and local agencies.