Harris named federation's Citizen of the Year

HONORED- State Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Woodland Hills) presents Steve Harris with the Citizen of the Year award. Steve Harris, founding member and former executive director of the Mountains Restoration Trust, was named the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation Citizen of the Year at the group's annual installation dinner April 18.

The nonprofit land trust addresses environmental issues and stewardship of the wilderness as it increasingly is encroached upon by urban areas.

The group acquires land for public open space, restores habitat and offers education and recreation programs.

I t is the largest private landowner in the Santa Monica Mountains and has helped in the acquisition of more than 3,000 acres since its inception in 1981.

Homeowners Federation President John Lowe said people who have made a difference in the community are chosen for the award, and he called Harris an "overachiever" and a "standout among standouts."

Harris helped establish the trust and held the executive director post for nearly 10 years. He was instrumental in the creation of Headwaters Corner, the point where Dry Canyon Creek intersects with the Los Angeles River and eventually drains into the Pacific Ocean.

'I am an oxymoron' Harris was an unlikely environmentalist. A real estate developer, he never believed that all land was suited to development.

Over the years his goals encompassed integrating affordable housing into communities, acquiring open space and developing small scale projects to support efforts for the overarching quest of habitat preservation in pristine areas such as the Santa Monica Mountains.

"A small portion of land could be developed to throw off income so resources wouldn't be jeopardized," Harris said.

His focus on the environment was deepened when he met Dave Brown, a Calabasas planning commissioner. "He brought me to the Santa Monica Mountains," Harris said.

"I am an oxymoron," Harris said of the duality of his work in real estate development and conservation. "There is no reason why some land shouldn't be developed," he said, but noted there are plenty of methods to reduce the amount of intrusion on the environment when developing property.

Making wise choices

Some land, Harris said, should be purchased strictly for conservation purposes. As a board member of the California Council of Land Trusts, he said land targeted for protection must be carefully chosen.

"We don't have enough money to buy everything," he said. "We (try) to preserve the most pristine land and create some kind of balance with other resources. We have to understand the complexities of each community."

Harris said he has great hope of California becoming a leader in "regreening."

Visions of a greener city

"We're in the midst of regreening," he said. "It's not just (about) parks for kids to play baseball and soccer. We need natural areas to walk. Los Angeles is trying to do it."

Harris' leadership with the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Central Business District has been instrumental in changing the focus of development in Los Angeles.

For 30 years, the redevelopment group has taken incremental steps toward integrating environmental practices with urban growth. Reestablishing the natural state of the Los Angeles River, now a concrete channel, is progressing, and the city is also undergoing a transformation into a 24-hour entity, he said.

Change comes slowly

If greenbelts and other natural elements are integral parts of all redevelopment plans, builders will reorient projects to take advantage of renewed views, Harris said.

Change of such magnitude moves at a snail's pace, admits Harris. "What I learned by my (experience with the redevelopment group) is that the community has to be ready for things to occur," he said. "We have another 30 to 50 years before (L.A.) will emerge as a great city.

"We can't have great cities without these substantial connected natural resources," he said. "This is going on everywhere. "It's a change in philosophy (and) really wonderful to see."

Citizen of the Year

Federation president Lowe described Harris as a "creative problem solver" and a man who communicates with "disarming honesty."

"(Steve's) integrity and honesty has won respect from all of us," Lowe said.

State and local officials presented Harris with commendations from Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Woodland Hills), state Sen. Sheila James Kuehl (DSanta Monica) and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. The National Park Service and mayors and council members from Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village also presented Harris with framed commendations.

"I'm quite taken aback- and surprised," Harris said at the banquet. "I am extremely proud to be complimented by this organization."

Harris said he learned more as a staff member with the Mountains Restoration Trust than as a director, and he suggested that everybody should take the time to work for a nonprofit agency, as the experience allows a person to see firsthand the outcomes of their efforts.

"It's about the good you're doing for the community, not the land you protect or the widgets you sell," he said.