The Hidden Creeks development project would put 188 homes on 150 acres about ½ mile northwest of the current Porter Ranch.  Nestled between Mormon Creek and Browns Creek the property is just below Oat Mountain.  The picture below shows the general area as well as the view northward from the center of the property.  We need people who are concerned about protecting trees, reducing sprawl and protecting wildlife habitat to get involved. 

SAMPLE COMMENT:

I am contacting you to ask you stop the Hidden Creeks Estates Development project in Browns Canyon. The project (project #CPC-2005-6656-AD-GPA-ZC-DA, VTT-68724, and ENV-2005-6657-EIR) threatens local wildlife by perpetuating sprawl into a major wildlife corridor within Santa Susana Mountains. It removes 400 trees at a time when we need to conserve existing native trees for their protective factor in reducing global warming and increasing runoff. Construction activity would directly impact Mormon Canyon Creek, while urban run-off would flow into both Mormon and Browns Creeks, affecting our L.A. local groundwater supply both in the building phase and when residents move in.  In these times of increased drought and global climate change, responsible City olicy and Mobility Element of General Plan aim at reducing rather than expanding our sprawl.    Their plan extends  four-lane Mason Avenue three-quarters of a mile through a mountainside.  It will connect to Porter Ranch via a road to the north end of Mason Ave., bringing all that traffic right through Porter Ranch along Mason, Sesnon, Tampa, Reseda. Not to mention years of construction dust and bigger crowds and less parking at the PR Town Center, and more problems.     One of the main issues will be over-crowded schools.   This developer is also asking for 9 acres of public open space to be allowed to be graded as part of its infrastructure.  It is a gift of public resources.   That 9+ acres is also extremely valuable immediate riparian buffer.     Please vote against the proposed annexation, any Development Agreement, and the General Plan amendment. And please vote against certifying the EIR ENV2005-6657.

Contact info for Mitch Englander

City Hall Office: 200 N. Spring St., Room 405, Los Angeles, CA 90012   Phone: (213) 473-7012; Fax: (213) 473-6925

Community Service Center: 9207 Oakdale Ave., Suite 200 | Chatsworth, CA 91311   Phone: (818) 882-1212 - Fax: (818) 701-5254

Email: Councilmember.Englander@lacity.org

Send your comments to your Council Member as well as Mitch Englander.  Your Council Member’s email is in the chart below.

MAYOR / COUNCIL MEMBER CHART:

More information:

The Sierra Club SFV would like you to contact your Councilmember and voice your concerns about the proposed Hidden Creek (HC) Estates development in Browns Canyon, in the southern Santa Susana Mountains.  HC Estates would be constructed on sensitive mountain property that is in between two major tributary creeks of the L.A. River. Construction activity would directly impact Mormon Canyon Creek, while urban run-off would flow into both Mormon and Browns Creeks, further degrading our L.A. local groundwater supply both in the building phase and when residents move in. The project would threaten local wildlife by perpetuating and expanding destructive sprawl into a major wildlife corridor within Santa Susana Mountains. The 188 new homes in a gated community of 150 acres with a softball park, built on the furthest sprawling outskirts of our City, along with increased car trips to a location not served by public transit, are just some of the Project's components that would exacerbate climate change, urban sprawl, and degraded air quality in the Valley.  Their plan extends  four-lane Mason Avenue three-quarters of a mile through a mountainside.  It will connect to Porter Ranch via a road to the north end of Mason Ave., bringing all that traffic right through Porter Ranch along Mason, Sesnon, Tampa, Reseda. Not to mention years of construction dust and bigger crowds and less parking at the PR Town Center, and more problems.     One of the main issues for Porter Ranch will be over-crowded schools. 

This project would directly harm wildlife and their critical habitat linkage for mountain lions, bobcats, etc. between the San Gabriel Mountains and the Santa Susana Mountains and indirectly break up the continuity and migratory corridors.  As with most projects with names evoking images of nature, this project is destructive of nature and the beautiful area of oaks and willows. It is habitat suitable for Willow flycatcher, and now that it is spring they would be seen there.  White crowned sparrows and various hawks are common there year around. The habitat contains springs and is situated between Browns Creek and Mormon creek.  The Project would intrude into the Rim of the Valley Corridor.  The western half of the project is part of the County Significant Ecological Area called the Santa Susana Mountains/ Simi Hills.

This Project area is now part of the County and zoned only for 33 homes, but the developer is asking L.A. City to annex the area and change zoning to this exclusive, luxury-oriented gated community to 188 homes on 150 acres and separated from the City by an expanse of about half a mile. The area is also prone to landslides which would make driving on it and providing all infrastructure services through it, risky and costly at best.  The Southern California Gas Company owns the land for the roads, utilities, and services infrastructure serving the 188 homes and other facilities.  In these times of increased drought and global warming, the City policy must be to reduce sprawl, not expand it.

The SCGasCo has leased uplands and subsurface properties to The Termo Oil company for drilling and producing oil and gas about a mile above (north of) the HC Estate along the Santa Susanna crestline, but ownerships/leaseholds of subsurface properties beneath the Project and from the Project to the watershed crest and Termo well sites are unknown along with prospective drilling and producing areas.  Unfortunately the upper watershed and Termo's spill/release protective measures appear to place Mormon and Browns watersheds at risk from oil spills and related impacts.

Thank you for taking action.

Thanks to Elaine Trogman, and Tom Williams for contributions to this email alert.

You may cc: me, Terrie Brady, Conservation Chair,  sfvscsepbasin@gmail.com and Elaine Trogman, Communications Chair,  ektrogman@yahoo.com copies of the correspondence you send, we would appreciate it.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION:

Contact info for Mitch Englander

City Hall Office: 200 N. Spring St., Room 405, Los Angeles, CA 90012   Phone: (213) 473-7012; Fax: (213) 473-6925

Community Service Center: 9207 Oakdale Ave., Suite 200 | Chatsworth, CA 91311   Phone: (818) 882-1212 - Fax: (818) 701-5254

Email: Councilmember.Englander@lacity.org

Send your comments to your Council Member as well as Mitch Englander.  Your Council Member’s email is in the chart below. If you do not live in his or their district, the email will probably bounce, so please call or write.

Also copy or send your message to the 3-person Planning & Land Use Management Committee (PLUM)  (email address......), which includes Mitch Englander as well as Council Members, Gil Cedillo and Jose Huizar.   The Hidden Creek Estates, if annexed, would be in Mitch Englander’s district so it is very important for Mr. Englander to hear many voices on this issue.  You could also send it to their Legislative Assistant, Sharon.gin@lacity.org who keeps track of things.

MAYOR / COUNCIL MEMBER CHART:

MORE INFORMATION & LINKS

This project would also cause environmental impacts to the wider Los Angeles Region and have been evaluated by Steve Hernandez, Ecoliteracy Instructor.  They include: “Impacts to the larger community include:

a. natural habitat loss

b. increased fire danger

c. reduction of water resources (loss of natural seeps, artesian wells, wetlands including possibly vernal pools.)

d. increased landslide potential

e. increased traffic congestion

f. increased primary, elementary, and high school crowding

g. increased noise and light pollution

h. increased sewage and garbage

i. increased paved surfaces (which create water runoff and local flooding)

j increased fertilizer, pesticide use resulting in Mormon and Brown Creek contamination.

k. increased animal road kill due to increased vehicle traffic.

l. increased hospital use and competition

m. increased green house gas emissions

n. increased air pollution and particulate matter”  

Quoted from comments about the Development Agreement.

For more detailed information on the Hidden Creek Estates Issues click the links below:

ADDITIONAL READING ON HIDDEN CREEK ESTATES and the nearby gas fields:

1)  /angeles//sfvg_take_action#HC

Environmentally Disastrous Gated Community Given First City Green Light in Browns and Mormon Canyon Core Habitat, Santa Susana Mountains BY Paul Edelman, Santa Monica Mt. Conservancy (SMMC)

2)  /angeles//sfvg_take_action#Mitigation

No Mitigation Possible for Hidden Creeks Project, Ecological Disaster Planned for Santa Susana Mountains  By Garrett Weinstein, Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority (MRCA)

Sites of wells on Gas Company land, who leases etc: 

3)  http://www.rigzone.com/news/oil_gas/a/67183/Solimar_Snags_12_Interest_in_Aliso_Canyon_Prospect

RIGZONE - Solimar Snags 12%25 Interest in Aliso Canyon Prospect.htm

Termo Co. (T1200) DelAliso/Orcutt/Roosa    Porter Sesnon et al (S2700)

Trio is an operator in Calif. in DOGGR-Distr1 not 2  and only has 1 plugged well near Dodger Stadium

4) http://www.epa.gov/enviro/facts/multisystem.html

Search using terms: aliso canyon, aliso creek, aliso gas fields

http://epa.gov/FRS Facility Detail Report  Envirofacts_US EPA.htm

http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/fii/frs_facility_site/city_name.html

5) The EIR on Hidden Creeks  

http://cityplanning.lacity.org/EIR/HiddenCreekEstates/DEIR/TOC.html

6. Coverage of Chatsworth Neighborhood Council.

http://northridge.patch.com/groups/politics-and-elections/p/hidden-creeks-developers-face-tough-qa-at-neighborhood-council