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Home My WebLink About1995-01-24 - AGENDA REPORTS - POTENTIAL SALE RIVENDALE (2)City Manager Approval Item to be presented by: Rick Pu nam CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: January 24, 1995 SUBJECT: Potential Sale of Rivendale Property DEPARTMENT: Parks, Recreation and Community Services At its meeting of November 21, 1994, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy voted to reject a tentative settlement agreement in the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MBCA) / Soka University case, a condemnation action regarding property located in the Las Virgines National Forest adjacent to the community of Agoura Hills. The action taken by the Conservancy's Board and subsequently adopted by the MRCA has a potentially devastating effect on the Santa Clarita Valley and the Los Angeles Basin. A condemnation judgment in favor of the MRCA will likely require the sale of fixed assets (land) in order to satisfy a judgment. The Rivendale property, a 53 -acre parcel located on the west side of the I-5 freeway at the Calgrove exit, in front of and contiguous to the Ed Davis Park at Towsley Canyon (map attached), is the primary property to be considered for disposal by the MRCA. As the City Council may recall, this property, zoned A-2-2, was originally purchased by the Conservancy from AIM Properties in the spring of 1991. The purchase agreement contained an option for AIM Properties to reacquire the property and develop it, allowing a permanent easement across the property to allow for access to Ed Davis Park. As a result of a downturn in the economy, AIM Properties was unable to exercise its option to reacquire and develop the property, at which time the MRCA became the fee title holder of the entire parcel. It is the Conservancy's and the MRCA'a opinion that this property was and currently is a disposable asset to assist in the judgment settlement of the Soka condemnation. The condemnation action is expected to go to court in approximately nine months. Once a judgment is rendered by the court, the MRCA would have thirty days within which it would be required to satisfy any financial obligation of the judgment. Failure by the MRCA to satisfy the judgment within the thirty -day time period would make them solely responsible for all court costs, attorneys' fees for the opposing party and other related costs associated with the condemnation action. Agenda Item: CURRENT STATIM As a result of Conservancy and MRCA action taken in November 1994 to pursue condemnation proceedings, and because of the level of public interest in maintaining the Rivendale property as open space, this item was on the Santa Clarita Watershed Recreation and Conservation Authority (SC Authority) agenda for discussion at its meeting of January 5, 1995. The SC Authority had previously discussed the Rivendale property in terms of possible joint development of the site for recreation and park purposes. This was, of course, prior to the perceived need to dispose of the property. Numerous individuals appeared at the SC Authority and cited the following reasons for opposing the sale of the Rivendale property. These reasons include, but are not limited to: 1. While not officially designated as a park, Rivendale property is part of Significant Ecological Area (SEA) Number 20; 2. The Rivendale property and its adjacency to Ed Davis Park would make a fitting and appropriate addition to the Santa Clarita Woodlands State Park; 3. The riparian, wetland and habitat values of Rivendale are evidenced by the reforestation and wildlife activity currently observed on the site; 4. The site, in its current natural state, provides an ideal entry point for Ed Davis Park; 5. The $3.75 million which is expected to result from a "quick sale" of the property is perceived to be an insignificant amount of money relative to the total expected judgment that the Conservancy may be required to pay. After carefully considering information from both Conservancy staff and the public, the SC Authority voted affirmatively, directing staff to explore with the County of Los Angeles and other appropriate agencies the various zoning restrictions or requirements which may be attendant to the property, along with researching planned developments or uses that may be currently known for the Rivendale property. The SC Authority further agreed to definitively explore all potential economic as well as functional use options for the property. The City of Santa Clarita and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy agreed to equally share the cost of such a study to a maximum expenditure of $5,000 each ($10,000 total). The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy will be held on Monday, January 17, 1995, at which criteria identifying eligible properties that could be sold by the MRCA will be further considered by the Conservancy's advisory committee and Board of Directors. It is also expected that Conservancy staff will recommend that the Rivendale property, along with others, be recommended as a disposable fixed asset. It is City staff s position that a decision to sell the Rivendale property would be premature in the absence of the economic and use feasibility report, which was requested by the SC Authority. As a member of the Conservancy's advisory committee, and with the endorsement of the City Council, staff will present and support this position at the Conservancy's January 17 meeting. 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