HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - RIM OF VALLEY TRAIL CORRIDOR (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
City Manager Approi
Item to be presented
DATE: June 27, 2000
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
CLARITA SUPPORTING AN APPLICATION TO REVISE THE RIM
OF THE VALLEY TRAIL CORRIDOR BOUNDARY
DEPARTMENT: Parks, Recreation & Community Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council receive staff report, discuss and adopt Resolution supporting expansion of the
Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor.
BACKGROUND
During the 1999 State Legislative Session, Assembly Member George Runner carried AB
339, which called for revising the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor to include Whitney
Canyon and other areas east of the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Route 14). The
attached draft map delineates an expanded area, which encompasses the most important
resources in undeveloped lands around Whitney, Placerita and other watersheds to the
north and east.
On January 13, 1998 the City Council adopted Resolution 98-2 supporting state legislation
to expand the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor to include the area previously excluded from
the corridor lying east of State Route 14, including Whitney and Eslmere Canyons. This
piece of legislation was not successful due to the inclusion of Elsmere Canyon. On February
23, 1999 the City Council authorized City sponsorship of legislation to include Whitney
Canyon in the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor. The legislation that related to this action
was AB 339, which was approved in 1999. The City's support was based on the following
benefits:
• Provides more access to the Angeles National Forest
• Adds significant land and connections to the rest of the trail
• Preserves and enhances the last existing wildlife migratory corridor and
continues the effort to officially designate a connection between the Santa
Monica Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains
• Assists in the effort to prevent a landfill from being located in that area.
The process to revise the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor is underway. The Santa Monica
Mountains Conservancy is required to hold a local public hearing regarding the proposed
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expansion of the Corridor prior to finalizing the expansion proposal for filing with the
Secretary of State, the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources and the Senate
Committee on Natural Resources and Wildlife. The local public hearing to expand the
boundaries of the Corridor will be held on June 28, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. at the Santa Clarita
Valley Senior Center Dining Room.
The proposed expansion, shown on the attached map, will protect recognized wildlife
movement corridors, Santa Clara River Watershed resources, recreational trail linkages,
scenic viewsheds, National Forest -adjacent buffer, listed species habitat (such as the
unarmored stickleback and the Santa Ana sucker), Whitney, Placerita, and other
watersheds to the north and east. The Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor denotes a planning
area for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and other public agencies. It in no way
interferes with private property owners' rights.
The expansion proposal is consistent with the City Council's policy of protecting open space,
watershed lands and critical wildlife habitat surrounding and within the City. The
expansion of the Corridor allows the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to acquire
property within the boundary. This will greatly assist the City and the United States
Forest Service in partnering with the Conservancy to implement plans to acquire privately
held lands within the boundary.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
None identified by Staff.
FISCAL IMPACT
None at this time. Should the boundary be expanded, the City may work to acquire grant
funding and other sources of revenue to assist in the purchase of open space, habitat and
watershed lands within the Corridor.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Map of Expanded Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor
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S: \ PBS \ENVSRVCS\ELSMERE\rimofvalley.DOC
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