Hills For Everyone

Friends of the
Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor

NEW press from December 9, 2007

Land of Unrest
Energy Firm's Development Dreams Stir Concerns

Sunday, December 9, 2007
By Bethania Palma, Staff Writer
The Orange County Register

ROWLAND HEIGHTS - George Bayse piloted his SUV on Thursday over dirt roads and hair-pin turns that make up the 3,000-acre oil field on the southern end of Los Angeles County.

With the wells drying up, Aera Energy, formerly Shell Oil, several years ago decided to build a 3,600-home project, phased over 15 to 20 years, Bayse said.

The proposed development, on land that is known as the Puente Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor, has drawn strong opposition from residents and officials from surrounding communities - including Whittier, La Habra, Hacienda Heights and La Habra Heights - who are concerned the project would disturb native wildlife and exacerbate traffic congestion.

But Bayse, vice president for Aera, said the property hasn't been a real habitat for decades.

"By no means is it in pristine, natural condition," he said. "There have been over 100 years of oil speculations and cattle grazing. The southern part of the property is where the oil wells were."

The mountainous terrain is now full of oil derricks, pipes and other machinery.

Bayse said more than half of the land Aera owns would be restored as a natural habitat and open space if developed.

"Seven hundred acres will be devoted to connectivity through the site," ensuring wildlife mobility, he said.

Bayse said Aera officials have worked to allay concerns. A draft environmental report is being prepared by an outside consultant for the public.

But critics are angry that the company brought its plans to the city of Diamond Bar. The city will consider annexing about two-thirds of the property and last year made a pre-annexation agreement with Aera.

Aera originally brought plans to Los Angeles County's regional planning department, where it was reviewed by the Significant Ecological Technical Advisory Committee, officials said.

The group did not like what it saw.

"Essentially, I said the project as it's designed does not meet the criteria for development within the sensitive ecological area," said Ty Garrison, a biologist on the committee. "They were welcome to redesign it and bring it back to SEATAC for consideration again, and that was the last we heard from Aera."

County officials said they never acted on the company's plans.

Bayse added that since most services would be provided through Diamond Bar, annexation made sense, prompting Aera to approach the city. Opponents questioned Aera's motives.

"Diamond Bar, being an incorporated city, does not have to follow the same strict guidelines (of the county)," said Bob Henderson, a Whittier city councilman and member of Hillside Open Space Education Coalition.

The group, consisting of residents and officials from surrounding communities, formed in opposition to the project.

Diamond Bar City Councilman Jack Tanaka said the pre-annexation agreement allows the city to have a say on the project, but does not guarantee it will be approved by any means.

"Without that agreement, we wouldn't even be at the table," he said. "The pre-annexation agreement at least allows Diamond Bar to have some say-so in the project development."

Garrison said the project could be ecologically harmful.

"You're going to be increasing the frequency of human-wildlife interaction," he said. "With traffic, lighting, pets, any sensitive wildlife will reduce its use."

Garrison added that corridors are important for preventing local species' extinctions, allowing wildlife movement to find food and water during droughts, escape fires and migrate. He added the project also could endanger local oak and walnut woodland growth.

Opponents of the project refer to Aera's property as the "missing middle," because it bisects the otherwise publicly owned corridor that stretches from the Cleveland National Forest to the Chino Hills State Park.

"We're all trying to persuade Aera to sell (the property) at market rate," Henderson said. "We've been working on them for years to do it."

But Bayse said Aera has taken pains to ensure the natural habitat is not only restored, but remains viable as a linkage for wildlife. He said Aera has a team of technical experts working to reach the goal.

"From the beginning, the idea has been to provide a balanced plan," he said.

For now, officials said, they're waiting to see what Aera brings to the table.

"Aera hasn't presented Diamond Bar with any project proposals yet," Tanaka said. "We're waiting for that and we'll evaluate it once we see it."

bethania.palma@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2236

BREAKING NEWS FROM SEPTEMBER 3, 2007

FROM GREENERY TO GREENBACKS
San Gabriel Valley Tribune
September 3, 2007

ROBERT Frost preferred the road less traveled. But when it comes to canyons and their precious wildlife and untouched viewscapes, less roads is best. That goes double for our state parks.

Unfortunately, the California Department of Parks and Recreation didn't get the memo. Why does the state agency support building a road through Chino Hills State Park? We have the sneaking suspicion the answer has to do with money.

This past spring the normally eco-friendly agency broke with conservation groups in the San Gabriel Valley and Orange County, who strongly oppose carving a 1-mile, 28-foot-wide paved road up a steep stand of walnut trees on the west side of the park. The Department of Parks and Recreation only agreed to the disruption after the applicant, the Metropolitan Water District, promised nearly $2 million in cash to build and furnish a park visitors center, as well as to endow an employee to staff it permanently.

There is so much wrong with that last paragraph that it would take pages to list. To put it simply: Our state park lands should not be sold to the highest bidder. Park lands - especially this one in the midst of local urban sprawl - are preserved specimens of rolling hills, sudden wildflowers, craggy canyons, soaring raptors and crafty bobcats. This park was preserved so that people could see nature's beauty almost as if they had stepped back in time. Allowing any kind of development goes against the very definition of the word "preserve:" to hold something, as is, in perpetuity.

Second, it's absurd to allow the destruction of trees and habitat so that visitors can gather inside a building to view lost habitat. No visitors' center is worth that kind of price. Besides, the 14,000 acres of Chino Hills State park already includes fantastic hiking trails, interpretive programs and new campgrounds. Perhaps a visitors' center isn't needed.

Last, MWD says it does need a better road as "secondary access" to its Diemer water filtration plant, which supplies water to Orange County communities. If that's true, it should explore a road through Yorba Linda, which already has paved streets where cars and trucks travel. It is also the community that benefits from the potable water.

But why, after operating a water plant in the canyon since 1963, is a second road needed? Sure, new neighbors from freshly built tracts don't like the small number of cars and trucks. But they should be reminded the MWD plant was there first. And it supplies them with water. MWD's argument, that a new road is needed in case of an earthquake, also doesn't hold up. Isn't an earthquake more likely to buckle a road built on a steep slope? The road is better for security in a post 9/11 world, goes the other argument. Doesn't building a nice, paved road give terrorists more access, not less? No explanation - except for the cool $1.7 million the state gets for this deal - holds water. And that deal smacks of bribery.

It's clear that MWD and the state DPR must recirculate the environmental impact report with the pages of negative comments from groups such as Hills for Everyone, the Puente-Chino Hills Task Force of the Sierra Club and the Planning and Conservation League. The state must consider an alternative access road or better still - no new road at all. Or reacquaint them with the definition of the word "preserve."

BREAKING NEWS FROM SEPTEMBER 21, 2006

BREA TO CONSIDER REVOKING CARBON CANYON SPECIFIC PLAN
After a three year saga of meetings, drafts, testimony, and newspaper headlines, the outdated and overly ambitious Carbon Canyon Specific Plan was revoked by the Brea City Council March 20, 2007. By doing so the City Council brought the planning rules and regulations into compliance with the rest of the City.  

Instead of 1,685 potential dwelling units in Carbon Canyon, there is now a more likely and reasonable maximum number of 220 dwelling units. The feasibility of any potential project will depend primarily on the slope of the land and the stability of the soil instead of  the zealousness of the developer. At the end of the meeting both residents and landowners applauded the results.

We express a special note of thanks to Brea Planner David Crabtree and Brea Planning Director Charlie View for their patience and stamina.

Since all of the changes passed 5 - 0, I urge you to send a note of thanks to all five City Council members.

Mayor Marty Simonoff  martys@ci.brea.ca.us
Mayor Pro Tem Don Schweitzer dons@ci.brea.ca.us 
Council member John Beauman johnbe@ci.brea.ca.us
Councl member Ron Garcia rong@ci.brea.ca.us
Council member Roy Moore roym@ci.brea.ca.us

BREAKING NEWS FROM SEPTEMBER 21, 2006

CAL STATE FULLERTON PROFESSORS COME THROUGH
On Thursday, September 21st, new heroes stepped forward in the fight to save the Missing Middle of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor. As you know Shell-Aera has proposed 3,600 units on its 3,000 acres of natural lands above Rowland Heights (LA County) and Brea (Orange County). This will generate an additional 40,000 vehicles trips a day on our streets.

In a thinly disguised effort to gain at least some support for the project, Shell-Aera approached the Cal State Fullerton Housing Authority to make a deal in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding. The mission of the Authority is to secure affordable housing for faculty and staff - certainly a worthy cause - but at what price? Shell-Aera offered 10% of its units to both Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) and Cal Poly Pomona. When the CSUF Academic Senate learned of the negotiations, opposition began to mount. In addition to the fact that many professors live in the area and know of our decades long preservation effort, many CSUF students over the years have studied the Wildlife Corridor. In the process they have provided data that has promoted its protection.

The item was placed on the agenda of the Academic Senate for yesterday's meeting. Speakers (professors) from across the campus rose to vehemently oppose further negotiations with Shell-Aera. The Academic Senate voted by a margin of 2-1 to send a letter to University President Gordon urging that negotiations be stopped. The President could go forward against the wishes of the Academic Senate but that would be somewhat unprecedented.

Hurray for those professors who spoke up for the quality of life of our area and spoke against participation in the destructive Shell-Aera project. Led by Professor Jonathan Taylor (Geography) they are: Professors Mike Russell (Philosophy), Bob Voeks (Geography), Vince Buck (Political Science), Nancy Fitch (History), Mark Shapiro (Physics), Scott Hewitt (Chemistry), Gayle Brunelle (History), Ken Walicki (Music), Scott Spitzer (Political Science), Kristi Kanel (Human Services), Jack Bedell (Sociology), Chuck Buck (retired Associate Vice President for Student Affairs) and David Fromson (Associate Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics). If we left anyone out - sorry, but thank you anyway!

Despite protestations by the Housing Authority spokesman, who said something to the effect that the project "will go through with or without us, " the professors did not budge. Professor Michael Russell remembered well the lessons learned in the early 1990's when Santa Fe Energy gained the support and testimony of Cal State Fullerton for the Olinda Ranch project in Brea. When they were no longer needed, the deal fell apart and Cal State Fullerton was left with nothing but regret.

BREAKING NEWS FROM JUNE 1, 2006

HARBOR BLVD. WILDLIFE TUNNEL BEING USED
One June 1, local officials, press and supporters gathered along Harbor Blvd. in La Habra Heights to celebrate the completion of the wildlife underpass under Harbor Blvd. This large tunnel with a dirt bottom will allow for safer movement of wildlife as they migrate through the hills. Both motorists and wildlife will benefit.

Only 10 days later a camera captured the first deer moving through it. Her tracks showed she was moving eastward from the Whittier hills onto the Aera land. The tracks also showed she went all the way through. See her photo to the right, she is outlined in yellow.

BREAKING NEWS FROM april 23, 2006

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is gearing up for a renewal of its existing ½ cent sales tax transportation mechanism, called Measure M. The existing 20 year Measure is set to expire in 2011. The renewal of Measure M would be a 30 year extension and totals over $11.8 billion dollars. In January, 36 Orange County environmental groups authorized a team to approach OCTA and ask for an environmental component in the Measure during its upcoming public review phase.

The negotiating team met with OCTA in March. Working in partnership with the resource agencies (US Fish and Wildlife Service and CA Department of Fish & Game) we were able to get mitigation money that was already included in the freeway component of the Measure specifically called out. This includes $243.5 million for what is known as Programmatic Mitigation. Normally freeway project mitigation is done on a small scale, piecemeal basis, e.g. planting native trees alongside the roadway to improve aesthetics. With Programmatic Mitigation, the environmental community is assured of several things.

First, Programmatic Mitigation allows for acquisition, restoration, and management of habitat on a large-scale and biologically meaningful basis. Essentially, habitats that are impacted by the freeway projects have the potential to result in the acquisition of large parcels with similar habitat. It is important to note that wildlife corridors that are impacted by freeway projects will need to be improved and the cost of those improvements will NOT come from the $243.5 million.

Second, OCTA is required to work with resource agencies for permitting of their projects and mitigation as well. The negotiating team has been working closely with the resource agencies that have offered streamlined permitting for OCTA's projects. This means that the projects, when under review, will rise to the top of the review pile instead being potentially delayed in a backlog.

Third, the environmental community, OCTA and the resource agencies will work cooperatively to create a Conservation Map for the County. This Map will guide what habitats could be impacted by the freeway projects and what properties are eligible for the Programmatic Mitigation funds.

Fourth, a Mitigation and Resource Protection Program Oversight Committee will be formed to review the projects, make recommendations, and monitor the implementation of the Programmatic Mitigation. Of the 12 seats on this Committee, several will be exclusively reserved for the environmental community.

Other wins for the environmental community as it relates to Measure M include the following.

1) Since Measure M isn't set to expire until 2011, none of the mitigation funds would normally be available to spend until such time. One major concern we had was that many of the appropriate properties will no longer be available for acquisition because they instead may be developed by then. So we negotiated into the Measure, the opportunity to bridge and bond against the funding so that the money could be made available as early as 2007 if properties are ready for purchase and the Conservation Map is completed.

2) In addition, the team was able to add what is called Context Sensitive Design to the freeway component and we anticipate this concept will be incorporated into the local roads component as well. Context Sensitive Design means that the design of the freeway will be sensitive to the context (location) it is in. Existing examples of Context Sensitive Design include the sound walls that are used along freeways. Instead of erecting blank brick walls, the walls are etched with mountains or palm trees to soften the appearance. An even better iteration of Context Sensitive Design is constructing berms landscaped with native plants rather than walls.

3) OCTA is also willing to continue the dialogue about other opportunities in Orange County, including but not limited to a future open space and water quality funding measure.

To date, twenty-nine environmental and community groups have signed on in support of the Measure and its environmental components.

BREAKING NEWS FROM november 30, 2005

CHINO HILLS STATE PARK RECEIVES $4.2 MILLION GRANT
National Park Service Deputy Director Donald Murphy came to California to join State Park Director Ruth Coleman to commemorate the recent award of a $4.2 million Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for the improvement of the Bane Canyon Road and the construction of a multipurpose trail and other visitor and maintenance facilities at Chino Hills State Park. This project will increase long-awaited public access opportunities into the interior of the 12,500 acre state park that stretches across three counties.

In the Los Angeles Basin, this oak and woodland park is one of the last remaining islands of wilderness that allows wildlife to move and flourish in their natural habitat. It is reported to be the last state park in an urban area that still has nesting golden eagles. Mountain lions roam the hills. It is a last-frontier kind of place in the midst of an expanding suburbia where our citizens can see nature at its raw best.

Many park supporters will be on hand, including Nature of Wildworks, which will be bringing many of the living examples of birds and animals found at the park, such as a red tail hawk and a great horned owl, along with several small mammals, including a raccoon and a fox. These are mostly creatures that have been injured and cannot be returned to the wild.
 

BREAKING NEWS FROM Summer 2005

REPORT SAYS THE MISSING MIDDLE SHOULD BE SAVED!
The Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor is a peninsula of mostly undeveloped hills jutting about 42 km (26 miles) from the Santa Ana Mountains into the heart of the densely urbanized Los Angeles Basin. Intense public interest in conserving open space here has created a series of reserves and parks along most of the corridor’s length, but significant gaps in protection remain. These natural habitat areas support a surprising diversity of native wildlife, from mountain lions and mule deer to walnut groves, roadrunners, and horned lizards. But maintaining this diversity of life requires maintaining functional connections along the entire length of the corridor, so that wildlife can move between reserves—from one end of the hills to the other.

Already the corridor is fragmented by development and crossed by numerous busy roads, which create hazards and in some cases barriers to wildlife movement. Proposed developments threaten to further degrade or even sever the movement corridor, especially within its so-called “Missing Middle.” This mid-section of the corridor system, stretching from Tonner Canyon on the east to Harbor Boulevard on the west, includes several large properties proposed for new housing, roads, golf courses, and reservoirs. Such developments would reduce habitat area and the capacity to support area-dependent species and, if poorly designed, could block wildlife movement through the corridor.

This report builds on an impressive array of previous ecological and wildlife movement studies in the Puente-Chino Hills, as well as the general literature on wildlife movement corridors as it applies to this unique peninsula of wildness. It supplements the existing information with an analysis of gaps in protection—with special focus on the vulnerable Missing Middle—and recommends conservation and management actions to prevent further loss of ecological connectivity and retain native species.

For a copy of this report in pdf format, please follow this link to: Maintaining Ecological Connectivity Across the "Missing Middle” of the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor. (2.78 MB)

BREAKING NEWS FROM SEPTEMBER 22, 2003

HILLS FOR EVERYONE FUNDRAISER II
The Brea Mall is planning its 1st annual "Simon Evening of Giving" which is a special evening of private shopping on Sunday, November 23, from 6:30 - 10 pm.  It is specifically for supporters of local charities and non-profit organizations, including Hills For Everyone.

All stores will be open and door prizes and entertainment will abound.  The ticket for admission is a $10 donation with $8 going to Hills For Everyone and $2 to benefit the Simon Youth Foundation.

Use one of four ways to buy tickets: (1) email Hills For Everyone at info@HillsForEveryone.org, (2) call 714-687-1555, (3) pay online using your checking account or credit card through an online payment center called www.PayPal.com, or (4) mail a check to Hills For Everyone and request tickets.  Our mailing address is P.O. Box 9835, Brea CA 92822-1835. 

If you are going to shop there anyway, this ticket will help save the hills and help you avoid the holiday crowds!

BREAKING NEWS FROM JULY 14th

BONNIE RAITT CONCERT
If you love the Puente-Chino Hills and the great R & B singer/songwriter Bonnie Raitt, we have an awesome opportunity for you! Bonnie Raitt has selected Hills For Everyone as the beneficiary of a fundraising event at her concert at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center on Saturday August 9th. Check it out at: http://www.bonnieraitt.com/ontour.php. She has linked to our website at the bottom of that page.

The evening includes great seats and a "Meet and Greet" with Ms. Raitt after the show. We will be serving a dessert and beverages during which she will join (just us) after the show. We will also have a table at the concert for people to learn more about our work to save the hills. The cost of each ticket is $250.00.

To learn more: call 800-728-6223 or click the link www.guacfund.org to read about the concert.

Read the invitation to the concert (189 KB). 

BREAKING NEWS FROM JUNE 17th

RESIDENTS SUPPORT ACQUIRING HILLSIDE OPEN SPACE
Brea—Scientific polling of more than 700 registered voters in the communities of Brea, Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, La Habra, La Habra Heights, Rowland Heights and Whittier shows that residents are generally satisfied with the quality of life in their communities, but they have significant growth-related concerns.

The polling results were revealed June 16th to the Whittier and Brea city councils by Dr. Robert Meadow, president of Decision Research, the San Diego- and Washington, D.C.-based firm that conducted the polling. Dr. Meadow said that residents are most concerned about traffic having a negative impact on their quality of life. According to Dr. Meadow, the loss of open space translates into opposition to unrestricted development and support for government actions to protect open space.

Residents favor preserving open space by very large majorities. Regarding the 3,600-home development plan proposed by Aera Energy Corporation, a 5-to-1 ratio of respondents favor public purchase of the land rather than the development plan. Seventy-six percent of residents believe that government should purchase the land from Aera at the current fair market value and set it aside for open space and other uses. Fifteen percent supports allowing Aera to develop the land according to its plan, and nine percent don’t know what should be done.

Residents from each of the seven areas agree that preventing development of open space and preserving undeveloped wildlife corridors will keep local communities attractive to new business and protect their quality of life. Residents of Whittier, Brea, Diamond Bar and La Habra Heights feel especially strongly that nearby open space increases property values.

Dr. Meadow said that residents support the government paying to protect open space even if it means restrictions that cause less profit for landowners. Of residents in Brea, Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and Whittier, 70 percent say local government should use tax dollars to acquire open space to protect the quality of life in the area. Residents also support using public funds to purchase open space, and they do not trust that private landowners can be counted on to preserve open space. While the voters are respectful of private property rights, they reject, by a margin of 69 percent to 29 percent, the statement that private landowners should be allowed to develop their land as they see fit for housing.

In addition to the general concern of losing open space, respondents indicate strong concern about the impact the development would have on traffic and the overcrowding of schools.

General summary findings included:
• Respondents in most areas view open space as insufficient and think it is important to preserve open space.
• There is a role for government—particularly county government—in open space preservation.
• Respondents support using tax dollars to acquire open space, but support it less if taxes would rise.
• Preventing additional development is necessary to avoid more traffic congestion.
• Even if some of the cost is assessed to homeowners, respondents prefer the public purchase of the land Aera plans to develop, though support is very weak in La Habra.

Dr. Meadow has more than 20 years of research experience, is the author of four books and was a faculty member at UC San Diego, University of Southern California and the University of Pennsylvania. Decision Research conducted the polling in conjunction with Waters & Faubel.

Click the link to learn more about:  
        Press Release (89 KB) 
        Poll Questions (73 KB)
        Poll Results (818 KB)

Click the link to view the PowerPoint presentation given to the Cities of Whittier and Brea.
        City of Whittier PowerPoint (1.2 MB)
        City of Brea PowerPoint (1.2 MB)


Click the link to learn more about the Aera Energy (Shell-ExxonMobil) Project.

Breaking News from April 2003

Coal Canyon gets a spot in the Road Riporter. 

Click the link to read the article. (1.5 MB)

Breaking News from April 21, 2003

Aera Energy (Shell-ExxonMobil) Releases NOP

Aera filed its Notice of Preparation (NOP) of an Environmental Impact Report with the Counties of Los Angeles and Orange on Monday, April 21, 2003.  The County of Los Angeles is the lead agency since 90% of the Aera project lies within LA's jurisdiction. State law allows reasonable time for interested agencies and concerned citizens to review and comment on the NOP.

Aera proposes to change the local area plan and zoning to implement a phased development of 3,600 houses, an 18-hole golf course, local community commercial uses, and park space.  This project will bring an additional 40,000 vehicle trips a day to our streets, destroy the scenic backdrop to north Orange County and sever the Puente-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor.

Click the links below to learn more about Aera Energy: 
    Aera's Proposed Project
    Cities in Support of Full Preservation of Aera's land
        Read Aera's NOP Notice (313 KB)
    Site Photos
      
How to stay informed about the Aera Energy Project: 
    Add yourself to the HFE Quarterly Newsletter
    Add yourself to the HFE Email Newsletter
    Request a Presentation
   

Breaking News from December 10, 2002

COAL CANYON ASPHALT REMOVAL
Another milestone in the restoration of a habitat linkage between the Santa Ana Mountains and the Puente-Chino Hills was reached December 10, 2002. Officials and citizens gathered to celebrate the beginning of the restoration of the underpass (view gallery pictures through the link below). Beginning in January 2003, CalTrans will remove the on and off-ramps from public use. Since land on both sides of the freeway is now part of Chino Hills State Park, there is no need for the ramps. Emergency vehicles will have newly designed limited access.

Asphalt under the underpass will be removed and the area re-vegetated. The fencing that currently stops wildlife movement will be realigned to route them under the freeway. This will help re-establish wildlife migration and dispersal routes. Without this linkage, the wildlife in the Puente-Chino Hills would have become marooned, surrounded by a sea of urbanization. Now a river of life will flow under Coal Canyon.

Click the link to see photos of the event: 
    Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher
    Official groundbreaking
    Students from Bryant Ranch elementary school