Letter Sent to Caltrans Re: Environmental Assessment for Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing

To: Ron Kosinski, Deputy District Director California Department of Transportation Division of Environmental Planning

Re: Liberty Canyon Crossing Project Mitigated Negative Declaration - Environmental Assessment Comments (SCH No. 2017091039)

Support for Alternative 2, Design Option 1

Dear Mr. Kosinski,

We are 8 former Mayors of the City of Agoura Hills. We have been aware for many years of the need for a wildlife crossing west of Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills and actively supported acquisition of large areas of permanent open space, managed by the National Park Service, State Parks the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC), and the Mountains Restoration and Conservation Authority (MRCA) on both sides of the 101 Freeway. We support the construction of a linkage bridge connecting the fragmented habitats north and south of the 101 Freeway. The SMMC began land acquisition and native vegetation restoration on both sides of Agoura Road approximately 15 years ago to facilitate wildlife movement in this area.

Expert wildlife biologists from the National Parks Service and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy thoroughly reviewed the alternatives for the crossing and also preferred Alternative 2, a crossing over the freeway and Agoura Road rather than a long, narrow tunnel that leaves wildlife to cross Agoura Road through traffic, or to use the existing underpass at Liberty Canyon Road with its commercial development and lighting. These alternatives were discussed and analyzed by multiple local, state and federal partners participating in the project, as well as by public testimony beginning with the hearing on the Scoping Plan in Jan 2016 and reinforced at the October 12th hearing.

We continue to be supportive of Alternative 2, a 200 foot long, 165 foot wide landscaped bridge over the 101 freeway and also over Agoura Road with the preferred Option 1. This option would be to construct a 48 foot wide bridge over Agoura Road, rather than the 54 foot wide and 18 foot high alternative. The steep topography from the freeway bridge to the protected open space south of Agoura Road requires the extension of the bridge to protect the wildlife and the motorists on Agoura Road. The reduced height to about 16 feet is consistent with freeway overpasses in our area and the 48 foot width of the Agoura Road bridge will reduce impacts to wildlife, as well as creeks and oaks along this narrow rural road. The City of Agoura Hills General Plan designates this section of Agoura Road as a rural road with two lanes for motorists, bicycle lanes, and no street lights. The 48 foot dimension is more than adequate to accommodate these features. The larger 54 foot dimension increases costs and environmental impacts with no justifiable gain.

Cal Trans has done an excellent job in providing public outreach on this project. There were well attended hearings in Jan of 2016 and October of 2017, press releases in all the local newspapers in the region, mailings to the public, and emails with access to the environmental assessment. Cal Trans along with partner organizations have encouraged the public to attend the hearings and send in written comments by October 26th. We look forward to the final adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration/Environmental assessment prior to the end of this year.

Sincerely,
Former Agoura Hills Mayors:

Ed Corridori, Fran Pavley, Joan Yacovone, Darlene McBane,
Louise Rishoff, Jack Koenig, Jeff Reinhardt, Dan Kuperberg

If you agree, send your own comment to  Mr. Kosinski at:  liberty.canyon@dot.ca.gov

Caltrans to Hold Public Informational Meeting on Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing Project

Public Hearing Scheduled Oct. 12

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) plans to hold a public informational meeting Oct. 12 and accept public comments on Caltrans’ proposal to build a wildlife crossing facility over U.S. Highway 101 (the Ventura Freeway) in the city of Agoura Hills.

The initial study and environmental assessment (IS/EA), which Caltrans issued in September, found that the project will provide a safe and sustainable wildlife passage across Highway 101 to help reduce wildlife mortality and enhance safety for motorists by reducing motorists’ sudden movements when avoiding animals crossing the freeway.

Caltrans intends to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration on the project, based on studies that show it will not significantly affect the quality of the environment provided that the project incorporates certain measures such as vegetation and replanting, water quality permits and post-construction monitoring.

The public hearing on the report is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 12 at King Gillette Ranch Auditorium, 26800 Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. The public is invited to attend to learn more about the project, ask questions and provide comments as the project moves forward.

The Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing would be the first of its kind in California. Similar wildlife crossings have been built and used successfully in other states and countries.

Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills has been identified as the ideal spot for a vegetated crossing to provide safe passage for wildlife across U.S. Highway 101. No public funds will be diverted from the state highway construction budget to build the wildlife crossing. The Caltrans project is being drawn up in conjunction with fundraising efforts by the National Wildlife Federation and Santa Monica Mountains Fund.

Since 1996, the National Park Service has been studying carnivores in and around the Santa Monica Mountains to determine how they survive in an increasingly fragmented and urbanized environment. During the course of the study, biologists have studied more than 340 bobcats, 145 coyotes and 60 mountain lions.

A study co-authored last year with researchers at UCLA found that without increased connectivity, especially for animals moving in from the north, this would lead to the continued erosion of genetic diversity and increase the chances of extinction of the mountain range’s population of mountain lions and other wildlife.

The IS/EA is available for review online at the Caltrans project website at http://www.dot.ca.gov/d7/ projects/libertycanyon/.

It will also be available for review at the Agoura Hills Public Library (29901 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, CA 91301) weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The public may submit comments in writing, no later than Oct. 26, to Ron Kosinski, Deputy Director, California Department of Transportation, Division of Environmental Planning, 100 S. Main Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

For additional information, the public may contact Ms. Susan Tse at (213) 897-1821 or via email at LibertyCanyon@dot.ca.gov.

Public Hearing Scheduled for Wildlife Overpass

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) yesterday announced that the public can review and comment on the Caltrans proposal to build a wildlife crossing facility over U.S. Highway 101 (the Ventura Freeway) in the city of Agoura Hills. 

The initial study and environmental assessment (IS/EA), which Caltrans issued this month, explains that the project will provide a safe and sustainable wildlife passage across Highway 101 to help reduce wildlife mortality and enhance safety for motorists by reducing motorists’ sudden movements when avoiding animals crossing the freeway. 

Caltrans intends to adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration on the project, based on studies that show it will not significantly affect the quality of the environment provided that the project incorporates certain measures such as vegetation and replanting, water quality permits and post-construction monitoring.

A public hearing on the report is scheduled for October 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at King Gillette Ranch Auditorium, 26800 Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. The public is invited to attend to learn more about the project, ask questions and provide comments as the project moves forward.

The Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing would be the first of its kind in California. Similar wildlife crossings have been built and used successfully in other states and countries.

Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills has been identified as the ideal spot for a vegetated crossing to provide safe passage for wildlife across U.S. Highway 101. No public funds will be diverted from the state highway construction budget to build the wildlife crossing. The Caltrans project is being drawn up in conjunction with fundraising efforts by the National Wildlife Federation and Santa Monica Mountains Fund.

Since 1996, the National Park Service has been studying carnivores in and around the Santa Monica Mountains to determine how they survive in an increasingly fragmented and urbanized environment. During the course of the study, biologists have studied more than 340 bobcats, 145 coyotes and 60 mountain lions.

A study co-authored last year with researchers at UCLA found that without increased connectivity, especially for animals moving in from the north, this would lead to the continued erosion of genetic diversity and increase the chances of extinction of the mountain range’s population of mountain lions and other wildlife.

The IS/EA is available for review online at the Caltrans project website at http://www.dot.ca.gov/d7/projects/libertycanyon/.

The IS/EA is also available for review and reproduction at the Caltrans District 7, Division of Environmental Planning Office (100 S. Main Street, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90012) weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Additionally, it will be available for review at the Agoura Hills Public Library (29901 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, CA 91301) weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The public may submit comments in writing, no later than Oct. 26, to Ron Kosinski, Deputy Director, California Department of Transportation, Division of Environmental Planning, 100 S. Main Street, MS 16A, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

For additional information, the public may contact Ms. Susan Tse at (213) 897-1821 or via email at LibertyCanyon@dot.ca.gov.

Workshop Scheduled for Kanan/Agoura Road Intersection Improvement Project

An "Informational Workshop" for the Kanan/Agoura Road Ultimate Intersection Improvement Project is scheduled for September 28, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at the Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center.

The city's Director of Public Works, Ramiro Adeva explained the purpose of the workshop. "The Council directed staff to hold an informative workshop for any interested members of the public to attend, including businesses and developers as well, in order to discuss/explain the details of the project. We most definitely will allow questions to be asked, and will consider any points brought up at the meeting. We look forward to educating the public on the technical rationale used in designing the ultimate intersection."

It’s obvious that traffic is increasing at the Kanan/Agoura Road intersection every year, including from the mountain and beach communities to our south, and from our north. As Agoura Village is built out, that traffic impact will also need to be accommodated. We strongly encourage you to take this unique opportunity to look at the city’s plans, including for additional traffic lanes, road widening and removal of oak trees. Get your questions answered. Share your thoughts and suggestions with the staff and City Council. We hope that the final design will also reflect its location as gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. 

Additional information will be available on the city's web site and at City Hall.

Agoura Hills Tomorrow Sent the Following Letter to Our City Council on August 4, 2017

Dear Mayor Weber, Mayor pro Tem Koehler, Councilmember Buckley-Weber, Councilmember Northrup and Councilmember Schwarz:

AgouraHillsTomorrow is a group of eight former mayors of Agoura Hills dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the unique quality of life in Agoura Hills – Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains. As new development is proposed in our city, we take the opportunity from time to time to share our thoughts on consistency with our vision of a small town, still semi-rural and family friendly, but open to new development that respects these values.

The first step for new development is a stop before the city’s Architectural Review Board (“ARB”). As presently constituted the ARB consists of the Director of Planning, the project case planner, and at least one architect and one landscape architect. The landscape architect has just moved out of the city and the architect lives in Encino. We believe that this is an appropriate time to revisit its makeup.

Virtually all of the remaining commercial development will be built along Agoura Road and within the Agoura Village Specific Plan. It will be set against the backdrop of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that we believe helps define the character of our city. We see a unique opportunity over the next number of years to make Agoura Village an award-winning model of urban planning in a semi-rural setting, but only if careful attention is paid at the earliest point in the development process—the ARB.

Our city’s architectural review guidelines already state as goals “to promote higher design quality, and for each project to be in harmony with its natural and manmade setting. Alteration of natural landforms and plant communities should be minimized; preservation of oak trees is given high priority.” This includes “designs which take advantage of, rather than altering, natural landforms…. A human scale of design…. Designs that reinforce the city’s semi-rural residential, low profile character and earth-toned, subdued colors.”

AgouraHillsTomorrow opposed recent approval of Cornerstone, the first project to be submitted within Agoura Village, sited high on a prominent oak-studded knoll at the intersection of Cornell and Agoura Road, because it failed all of these threshold tests. We support the citizen lawsuit challenging its extreme density and massive grading, and which demands a formal Environmental Impact Report.

We believe that a strong ARB is critical to the process and to avoid another Cornerstone. We also believe that the public members must be Agoura Hills residents. The future of our city belongs in the hands of the individuals and families who have chosen Agoura Hills as the place to call home and who cherish the natural beauty that we enjoy from virtually every corner of our city.

Qualifying backgrounds to serve as ARB members should be expanded. They should still include architecture and landscape design, but also expertise in such areas as environmental planning, sustainability, energy efficiency and similar that will help Agoura Village projects qualify for the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (“LEED”) certification.

LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Available for virtually all building project types, from new construction to interior fit-outs and operation and maintenance, LEED provides a framework to create healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement.

Agoura Hills already has a few LEED-certified buildings in the city. LEED certification should be one of the proud hallmarks of all incoming projects within the Agoura Village Specific Plan area, guided by a new forward-looking Architectural Review Board.

ARB meetings should also be formalized and noticed so that there is an opportunity for the public to attend and provide critical early input.

We respectfully request that this issue be agendized for discussion and action by the full City Council.

Thank you,
AgouraHillsTomorrow
Former mayors Ed Corridori, Jack Koenig, Dan Kuperberg, Darlene McBane, Fran Pavley, Jeff Reinhardt, Louise Rishoff, Joan Yacovone

Water District Targets Property for Pure Water Project

The Las Virgenes - Triunfo Joint Powers Authority (JPA), a partnership between the two local water districts, is seeking to acquire 7.1 acres on the south side of Agoura Road at the western end of the city for the Pure Water Project (PWP). The current owner of the property had sought to build over 100,000 square feet of three story senior apartments on the site. (See "Poles Tell 'Story' on Agoura Road," 8/23/16 on this blog.) The use for the PWP is expected to be more attractive with fewer environmental impacts. The LVMWD has a history of blending its projects into the surroundings and providing public access to hiking trails where possible. The Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club expressed support calling the project a "visionary proposal."  

The Pure Water Project will take surplus recycled water from the Tapia Water Reclamation Facility and further treat it to better than drinking water standards. After treatment, the water would then be stored at Las Virgenes Reservoir until needed, and before distribution, it would again be filtered and treated for use in the drinking water system.

Community Support

After nearly two years of study and community stakeholder workshops, the Las Virgenes - Triunfo Joint Powers Authority (JPA) agreed the Pure Water Project was the answer to several challenges:

· The service area is entirely reliant upon imported water. Another source is needed.
· Wastewater treatment standards have become increasingly stringent and costly.
· There are environmental concerns about discharging surplus water to Malibu Creek.
· The new Tapia operating permit requires a reduction in creek discharges and higher water quality.

Since setting the course to build a PWP, the Water District has conducted over 20 community awareness briefings to receptive audiences. If you would like a free presentation about the PWP for your HOA, service club or fraternal group, you can contact the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District to arrange a date.

Schedule

Some of the needed infrastructure is already in place but new elements would include building an Advanced Water Treatment facility, a brine disposal pipeline and a new supply line to Las Virgenes Reservoir. It will take time to do the preparation work that includes design and engineering, environmental studies, and determining the best options for funding the project. Because of these factors, an operational facility is years away but some of these processes are already in motion.

Financing
Final costs are not yet known but the JPA is actively seeking federal and state assistance in the form of grants and low-cost loans. To date, $450,000 has been awarded by the federal Bureau of Reclamation offset some of the cost for constructing a demonstration facility. The facility will provide an opportunity for the public to see the technology behind the project before it is built full-scale.

To learn more about the Pure Water Project, go to http://www.lvmwd.com/about-us/joint-powers-authority/pure-water-project-las-virgenes-triunfo

Wildlife Crossings In the News

Today's Wall Street Journal features an article on wildlife crossings in the USA. They report that data from cameras on crossings in Montana show almost 23,000 animals used the crossings in 2015 and animals, including deer and bear, appear to be teaching their young to use the safe passage over the highway.

Vehicle animal collisions have been significantly reduced according to the article. "A November 2016 Western Transportation Institute report based on five years of animal-vehicle collision data showed that roadkill numbers for large wild mammals fell 80% along sections of the highway served by three of the more prominent crossings, while such deaths increased along sections with no structures." The proposed Liberty Canyon crossing is  cited in the article along with P22, our world famous, local mountain lion. Click HERE for the online WSJ article.

In related news, the MRCA closed escrow on, June 15, on 5 acres in Liberty Canyon (APN 2052-013-040). that serve to protect the wildlife corridor from development that might discourage animal migration. See our May 25 article, "Conservancy Acquires Key Parcel." The acquisition of this property was made possible through funding from Prop 1 and Prop A.