RPVCCA_CC_SR_2013_03_19_03_Upper_Point_Vicente_Agricultural_UseCITY OF
MEMORANDUM
4o RANCHO PALOS VERDES
TO:HONORABLE MAYOR &CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM:CAROLYNN PETRU,AICP,DEPUTY CITY MANAGER@)
DATE:MARCH 19,2013
SUBJECT:AGRICULTURAL USE AT UPPER POINT VICENTE
REVIEWED:CAROLYN LEHR,CITY MANAGER ~
Project Manager:Kit Fox,AICP,Senior Administrative Analyst@
RECOMMENDATION
Receive a status update on the renewal of the agricultural lease at Upper Point Vicente;
and provide direction to Staff for further action,as appropriate.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council initially received a report on the request to reassign and extend the
agricultural lease at Upper Point Vicente (UPV)on December 4,2012.Staff now
presents a status update on this request.
BACKGROUND
The attached Staff report and excerpted Minutes of the December 4,2012,City Council
meeting provide the background for this issue.Also attached to tonight's report is
additional e-mail correspondence on this topic that was received subsequent to the
December 4,2012,meeting.
DISCUSSION
Amendment to the Program of Utilization (POUl
As discussed in the December 4,2012,Staff report,David Siegenthaler with the
National Park Service (NPS)is the Pacific West Region Coordinator for the Federal
Lands to Parks Program.NPS has jurisdiction over the use of the portions of UPV that
are encumbered by the POU.Mr.Siegenthaler has previously stated:
Agriculture is not a public park and recreation use and is not allowed on
lands conveyed through the Federal Lands to Parks Program.I believe
that early in the history of the land transfer the city inquired about granting
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
March 19,2013
Page 2
a lease for agricultural use on the park land and was told that it was not
consistent with the purposes of the land transfer.In addition,leases are
not allowed in general.
In order to confirm NPS'position in this matter,Staff recently contacted
Mr.Siegenthaler again with two (2)questions:
1.Do you see a means by which the existing agricultural use could be modified so
as to be consistent with the POU ,thereby avoiding the conversion process?For
example,do you think that the provision of additional public access,education
programs,site amenities,modifications to the size/area/activities,etc.,could be
found sufficient by NPS to allow the City to reassign and extend the lease?
2.In the event that the answer to the first question is "no,"what is the process for
initiating the conversion?The City has identified vacant land for possible
acquisition to replace the ±5.5-acre farm site to be converted.
As of the date that this report was completed,Staff had not yet received a response to
these questions from Mr.Siegenthaler.Our assumption is that his answer to the first
question will be "no."However,Staff was able to find some information in the
"Frequently Asked Questions"(FAQs)section of the NPS website to help in answering
the second question (see below).
Q.What if we want to use the transferred property for something else
later on rather than public parks and recreation?
A.This occasionally happens.If the holder of the deed wants to use
the property for different recreational uses than agreed to in the
original application,he or she may request Federal Lands to Parks
Program approval to amend the original use plan.For example,a
local park agency may decide the open space is needed more as a
public golf course.However,the Federal Property and
Administrative Services Act of 1949,as amended,says that if a
property is no longer needed for public parks and recreation,it may
be reverted back to the federal government,at the discretion of the
Department of the Interior.One option is for the community to
voluntarily return the property to the Federal government and seek
to purchase the property at fair market value.An alternative to
reverting the property is for the community (deed holder)to request
National Park Service approval to replace the property with another
suitable property that has the same or greater value and
recreational utifity.
Staff will continue to work with Mr.Siegenthaler to identify the appropriate course of
action to amend the POU and affect the conversion of the ±5.5-acre farm site.
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
March 19,2013
Page 3
Potential Candidate Properties for Conversion
Based upon the previous response from Mr.Siegenthaler,leasing a portion of the UPV
property for continued commercial farming would require the City to undertake a
"conversion"process to replace the area of UPV to be leased for the farm with another
property that is suitable for public park and recreation use.The replacement property
would have to be newly and specifically acquired for this purpose,and would need to be
of:.
•Equal fair-market value to the area to be converted;and,
•Reasonably-equivalent recreational use and location to the area to be converted.
At the December 4,2012,meeting,Sunshine suggested property that the City might
possibly acquire in exchange for the existing farm area.For some time now,the City
has been negotiating with private property owners and the U.S.Fish &Wildlife Services
(USFWS)to acquire additional City open space using Federal grant funds.The two (2)
properties are known Malaga Canyon and North Windport Canyon (see attached aerial
photographs ):
•Malaga Canyon consists of roughly forty-eight acres (48 ac.)situated on both
sides of Montemalaga Drive between Silver Spur Road and the City boundary
with Palos Verdes Estates.Areas of the property have scenic north-facing views
of Santa Monica Bay.The canyon also could provide opportunities for passive
outdoor recreational use in the form of trails.The Conceptual Trails Plan
identifies several segments of the Malaga Canyon Trail System in this area.
•North Windport Canyon consists of roughly eight acres (8 ac.)located on the
west side of Hawthorne Boulevard between Locklenna Lane and Ocean Crest
Drive,and abutting the south end of Windport Drive.Areas of the property have
scenic west-facing views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands (similar to the
current farm site). The City purchased the abutting South Wind port Canyon
property to the south in 2007,and the property abuts the Agua Amarga Canyon
Reserve of the City's Palos Verdes Nature Preserve to the west.The canyon
also could provide opportunities for passive outdoor recreational use in the form
of trails.The Conceptual Trails Plan identifies two (2)segments of the Lunada
Canyon Trail System in this area.
Staff believes that since both of these candidate sites are natural canyon areas that
have never been developed,they would be ecologically and recreationally superior to
the current farm site,which has been altered through decades of agricultural use.Staff
will continue to work with Mr.Siegenthaler to determine if either of these properties may
be a suitable candidate for conversion.
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
March 19,2013
Page 4
Sunshine's Proposal for Dry Farming
At the December 4,2012,meeting,Sunshine suggested including the provision of an
agricultural demonstration area for dry farming at UPV.Her suggestion was that an
additional portion of UPV could be converted to provide a 6-to 7-acre plot on the edge
of the Nature Preserve for a dry farming area and maintenance yard.This is a concept
that Sunshine originally developed for Lower Point Vicente in 2005 in conjunction with
the draft Parks,Recreation and Open Space Strategic Plan (which the City Council did
not approve at that time).
Staff applauds Sunshine's desire to preserve the agricultural history of the Palos Verdes
Peninsula,which is enshrined on the goals and policies of the City's General Plan.
However,Staff has specific concerns about adding this proposal at UPV:
•The City Council endorsed the Public Use Master Plan (PUMP)Committee
recommendation of 2009 that the existing Hatano farm be allowed to continue in
its present location,with no increase in intensity,until such time as habitat
restoration can occur.Adding another agricultural use at UPV would appear to
conflict with this previous direction and the PUMP Committee recommendation.
•Among the main purposes in pursing the conversion related to the Hatano farm
site is to ensure that it is maintained so that Mr.Martinez can continue a
successful local business and make a living to support his family.Sunshine's
proposal has value as an educational and cultural resource,but no one's
livelihood depends upon it.Staff is concerned that enlarging the scope of the
conversion to include Sunshine's proposal may delay or jeopardize the
successful conversion of the Hatano farm site.
•As Staff understands her proposal,Sunshine enVISions that this agricultural
demonstration area could be developed in the lower portion of UPV,off the
unnamed cul-de-sac adjacent to the Villa Capri neighborhood and St.Paul's
Lutheran Church.Staff is concerned that adding agricultural uses in this area at
UPV would be objectionable to nearby residents.In addition,the Resources
Agencies have advised the City that this portion of UPV should remain as a part
of the City's Nature Preserve so as to provide connectivity to the portions of the
preserve on the seaward side of Palos Verdes Drive West (Le.,at Lower Point
Vicente and in the adjacent Oceanfront Estates community).The location of
such a facility would need to be carefully studied so as to be compatible with
surrounding land uses.
Estimate of Future Rent
As described in the December 4,2012,Staff report,the City has received $100.00 per
year in compensation from Mr.Hatano for the right to farm at UPV,a nominal amount
that is far below "market rate"rent for a ±5.5-acre site,but which has been justified due
to Mr.Hatano's longstanding use of the property and the historic value of maintaining
the tradition of the Japanese American "truck farm"on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
March 19,2013
Page 5
Based upon information from the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm
Managers and Rural Appraisers (CaIASFMRA),Staff had estimated that "market rate"
rent would be $12,100to $19,250 per year for this site.
Recently,Staff was made aware that the State Lands Commission (SLC)is proposing
rule changes to (among another things)adjust the minimum rental rates that it charges
lessees for the use of public land.Staff noted that SLC is proposing to increase the
minimum annual rent that it charges for agricultural uses from $250.00 to $600.00 in
2013.This information may be useful in future discussions of the appropriate rent to
collect for the farm.
Status of Expired Lease Agreement
The 5-year lease that the City entered into with Mr.Hatano expired on March 31 ,2011.
However,since that date,Mr.Hatano has continued to pay the annual $100.00 for the
use of the property on a "year-to-year"basis.Staff recommends that the City continue
this practice for at least the next year while we explore the conversion process with
NPS.Staff will send a letter to Mr.Hatano asking him to remit payment for the April 1,
2013 -March 31,2014 period before the end of this month.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Mr.Hatano,his daughter and son,and the farm's foreman,Mr.Martinez,have been
advised of the City Council's consideration of this report at tonight's meeting.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion,Staff recommends that the City Council receive this status update on the
renewal of the agricultural lease at Upper Point Vicente;and provide direction to Staff
for further action,as appropriate.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council's Direction at the December 4,2012,meeting was to pursue the
necessary steps to retain the existing agricultural use at UPV.Based upon public
testimony and City Council discussion at tonight's meeting,different and/or additional
alternative courses of action may be identified.
FISCAL IMPACT
In the near term,the City expects to continue to receive $100.00 per year for the use of
the ±5.5-acre site.This revenue may change depending upon the amount of rent that
the City Council ultimately agrees to charge Mr.Martinez.With respect to the
conversion process,the funding for the acquisition of the candidate properties is
expected to come from a Federal grant.However,there may be City additional costs
related to the conversion process that cannot be reliably estimated at this time.
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
March 19,2013
Page 6
Attachments:
•Aerial photos of Malaga Canyon and North Wind port Canyon properties
•Public correspondence since December 4,2012
•City Council Minutes (excerpt)of December 4,2012
•City Council Staff report from December 4,2012
M:IMunlcipal FacilitieslHatano Farm Lease Agreement\20130319_HatanoLease_StaffRpt.docx
3-6
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Kit Fox
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
FYI
Carolynn Petru
Thursday,December 06,20125:14 PM
Kit Fox
FW:please send an update
From:Judy Frankel [mailto:judyfrankel@gmail.com]
Sent:Thursday,December 06,2012 8:49 AM
To:CC;Sharona Byrnes
Subject:please send an update
Dear City Council,
I am one of the fe:w Master Gardeners who live in Rancho Palos Verdes.I am very interested in the use of open
spaces,specifically anything to do with farming on the hill.
I am forwarding this to the founder of Sustainable Palos Verdes Schools as well.
Please send me an update on the Japanese and Caucasian style farming at Point Vicente Park.I am in
favor of keeping the farming going wherever possible.
Sincerely,
Judy Frankel
Judy Frankel,Founder
1
3-9
.Kit Fox
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Carolynn Petru
Thursday,December 06,2012 4:07 PM
Kit Fox
FW:Farming at Upper Point Vicente
From:cprotem73@verizon.net [mailto:cprotem73@verizon.net]
Sent:Thursday,December 06,2012 3:07 PM
To:CC;CityManager
Subject:Farming at Upper Point Vicente
Just a thought.The farming was occuring under the federal government prior to the city's
incorporation.If it was approriate then should it not be appropriate to continue it now?
Ken Dyda
.~
1
3-10
Teresa Takaoka
From:SunshineRPV@aoLcom
Sent:Wednesday,December 05,20124:19 PM
To:jUdyfrankel@gmail.com;susan@californiaproduced.com;swimdude64@earthlink.net;leneebifski@hotmaif.com;
iswuerker@cox.net;martinezmartin64@yahoo.com
Cc:CC
Subject:The good news for farming in RPV is ...
Dear friends of farming,
The good news is that the RPV City Council was both unanimous and adamant in
directing Staff to find a way to preserve the farm. It gets even better from there.
You saw that the Staff Report was full of doom and gloom.The presentation of the
Staff Report made it even worse by providing numbers like the annual fee should be
in the thousands of dollars instead of the $100.00 which James Hatano has been
paying and that equivalent land would cost in the millions of dollars.
In relation to the usual solution to the desire for a land use which is not compliant with
the Federal government's deed restrictions,I brought up the fact that the City is
already negotiating to purchase a small tract of land that is open space with
recreational trails which might be a reasonable site for a "conversion".
It was after the public comments were over that it was revealed that the Malaga
Canyon property is something like 18 acres and that the Council is really hot to
preserve the functional Japanese style truck farm (irrigated vegetables and flowers)
for historic,educational and tourist attraction reasons.
I had called the City Manager's office earlier in the day about showing the DVD about
local Caucasian style dry farming (oats and garbanzo beans)as "moving art"on the
big screen during the reception as sort of a reminder that the Peninsula has an
equally long history of that activity.I was told "No"but brought along a copy,anyway.
The City Council and most of Staff are not aware that the proposed PARKS,
RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE STRATIGIC PLAN included a "Living History
Museum" with both Japanese and Caucasian style farming at Point Vicente Park.
James Hatano was willing to help the Docents with a children friendly truck farm and
Farmer G was willing to relocate (as in donate and bring home to the west side)the
McCarrell and Peukert family machinery to continue his educational "Project Good
Sense ...No farming,no food"program.That may be August Peukert's (pronounced
pie-kurt)tractor on the cover of the RPV General Plan.It is alive and well as is all the
other machinery in the DVD just waiting to come back to where they can help make
the best garbanzo beans in the world just for the fun of it.
Picture this...The Malaga Canyon land purchase c~nverts 13 ish acres at Upper
Point Vicente Park to non-passive use.Five ish acres for Japanese farming,five ish
acres on the edge of the NCCP for Caucasian dry farming in the winter/victory
gardens in the summer and one ish acre on the edge of the NCCP for a new,covered,
Maintenance Yard with farming equipment storage,machine shop and trailhead
restrooms.It is all right there in the "Strategic Plan".
Now,it comes down to Staff's negotiating skills.The Council gave them a pretty
clear directive without even knowing about the full extent of the opportunity.The DVD
12/5/2012 3-11
went home with the City Manager.Kit Fox is aware that she has it.
Now and then,send an email to cc@rpv.com requesting an update and offering your particular food
production/educational skills."A wink is as good as a nod to a blind horse."As a gang of five,our
current City Council may not be as blind as our last one ....S 310-377-8761
12/5/2012 3-12
Councilman Misetich moved,seconded by Councilman Knight,to continue the meeting
to 11 :00 P.M.to consider additional agenda items.
Without objection,Mayor Brooks so ordered.
REGULAR NEW BUSINESS:
Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
City Clerk Morreale reported that there were two requests to speak regarding this item.
Senior Administrative Analyst Fox provided a brief staff report regarding this item.
Discussion ensued among Council Members,staff and City Attorney Lynch.
Sunshine,Rancho Palos Verdes,stated that she was in favor of the farming use
remaining at the Upper Pt.Vicente site and suggested the possibility of using the
Malaga Canyon Property for conversion qualification.
Dorothy Scheid,stated that her father,Mr.Hatano,was planning to retire and was the
last remaining Japanese American farmer on the Peninsula.She provided a brief
history of her father's life and work on the Peninsula and noted that Mr.Martinez has
been working with her father on the farm for 28 years.She encouraged the Council to
consider the continuity of farming on the property.
Ken Dyda,Rancho Palos Verdes,stated that during the founding of the City there was a
decision to retain the history of farming in the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.He
encouraged the Council to include this site as a possible location for a demonstration
farm with tours and educational components.
Mr.Martinez acknowledged that he currently makes his living on the Hatano farm.
Discussion continued among Council Members,staff and City Attorney Lynch.
Councilman Knight moved,seconded by Mayor Brooks,to direct Staff to pursue
options,such as conversion or amendment to the Program of Utilization with a potential
concession agreement,to retain the farming operation;and consult with the lessee
regarding the functionality of the farm in conjunction with any potential increase in public
access.
The motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Campbell,Duhovic,Knight,Misetich and Mayor Brooks
None
None
City Council Minutes
December 4,2012
Page 10 of 11
3-13
CITY OF
MEMORANDUM
RANCHO PALOS VERDES
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
REVIEWED:
HONORABLE MAYOR &CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CAROLYNN PETRU,AICP,DEPUTY CITY MANAGE~
DECEMBER 4,2012
AGRICULTURAL USE AT UPPER POINT VICENTE
CAROLYN LEHR,CITY MANAGER ~
Project Manager:Kit Fox,AICP,Senior Administrative Analyst @
RECOMMENDATION
1)Provide Staff with direction whether to pursue a "conversion"process to replace the
±5.5-acre portion of the City's Point Vicente Park/Civic Center property (Upper Point
Vicente)currently leased as a commercial farm with another property that is suitable for
public park and recreation use,thereby allowing the farming operation to continue at Upper
Point Vicente;and,2)if the City Council is interested in pursuing a conversion,provide
Staff with direction on the desired form of the future agricultural use at Upper Point Vicente.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
James Hatano wishes to retire from farming a portion of the City's Upper Point Vicente
(UPV)property,and turn over the operation of the farm to his long-time foreman,Martin
Martinez.The most-recent lease with Mr.Hatano has expired and (;'-Qes not allow re-
assignment without City approval.The extension and re-assignment of the lease in its
current form is inconsistent with the Federal use restrictions on the property.While there is
a process available that could potentially allow the use to remain and continue,it would be
time-consuming and costly for the City,and raises a number of policy issues that require
City Council discussion and direction.Therefore,Staff presents a discussion of these
issues for the City Council's consideration.
BACKGROUND
James Hatano has historically farmed portions of the Upper and Lower Point Vicente
properties for many years,through a series of formal and informal agreements with the
City.Prior to the City's acquisition ofthe property in 1976,Mr.Hatano's lease at UPV was
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
December 4,2012
Page 2
with the U.S.Army.Most recently,in May 2006,the City entered into 5-year lease
agreements with Mr.Hatano,under which he continued to pay $100.00 per year for the use
of a ±5.5-acre portion of the UPV property (Le.,Point Vicente Park/Civic Center)and
$531.25 per year for the use of an ±8.5-acre portion of the City's Lower Point Vicente (LPV)
property (i.e.,Point Vicente Interpretive Center).
The City's lease agreements with Mr.Hatano for both sites were each set to expire on
March 31,2011.However,on October 27,2009,the City served Mr.Hatano with the
required 30-day notice of its intention to terminate his lease at LPV.1 The separate lease
for UPV subsequently expired on March 31,2011.Although expired,the City has
continued to receive annual rent payments for the use of UPV through March 31,2013.
However,,any request to transfer or re-assign the expired lease requires City approval.
Late this past summer,Staff was contacted by Mr.Hatano's daughter,Dorothy Scheid,who
expressed interest in extending the lease at UPV and re-assigning it to Mr.Hatano's long-
time foreman,Martin Martinez.Staff met with Mrs.Scheid,Mr.and Mrs.Hatano and
Mr.Martinez on September 12,2012,to discuss the process of formalizing this request.
Mr.Hatano subsequently submitted a written request on October 1,2012,followed by
supplemental requests from Mr.Martinez to Staff and the City Manager on November 5,
2012.Copies of all of these written requests are attached to tonight's report.
DISCUSSION
Staff has identified three (3)significant policy issues that require City Council consideration
for extending the agricultural use at UPV:1)consistency with the Program of Utilization
(POU);2)consistency with the Rancho Palos Verdes General Plan and the Palos Verdes
Nature Preserve;and,3)the form and content of any future lease agreement,including the
consideration of alternate vendor(s),compensation and historical continuity.These issue
areas are discussed individually in the report below.
Consistency with the Program of Utilization (POU)
The existing farm at UPV is located within a portion of the property that is subject to the use
restrictions imposed by the National Park Service (NPS)under the 1976 Program of
Utilization (POU),a copy of which is attached to tonight's report.Agricultural use was on-
going at the time that the POU was originally issued,although there is no specific reference
to such use in the POU itself.As such,Staff was unsure if allowing this use to continue at
UPV would be consistent with the POU.
1 The termination of the lease at LPV was related to anticipated conflicts between Mr.Hatano's on-
going agricultural activities and the City's processing of development entitlements for the proposed Annenberg
Project at LPV.The Annenberg Foundation subsequently withdrew its proposal on August 10,2011.
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
December 4,2012
Page 3
Staff contacted David Siegenthaler with NPS to inquire about extending and transferring the
agricultural lease.In response,Mr.Siegenthaler stated:
Agriculture is not a public park and recreation use and is not allowed on lands
conveyed through the Federal Lands to Parks Program.I believe that early
in the history of the land transfer the city inquired about granting a lease for
agricultural use on the park land and was told that it was not consistent with
the purposes of the land transfer.In addition,leases are not allowed in
general.
Based upon this response,leasing a portion of the UPV property for continued commercial
farming would not be consistent with the POU.2 To address this,the City would have to
undertake'a "conversion"process to replace the area of UPV to be leased for the continued
operation of the farm with another property that is suitable for public park and recreation
use.The replacement property would have to be newly and specifically acquired for this
purpose,and would need to be of:
•Equal fair-market value to the area to be converted;and,
•Reasonably-equivalent recreational use and location to the area to be converted.
At this point,Staff has not identified suitable candidate properties that might be considered
for such an acquisition,which is also not included in the City's adopted 2012-13 budget.
However,we anticipate that the replacement property would need to be located fairly close
to UPV (Le.,probably within or just outside of the coastal zone).Based upon a review of .
vacant land sales 3 in the vicinity of UPV in the last two (2)years,Staff estimates that such
an acquisition could cost roughly $1 ,500,000 per acre.The City has never undertaken the
conversion of property that is restricted under the POU.Staff expects that such a
process-which requires the review and approval of both NPS and the General Services
Administration (GSA)-could easily take a year or more to complete.As such,the City
Council should consider whether or not the conversion process is a desirable or feasible
option.'.
It should be noted that the POU contains a provision that could allow the City to enter into a
third-party concession agreement to provide recreational facilities and services on the UPV
property.In the area where the existing farm is located,such facilities and services would
need to be compatible with passive open-space uses,and would require approval of both
NPS and GSA.However,given the limited uses described in the POU (Vista points,picnic
nodes,a parking area and trails),Staff does not believe that the existing agricultural use
could be adapted or otherwise modified to be compatible with this requirement.
2 This is consistent with an opinion offered by Mr.Siegenthaler in 2011 in response to a similar
question from Staff about Mr.Hatano's former agricultural lease at the LPV property.
3 Property sales data were retrieved from Redfin.com for sixteen (16)recent land sales in Rancho
Palos Verdes on November 26,2012.
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MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
December 4,2012
Page 4
Consistency with the General Plan and the Nature Preserve
Rancho Palos Verdes General Plan
The City's General Plan includes the following goal (p.56):
Agricultural uses within the City shall be encouraged,since they are desirable
for resources management and open space.
In furtherance of this goal,the General Plan includes the following Agricultural Activity
Policies (p.100):
1..Encourage implementation techniques for preservation of agricultural
activities.
2.Assist in the protection or conservation of agricultural sites.
3.Encourage continued operation of eXisting produce and flower stands,
not necessarily in present locations and structural types,but in
concept related to local agricultural use.
4.Preserve flower farming wherever possible,in order to provide
aesthetic appeal and visual accent.
Staff believes that,if the City Council is interested in permitting agricultural use to continue
at UPV,such use is fully consistent with the goals and policies of the Rancho Palos Verdes
General Plan.
Palos Verdes Nature Preserve
With respect to the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve,since 2006 the City has designated the
portion of UPV containing the Hatano farm as a part of the Preserve in both the Natural
Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP)and the related Public Use Master Plan (PUMP).
In 2009 the previous City Council took action on the PUMP that supported the continued
agricultural use at UPV only until such time as the existing lease expired,J0r..Hat~mo retired
or habitat restoration ofthe site became possible.Since the existing lease has expired and
Mr.Hatano is retiring,the remaining question at hand is the restoration of habitat on the
site of the farm.
Staff has consulted with the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy,which is currently
undertaking the restoration of habitat elsewhere at UPV.The Conservancy has no
immediate or near-term plans (Le.,within the next five (5)years)to restore former habitat at
the location of the Hatano farm.As such,Staff believes that allowing the farm to remain at
UPV will not be inconsistent with the NCCP or the PUMP,at least in the short term.
In summary,Staff believes that continued agricultural use at UPV would be consistent with
both the City's General Plan and Nature Preserve.
3-17
MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
December 4,2012
Page 5
Form and Content of the Lease Agreement
As discussed above,NPS states that commercial agricultural use is not consistent with the
POU for UPV.Allowing any kind of commercial agricultural operation to continue will
require the City to "convert"the ±5.5-acre portion of UPV and replace it with another
equivalent property that is suitable for public park and recreation use.With the conversion
of the current farm site,however,continued commercial agriculture at UPV would be
consistent with the POU.Assuming a successful conversion,the following issues related to
the form and content of a lease for agricultural use at UPV remain to be addressed by the
City Council.
Consideration of Alternate Vendor(s)
Staff occasionally receives inquiries about the private use of City property for commercial
purposes.For example,before it was disassembled and removed from Abalone Cove
Shoreline Park,there were requests to re-open/re-use "Annie's Stand"for private
commercial activity.In the case of the farm at UPV,Staff has not sought out another
possible vendor to operate the farm,believing that it was not necessary or desirable due to
the long-standing relationship with Mr.Hatano and his family.However,the City Council
may wish to explore the interest and/or feasibility of some other operator for this farm site.
For example,in the past Staff has received an informal inquiry from one of the restaurants
at the Terranea Resort,suggesting that it might be interested in farming locally-sourced,
organic produce for its own use.If desired by the City Council,the farming of UPV could
be opened up to a formal bid process,which would allow Mr.Martinez to bid (along with
other possible vendors)to continue operating the farm.
Compensation
As described above,the City has received $100.00 per year in compensation from
Mr.Hatano for the right to farm at UPV.This nominal amount is far below market rent for a
±5.5-acre site,but it has been justified in furtherance of Mr.Hatano's longsf~;mdlng use of
the property and the historic value to the community of maintaining t~.~tradition of the
Japanese American "truck farm"on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.With the re-assignment of
the lease for the farm to someone who is not a member of the Hatano family,the City
Council may wish to consider annual compensation for the use of the property that is closer
to or at market-rate rent.Staff estimates that the annual market-rate rent for coastal
agricultural land would be roughly $2,200 to $3,500 per acre,which would equate to
$12,100 to $19,250 per year for the existing ±5.5-acre farm site.4 As discussed below,
Mr.Hatano's daughter and/or Son might be willing to assume responsibility for the lease at
UPV in order to keep it "in the family."
4 Staff consulted with representatives of farm bureaus in San Diego and Ventura counties-where
coastal agriculture is more common-and the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers
and Rural Appraisers (CaIASFMRA)to arrive at this "ballpark"estimate.
3-18
MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
December 4,2012
Page 6
Historic Continuity
Mr.Hatano's farm at UPV is the last vestige of the Japanese American "truck farms"that
once dominated the Palos Verdes Peninsula,particularly before World War II.If the lease
is re-assigned to Mr.Martinez,there will no longer be a direct Hatano family connection to
this historic land-use practice at UPV.However,the scope of the proposed farm is
expected to remain unchanged under Mr.Martinez.If historical continuity with the
Japanese American "truck farm"tradition is an issue of concern to the City Council,
Mrs.Scheid has verbally mentioned to Staff previously that she and/or her brother,Douglas
Hatano,might be willing to accept responsibility for the new lease,but with Mr.Martinez
continuing to oversee the day-to-day operations of the farm.This would (technically)
maintain a link between the farm and the Hatano family.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If the City does not pursue conversion and Mr.Hatano's "year-to-year"tenancy finally
expires on March 31 ,2013,he will be required to remove equipment and personal property
from the site in accordance with Paragraph 13 of the 2006 lease agreement,to wit:
Lessee shall remove all equipment and other personal property from the
Premises upon the termination of this Agreement and shall leave the
Premises in the manner in which it was found,ordinary wear and tear
excepted,and damage or destruction not caused by the use of the property
by Lessee excepted.
This presumably includes removal of the plantings maintained by Mr.Hatano,including
large stands of prickly pear cactus.Depending upon how much of this non-native
vegetation can be removed,it may be necessary for the City to consult with the
Conservancy on methods to control the spread of any remaining agricultural plantings into
adjacent habitat areas.In addition,although it is not located within a designated fuel-
modification area,the City may also incur increased annual costs for weed'aba,tement in
the former farm area until such time as revegetation with native ..species by the
Conservancy can occur.This may be necessary to prevent the spread of non-native
invasive weeds into the Preserve,which could occur once active cultivation of the farm
ceases.
CONCLUSION
Continuing to allow agricultural use at UPV will require the City to "convert"the current farm
site under the provisions of the POU-including (but not limited to)the acquisition of
replacement property with the approval of NPS and GSA-and execution of a new lease
agreement with Mr.Martinez or some other vendor of the City Council's choosing.
Therefore,Staff recommends that the City Council 1)consider whether or not to pursue the
conversion of the current farm site at UPV;and 2)if conversion is desired,provide direction
3-19
MEMORANDUM:Agricultural Use at Upper Point Vicente
December 4,2012
Page 7
to Staff regarding the process to select and execute a lease agreement with a vendor to
operate the farm at UPV.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternative courses of action regarding continued agricultural use at UPV are discussed in
the body of tonight's report.Based upon public testimony and City Council discussion at
tonight's meeting,different and/or additional alternative courses of action may be identified.
FISCAL IMPACT
As discussed above,the City has received $100.00 per year from Mr.Hatano for the use of
the ±5.5~acre site for many years.If the City Council agrees to continue renting the
property to Mr.Martinez at this same price,the City will receive nominal rental income for
the property for the term of any such future lease.If the City Council elects to increase the
annual rent-from Mr.Martinez or some other vendor-revenues to the City's General
Fund will increase accordingly.However,the cost ofthe conversion process to remove the
area of the farm from the deed restrictions imposed under the POU is expected to well
exceed $1,500,000 and has no identified source offunding at this time.If the Hatano farm
ceases to operate and the site is "restored"in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph
13 of the 2006 lease agreement,the City will incur additional annual costs for weed
abatement on the site (although these costs are not expected to be substantial).
Attachments:
•Request from James Hatano (received October 1,2012)
•Requests from Martin Martinez (received November 5,2012)
•Current expired lease agreement with James Hatano (dated May 16,2006)
•Aerial photo of current Hatano Farm lease area
•1976 Program of Utilization
M:\Municipal Facllilies\Hatano Farm Lease Agreement\20121204_HalanoLease_StaffRpt.doc
3-20
James Hatano
P.O.Box 7175
Huntington Beach,California 92615-7175
Email:jandrhatano@~mail.com
October 1,2012
To:City of Rancho Palos Verdes
Attention:City Manager via Senior Administrative Analyst Kit Fox
RE:Lease Agreement at "Upper Point Vicente"
Dear'Mr.Fox:
Thank you for meeting with me on September 12,2012.As discussed
during our meeting,I have been leasing the property known as "Upper
Point Vicente"since the 1960's.I have raised flowers and vegetables at
this location and have enjoyed my long term agriculture presence with
the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
As I am now 85 years of age,I am planning my retirement and am in the
process of finalizing my farming operation..I would like the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes to consider leasing the property to my foreman,
Martin Martinez under his own farming operation.Martin has worked
for me over 15 years and has developed an extensive knowledge of my
way of farming.Martin would like to continue with the same agriculture
environment and tradition.I would be willing to continue to assist and
advise Martin in the operation of the farming so that it remains in::a
positive light for the agriculture atmosphere for the City ofRancho Palos
Verdes.
Sincerely,
9~~4uuP
James Hatano
3-21
Dear Ms.Carolin Lehr,
My naine is Martin Martinez,I work for James Hatano and have been for 28 years.I
love working at the ranch and it has been brought to my attention that they want to tum over the
.ranch to the city.It would be devastating for me ifthat were to happen,I would love it ifyou
were to highly consider leaving the ranch to me.I would keep working the ranch and maintain it
clean.I'm a good citizen ofthis country and hope that the group of workers ofthe city would
agree and make the decision in my favor.I want to keep up with the flowers,vegetables,and
cacti;at this point because of the quantity of cacti you would be unable to clean it out.I would
like to continue with the ranch if you don't need the land,I will pay insurance over the soil and
rent.I ask of you please consider and remember me this upcoming meeting on November 20th.
Twenty ei~t years is a lifetime of working in the-ranch,I was born forit and would be
devastated ifI lost it.yo ",.
Sincerely,
Martin Martinez
(310)486-2855
3-22
Dear Mr.Kit Fox Senior administrative analyst,
My name is Martin Martinez I work for James Hatano,I've been working for
him for 28 years at his ranch.He has told me he wants to retire but I would like to
keep working.I will maintain and preserve the ranch.I Martin am a good citizen of
this country and I need the ranch.Mr.Fox if you could do me the favor and speak
with Ms.Lehr and the members of the city council,I would pay the insurance,rent,
and everything that is needed for the ranch to keep it clean.I will plant the same as
always flowers,vegetables,and maintain the cacti.The cacti at the ranch at this
point because of the quantity cannot be cleared out and I need them to help provide
for my family.I ask if you if you could please let me rent the ranch.Thank you.
Sincerely,
Martin Martinez
(310)486-2855
3-23
LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES AND JAMES HATANO
AUTHORIZING THE LEASE OF CITY PROPERTY
AT POINT VICEN"rE PARK/CIVIC CENTER
FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES
THIS LEASE AGREEMENT ("Lease"),is made and executed as of the
<ltv.day of May ,2006,by and between the City of Rancho Palos
Verdes,a municipal corporation of the State of California,hereinafter called "City"
and Mr.James Hatano,hereinafter called "Lessee,"who agree as follows:.
1)City shall lease approximately 5.5 acres,more or less,of City land at the
Point Vicente Park/Civic Center property located at 30940 Hawthorne
Boulevard,hereinafter called "Premises,"as delineated and shown in the
.·cross-hatched area on the plan designated as Exhibit "A"attached hereto
and Incorporated by reference herein.
2)The term.of the lease is for 60 months,commencing on April 1,2006,and
ending on March 31,2011.
3)The annual rental payment shall be $100.00 per year,.payable in advance.
Payment shall be made to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
4)Lessee shall neither transfer nor assign this lease or any property being
leased from City without prior permission in writing from the City Manager
of the City.
5)Lessee accepts the Premises In its present state and condition and waives
any and all demand upon City for alteration,repair,or improvement
thereof.No new structures of any kind shall be placed on the site,and no
existing structures shall be altered (except normal repairs and
maintenance),expanded or moved on the property without prior written
consent of the City Man.ager of the City.All such structures and/Qf .
personal property installed or placed on the Premises by Lessee shall be
removed by Lessee prior to the termination of this Agreement;and in the
event of the failure to do so,title thereto shall vest in City or shall become
the property of City upon the termination of this Agreement.
6)Use of Premises shall be limited to agricultural or horticultural purposes
only,excluding the grazing of livestock.No person shall be permitted to
reside on the Premises.
7)Lessee shall have the right to halVest,gather,and remove any crops he
plants or grows on the Premises .
647640 .1-
3-24
".,.,0/,,,,..,"'~*-'___1 .".:...¢o:'.
Lease Agreement wittrJames Hatano:Point Vicente/Civic t:e~·*er Property
Page 2 of 4
8)Lessee shall assume the risk of loss,damage or destruction due to theft,
fire and casualty of any and all fixtures and personal property belonging to
Lessee that are installed or placed on the Premises..
9)Lessee shall not display advertising signs or other matter at the Premises.
10)City may inspect Premises at any time and for any purpose.
11)Lessee agrees to defend,indemnify and hold harmless City,its officers,
agents and employees from any and all claims for loss,damages.,injury or
death to persons or damage to or loss of property,including attorney's
fees and court costs,arising out of the use of the Premises by Lessee,or
by his employees,guests and visitors.
12)'lessee shall obtain and keep in full force and effect during the term of this
Agreement workers'compensation insurance,in accordance with the
requirements of the California Labor Code and any other applicable laws,
and a policy of general liability insurance.In addition,Lessee shall obtain
and keep in full force and effect Insurance in an amount sufficient to cover
all equipment,Inventory and other personal property of Lessee that is kept
on the Premises In accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.All
such insurance policies shall be issued by Insurance companies admitted
to do business in the State of California.The policy of liability Insurance
shall:(a)name City and its officers,agents and employees as additional
insureds;(b)shall insure and protect City and its officers,agents,and
employees from and against any and all liability arising out of or
connected with the use by the Lessee of the Premises;(c)shall provide a
combined single·limit for the liability covered In the amount of $500,000;
and (d)be noncancellable without thirty days prior written notice thereof to
City.Lessee shall file with the City Clerk either certified caples of said
policies or a certificate of Insurance for each of the required policies
executed by the company issuing the policy certifying that the policy is in
force and providing the follOWing information with respect to said policy:
647640
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The polley number;
The date upon which the policy will become effective and the
date upon which it will expire;
The names of the named insured and any additional
insureds;
The supject of the insurance;
The type of coverage prOVided by the insurance;
-2-
3-25
'~'l<""""..'f"""
lease Agreement wit~James Hatano:Point Vicente/Civic ·c..:~r'j(er Property
Page 30f4
f.The amount or limit of coverage provided by the insurance;
g.A description of all endorsements that form a part of the
policy;and
h.An endorsement stating that City and its officers,agents and
employees are named as additional insureds under the
liability policy.Lessee's authorized activities on the
premises shall be suspended during any period that Lessee
falls to maintain said policies in full force and effect.
13)Less~e agrees to comply with all applicable regulations of City and to
maintain the Premises In a clean and sanitary condition.Lessee shall be
responsible for Insuring that the Premises will be protected against
.'damage or destruction by fire or other causes.Lessee shall repair any
and all damage to the Premises arising out of Lessee's activities thereon.
Lessee shall provide and pay for all utilities required to conduct the
activities permitted by this Agreement.Lessee shall remove all equipment
and other personal property from the Premises upon the termination of
this Agreement and shall leave the Premises in the manner in which it was
found,ordinary wear and tear excepted,and damage or destruction not
caused by the use of the property by Lessee excepted.
14)Lessee agrees to pay before delinquency all lawful taxes,assessments,
fees or charges which at any time may be levied by the State,County,or
any tax or assessment-levying body'upon the right of use acquired by this
Agreement,as well as all taxes,assessments,fees and charges on the
equipment used and merchandise sold in connection with the authorized
activities on the premises.
15)This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties
relating to the rights herein granted and the obligations herein assumed.
Any subsequent modification to this Agreement shall be in writing and
executed by both of the parties hereto....
16)Any waiver by City of any breach of anyone or more of the terms of this
Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver of any subsequent or other
breach of the same or of any other term thereof,nor shall failure on the
part of City to require exact,full,and complete compliance with any of the
terms of this Agreement be construed as in any manner as changing the
terms thereof or estopping City from the enforcement thereof.
17)If any of the provisions in this Agreement are unenforceable,the balance
shall be enforced.
647640 -3-
3-26
,-
lease Agreement wit]S~~es Hatano:Point Vicente/Civic J~';;~r Property
Page 4 of4
18)In the event of any controversy or dispute regarding this Agreement or
breach thereof,the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the
losing party reasonable attorney's fees and court costs.
19)ThiS Agreement shall be Interpreted under the laws of the State of
California.
20)Elther party may terminate this Agreement by giving the other party written
notice at least thirty days prior to the date when the termination is to
become effective.
21 )Address for payments of rent and notices shall be sent to:
City:.City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes,California 90275
Attention:City Manager
Lessee:Mr.James Hatano
1172 West 24th Street
San Pedro,California 90731
IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the parties hereto have executed this Lease as
of the day and year first above written.
.,.
Dated:_
Date:__f,_...._5_J _(),..!....f,_
ArrEST:
.'......~~
647640
LESSEE
'-
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VeRDES:
-4-
3-27
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iii 002
..
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
APPLICATION
TO BUREAU OJ?OUTDOOR RECREATION,
DEPAR'rMENT OF THE INTElUOR
March 1,1976
........
LAD~NIXE SITE 55
POINT VICENTE,RANCHO PAl.OS VERDES,CALIFORNn
GSA NUMBER 9-n-Calif-10eB
~ntl1 Gos angeles
,--,"ontea
Ocean
3-30
:.-L.._Go~(!03/01 13:24 J"AI 1 415 '1'U 4043
...........
.............
......'
NPS PIR PGSO iii 003
APPLICATIQN FOR FEDERAL SURPLUS PROPEltTY
FOR PUBLIC'PAlUt Olt RECREAiJ!:IONAL PtJR})OSES
P'ART A
TERMS AND CONDITl:ONS
...',
3-31
0-4"03/01 13:24.FAX 1 415 744 4043 NPS PWR PGSO IaJ 004
""'.......
'....'TO:Bureau of outdoor Reoreation
Pacific South~est Regional Office
P.O.Bo]C 36062
450 Golden Gate Avenue
San Francisco,California 94102
The under~iqned city of Rancho Palos Verdes,hereinafter referred
to as the Applicant or Grantee,acting by and through Leonard G.
,Wood,.City Manager,City of Rancho Palos Ve~des,30940 Hawthorne
Boulevard,Rancho Palos Verdes,CA 90274,(213)377-0360,hereby
makes application to the United States pursuant to Section 203(k}(2)
of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949
(63 Stat.387),as amended,and in accordance with the rules and
regulations of the Department of the Interior,for the transfer of
the following property which has been declared surplus by the
General servioes Administration and is subject to assignment ~o
.the Secretary of ~~In~erior for disposal for public park or rec-
reation purposes:
.",wI...
!.ADA NIKE Site 55
Point Vicen~e,Ranoho Palos Verdes
GSA Number 9-0-Calif-1088
80+acres
The undersigned agrees that this application is made subject to
the following terms and conditions:
1.This application and its acceptance by the Department of the
Interior shall constitute the entire agreement be't~7een the Appli-
cant and the Departlnent of the In~er1or,unless modified in
writing signed by both parties..
2.The descriptions of the property set forth above 'are'believed
to be correct,but any error or omission shall not constitute
qround or reason for non-performance of the agreement resulting
from the.acceptance of this applica~ion.
3.It is understood that the property is to be conveyed lias is ll
and "where is"without representa.tion,warrant.y,or 9uaranty as
to quantity,quality,character,condition,size,or kind,or
that the same is in condition or fit to be used ~or the purpose
intended,and no claim for any adjustments upon such qrQ~nds .will
be considered after this application has been accepted.
4.The Applicant agrees to assume·possession of the property
within 15 days of any written reques~given.by the Department of
the Interior after the property has been assigned to the Depart-
ment of the In~erior by the General Services Administration.
Should the Applicant fail to take actual possession within such
3-32
04;'0~/01 13:24 FAX 1 415 74~4043 NPS PWR PGSO
2.
IaI 005
r',-'
"1 ...
V
period,it shall nonetheless be charged with constructive pos-
session commencing at 12:01 a.m.,local time,of the 16th day
af~er such request by 't.he Departlilent of the Interior.The word
"possession"shall mean either actual physical possession or
constructive possession.
5.As of the da~e of asswnption of possession of the property,
or ~he date of oonveyance,whichever occurs first,the Applicant
shall assume responsibility for any general and speoia+real and
personal property taxes which may have been or may be assessed on
the property,and to prorate sums paid,or due to be paid,by the
~ederal Government in lieu of taxes.
6.As of the date of assumption of possession of the propertYt
or the date of conveyance,whiche\1'er occurs first,t.he APplicant
shall assume responsibility for care and handling and all risks -
of lOBS or damage to the prope~~y!and have all Obligations and
liabilities of ownership.
7.The Applican~shall on a mutually agreeable date not later than
30 days after fhe property has been assigned to the Department of
the Interiorl or such longer period as may be agreed upon in
writing,tender to the Department of the Interior,the purchase
price,if a purohase price is due.
8.Conveyance of the property shall be accomplished by an instru-
ment,or instruments,in for.m satisfactory to the Department of
the Interior without warranty,express or implied,and shall oon-
tain reeerva~ion6,restrictions,a~d conditions substantially as
follows:
A.That the Grantee shall forever 'use the property in ac-
~'ordanC«f w~it-a applic~tion,and "::he ~E!'§y~d Program
of U~ilizat~on ~ncluded 1D Part B of th1s application.,,-.---..,
B.~hat the Grantee shall,within 6 months of the date of
the signing of the Deed of Conveyance,erect an4 wa1ntain
a sign or marker near the point of principal access to
the oonveyed area indioating that:'t.he propel;':turis a pa.rk
or recreation aroa;has been acquired from the ~ederal
Government for such use1 and is or will be ~ade a~ailabl~
~or use by the general public.
c.The property shall not be ~old,leased,assigned,or
otherwise disposed of except to another eligible govern-
mental agency that the Seoretary of the Interior agrees in
writing can assure the continued use and maintenance of '
the property for pUblic park or public recreational pur-
poses subject to the same terms and conditions in the
oriqinal instr\1JI1ent of cOD"\1'eyance.However,.nothing in
this p~ovis~on shall preclude the Grantee fram pro~iding
related recreational facilities and serv~ces compatible
With the ap roved program mentioned under Item A,above/~
t concess on agreemen s en ere w hird '
parties,provided t e prior concurrence of the Secretary
of the Interior in writing is obtained to suoh agreements.
3-33
...~3/01 13:g!$FAX 1 415 744 4043 NPS PWR PGSO
3.
JaI 006
D.Biennial reports setting forth the use made of the prop-
erty during the preceding two-year period shall be pre-
pared by the Grantee and submitted to ~he appropriate
Regional Office of the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation whose
re~ur~address appears on the transmittal letter to you,
for ten consecutive reports and as furthar deter.mined'by
the secretary of the Interior.
E.If at any time the United States of America shall deter-
mine that the premises herain con~eyed,or any part there-
of,are needed for the natio~al defense,all right,title
and interest in and to Baid premises,or part thereof
determined to be necessary to such national defense,shall
~evert to'artd become the property of the United States of
America.
F.The Federal Government shall have the right to reserve
all oil,qas,and mineral rights.
"G.Title to the property transferred shall rever~to tfie
United states at its option in the event of non-compliance
with any of the ter.ms and c~nditions of disposal.
9.The Program of utiliza~ion included in Part.B of the applica-
tion may be amended,at the request of either the Applicant or the
Federal Government,with the written conctirrenee of the other
''-'',party.Such amendments will be added to ....ond.becQ.me a ..,I?a~.9Lj;~"~
.............ori9inal 'appIicatJOon ana shall be cOn19;l;lJ;ent ~j.:t:h_IDY:'PQRe.~.~~r__which
t.he property was trans£er~~~.The Applicant further ag~ees to fur-
~ish such data,maps,reports,and information as may be needed by
the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation.
10.Any title evidence which may be desired by t.he Applican~will
be procured by the ~pplicant:at.i,ts sole cost and expense.The
Federal Government will,however,cooperate with the Applicant or
its authorized agent:in this connection,and will permit examina-
tion and inspeetion of suoh deeds,abstracts,affidavits'ot·title,
judgements in condemnation proceedings,or o~her documen~s re-
lating to the title of the premises and property involved as it
may have available.It is understood that the Federal Government
will not be obligated to pay for any expense incurred in conneetion
with title matters of su~ey of the property.
11.The Applioant shall pay all taxes ~posed on thls transaction
~nd shall obtain at its own expense and affix to all instruments
of conveyance and security documents such revenue and documentary
s~amps as may be required by Federal and local law.Al1 instru-
ments of ~onveyance and security doo~men~s shall be recorded within
30 days of their receipt in the ~anner prescriped by local re-
eording statutes at the Applicant's expense.
12."A$suran.ce of .Compliance with the Depart:.ment of the Interior
Ib:lgu.lations under Title VI of the ci1T;l Rights Act ot 1964"
3-34
.~04(.~3/01 13:25 FAX 1 415 744 4043 NPS PWR PGSO IiJ007
4.
The following agreement·is made by the applicant
in considera~ion of and for the purpose of ob-
taining the transfer of any.or all property covered
'by thi$application and the applicant recognizes
and agreeJ!3 that any suoh transfer Will be made by
the United States in relianoe on said agreement..
.....'.
",,",,'
The applioant aqreas ~at (1)the pro~ram for or
in connection with Which any property covered by
this applieat,1on as transferred t.o the applioant:
will be conduoted in oompliance with,and the appli-
cant wi~l oomply with and require any other person
(any legal entity)who through contractual OJ:'other
arrangement.s wi~the applicant is authorized ~o
provide services or benefits under said proqram to
compl.y with,a11 requirement.s imposed by or pursuant
to the regulations of the Department of the interior
(43 CPR Part 11)issued under the provisions of
Title VI of the CiVil R1qhts Act of 1964:(2)tbis
agreement shall be subject in all respects t.o the
provisions of said regulations;(3)the applicant
will promptly take and continue to take suoh action
as may be necessary to effectuate this aqreement;
(4)the United States shall have'the right to seek
judicial enforcement of this agreem.ant,and (5)this
agreement shall be bind1n9 upon·the successors and
assigns ot the applioant.
It is a.greed that:.the instrument effecting the t~~ne
fe~to the applicant of any property covered by this
application will contain provisions satisfactory to
the United States incorporating the substance of the .
foregoing agreement,'such provisions to consist of
Ca)a condition,ooupled wtth a right reserved to the
united States to cause the property to revert to the
United Stat.es in the event of any breaoh of such con-
ditdon,and (b)a covenant running with the land'.
Dated;
February 27.1976
Ti-tle
i0940 Hawthorne Boulevard
(Address of App11cant)
Rancho Palos verdes,CA 90274
3-35
'... ,04~O~/01 13:25 FAX 1 415 144 4043
."
NPS PIR PGSO
••••...0 •••••_•__•••~••_•••_..._
~008
s .
ACCEPTANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT
Accepted by and on behalf of t.he united States of Amer.ic:;:a -Chis
---..;;1--,"...---...-.day of M~~~~_-~_,19 "_-
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PART B
JUSTI~ICATION OF P~OPER~Y AcQUISITION
AND DEWLOPMENT PROGRAM
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PROPOSED ACQUISITION
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~010
The city of Rancho Valos Verdes proposes to utilize the following
portions of the surplus Federal property LADA lUXE SI:~E 55 for
park ana recreation purposes:
A.
B.4.49 acre site,formerly the Inteqrat:.ed Fire Control (IFC)
area,a pa~cel separate from ~e main s1t~,located proxi-
mate to the intersection of crest ROad and crenshaw ::J:E'L-~Ro
Boulevard for a neighborhood park.
Figures 1 and 2 indioate the app~ox~a~e locations of the requestea
portions of the s1te..No legal descriptions are available at this
time.These figures also show existing buildings,roads,aase-o men'ts,etc.
The other portions of the main site are proposed to be acquired by
the City and other public agencies under a coordinated use plan~
There is no known disagreement among these agencies.
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regional vicinity
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tal 011
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DBSCRIPTION OF PROl'ERTY
The discussion below provides smmnary descriptions of the various
aspects of the physical setting of t.he sitft.The report on pos-
sible reuse possibilities prepared for the City of Ranoho palos
Verdes and funded by the Eoonomic Developmen~Administration is
included in the APpendix of this application and,provides more de-
tail on the physical setting....
L Soil Condit;ions
The NlKE site is co~posed of two,soil types,Altamont.clay
loam and AltQmont clay adobe.Both types have a relat.ively low
bearing strength,and exhibit aaverse 'shrink-swell behavior.COn';'
sequent.ly,both are somewhat unsuitable for support or high-rise
struC'tU;J:'SS or dense development,especially when associa.ted wit:h
slopes of 10%or mor~.
2.Slope Conditions
Most of the main -NlKE site falls within two slope classes;
(a)0-10%slope and (b)10-25%s+ope.The first slope category,
O~lO',is suitable for development.The seoond cateqory presents
prOblems fo~oonstruction and environmental p~otQction:water run-
off is difficult.to control,grading-cuts must be more extreme,and
so forth.As noted abov-e,wtJ.~n Altamont clay lo~and iUtamont
clay adobe a~associated with sl.opes exceeding 'to"soil :Lnstab-
~becomes a,problem.
Three major parts of the main site have slopes of less than
10%and therefore are suitable for development.The NlKE site ad-
ministration buildings are located in one.of these areas and the
rifle range in another.
It is also important to note that portions of the main MIKE
site are "sea cliff"hazard areas,as designa1:ed by tb,e General
Plan and the Sou1:hern Coastal Zone Commission.The Commission has
,designated lands to be in this hazard category if they are located
above a 20'slope line drawn from the coastline.According to
Commission standards,these areas should not be used for develop-
ment unless a detailed stUdy of'the specific area reveals that it
is suitable and safe for development.This area is not~however,
in the portion being requested by the City in this application.
The upper 4.49 aore portion is generally level,with the ex-
isting structures located on top of a ter~ace formation.
3.Hydrology
.",
~~The soil types of the site have low permeability and porosity.
~Therefore,oontrol of rain runoff and erosio~must be 'considered.
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iii 013
4.Landslide Potential
Approximately 1.5 miles east of the maln site is an area
which is an ac~1ve landslide,PortuguesQ Bend.The ~KE site
itself is considered'to be an area of "moderate ground response"
characteristios.Although areas in this category are not expected
to experience landslides OX'liquefaotion,City and Count.y stand-
ards recommend that:seismic and 'soil reports be prepared.tor such
an area prio~~o high-cost,high-occupancy,o~critical use develop-
ment.
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9.
S.Wildlife and Plan-t:Habitat Considerat.ions
The Southern Coastal Zone Commission and the City have iden-
tifie4 wildlife and plant habitat areas.for pro~ection and presenta-
tion.That portion of the main site wh.1.ch is on the ocean side G:f-
Palos Verdes Drive falls with±n a "Class I Priority"zone.The.
habitat'~ypes deemed wo~hy of protec~ion are the tidal pool a~$as,
the c9a'S1:.al sagebrush,and the seaoliff zones.The a2:ea on the
inland side of Palos Verdes Drive is generally covered by vegeta-
tion which is no~oonsidered endangere4 but:is worthy of proteotion
in its nat.ural state...
6.Location an~SU2:~oundinq Land use Cons14eration
General.ly,the land contiguous't.o the main NIKE s1te bas not
:-.,been d~nsely developed.The site is bordered on the southwest by
.........,a Coast Guard Station which operates a ligh1:house and a radio
facilit:y.It is bordered on t.he south by a suip of oo~stline
about 300 feet:.wide whioh is owned by the Los Angeles County De-
partment of Beaohes:this strip is'used as a fishing aocess route
from the top of the sea cliff,which is 150-200 feet above sea
level',4o~to the beach below Palos Verdes Drive.
~he land directly to the east of the main sit.e is occupied
by the Salvat.ion Army aaining school and headquarters and that
to the so~theast by Marineland,a oommercial recreational 'facility,
now owned by Twentieth Century Fox Corporation.A portion of the
northern border of the site adjoins land developed for single-
fBJUily homes and the Golden COve shopping area..The remainder of
the northern border is contiguous to undeveloped land.
The upper site ~s bounded by'a single family residential area
to the east and vacant land,zoned for single f~ily resident.ial
use,on all other sides.
7 ..Tr~sportation Faci1it1es
The main site is biseoted by Palos Verdes Drive,one of the
major arterial roads serving the Palos Verdes peninsula •.This,
foUr-lana-road wi~h divider strip is a proposed scen~c hi9hway
and also the route '0£,a proposed bikeway.The arteria1 provi~es
spectacular open vistas over the Pacific Ocean a~numerous points.....
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III 014
~,..-A ~raffic count made in 1973 measUred a tota1 24-ho~~raffic
volume of about 99~O vehicles.The peak hour tr~ffic registered
877 vehicles.
The main sit:e is &erved by a second major arteria1,Hawthorne
Boulevard,which int.ersects Palos verdes Drive only a few hundred
feet.north of the site.Hawthorne Boulevard i'lJ a four-lane road
with a 24-hour traffic volume of about 10,000 vehicles at a point
near the site.The peak hour -,rolume is about 1000 vehioles.
Thl15,Palos Verdes Drive and Sawthorne Boulevard at present
provide adequate automobile access to 1=.he site.As is t.rue of
1=.he Los Angeles area as a whole,there is no "lDaSS transit."se"ioe
to the site..
The upper sit.e is served by a major arterial,crenshaw Boule-".
vard.This art.erial stops,however,at the site entrance and
cannot.be extended in the foreseeable future due to the active
landslide area to the south.
8.Exist.ing Structures
Ai;present there "are six major buildings on the main NIKE sit.e.
The si~a has add1tlona~facilit.ies associated with its former
military use,inoluding underground missile storage silos and at-
tendant fuel,test,and assembly areas.There are also pre-World
War II sho:re gun emplacements,coast Guard radio antennas,and
miscellaneous ac~1v1ty areas related to the requirements of a
NIXE inst.allation.Lastly,on that part of the site west.of Palos
Verdes Drive thet::e is,as 'noted above,a rifle range •.Almost
the entire site is bounded wit.h chainlink fence.
Tha upper site contains five major buildings'and served as
a radar control station as part of the NIRE base facilities.
The facilities are situated on top of a knoll having a precipitous
slope to the southwest and facing the ocean and are fenced with
chainlink fence.
Figures 3,4,and 5 show the main and upper sites .."w:l.:th
existing buildings (buildings are further d~scribed in the Appendix,
by number).
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NEED-
A.Existing and Proposed Yacilities
Recreational activity areas in Rancho Palos verdes include
sites whioh have been se~aside or are proposed for ei~er ac~ive
or passive use.These si~es are structured to va~ious d~9rees to
allow spec!£ie si~e activl~ies to take place.
~he following qroups rec~eational facilities into active rec-
reational areas and passive recrea~ional areas.This grouping
was utilized in order to mos~aceura~ely refleot the intensi~y
and type of site use provided by a.n i.ndividual faeility.A fur-
ther breakdown within aotive/passive qroundin'~n;organizes recrea-
tionai filci.11t.1es under the level of government which controls,'a~d ..
opera~es th~facility.
1.Active Recreational Areas
;ctive recreational facilities inolude 205 acres of structured
recreational areas:however.only 116 acres are developed and 165
acres of that is a .Co,unty golf couTiCle.Consequentl.y,there is
presently only one small developed oommunity park.The total.ac-
reaqe figure aoe~not inolude a significant amount of recreational
areas supplied by Palos Verdes peninsula Unifiea School District
I·...~··facilities.It.is difticult to ca1culai:.e the acres supplied by
\..,.J'existing and proposed school sites.Prior to incorpora't:ion of the
City,the County did not xoequire parkland or fees to serve new
development and residents were forced to rely on the use of school
facilities.
a.Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School Dis~rict Facilities
Palos V~des Peninsula Unified school District is the largest
supplier of public acti~e recreational facilities within the
City.The School District provides these facili~ies for many age
levels in the form of open play areas,paved court.areas",gymna-
siums,etc.Tennis courts are available on a first-come,:f1.rst-
served basis.All other activitiesl such as basebalL'and foo~
hall,mUEit.be arranged in advance.It Clan be assumed 'l:hat int:.er-
'mediate and hi~h school sites contain facilities which fulfill
the needs of ¥oung adults and adul~s,~hile elementary schools
provide recreational activities designed for the young.The City
is operating a summer program a~M1raleete Pool and construc~ed
tennis courts at Miraleste High School under ag~eament with the
School District ..
b.Los Angeles County ~acilities
Los ~erdes Golf Course is'a fully developed 165 acre site .
which is operated by the County.This facility contains a'18 hole,
par J2 course with associated fac~lities (clubhouse,banquet facil-
ities,ooffee shop,lounge~pro shop,two comfort stations,locker
and shower rooms,and park~g for 300 cars).
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,"'!'to..c.Rancho Palos Verdes Facilities
'-Rancho Palos Verdes Park
.~.
This tully developed 11 acrEl City park contains highly
structured aotivity areas.These consist of sports activi~ies;
childxen's play apparatus,plcnio facilities,ooncession potential,
and a recreational ac:~iv1'ty buildinq.Recreational programs are
provided at ~he park activity building.These programs are de-
signed to offer activities for a wide range of age groups (3 years
to senior citizen)and are presently operating at full capaci~y.
Crestmont.PaJ:k I-I~Fr"U!K.
Cres1:mont Park is a 29 acre sii:e which fronts on Hawthorne
Boulevard between VeJ:de Ridge Road and LocJclenna Lane.This site'
1~one of three 8ites that has been deolareCl s.urplus by t:he Palos
Verdes pen1ns111a Unif.ied School District.The purchasing-of this
site by the City will ~ake place over a five year period and is
planned to be devel.oped into an active~i9hborhoodpark..Facil-
ity development ~y ini~1rBlly be provi~by private organizations
in order to eliminate finanoial burqens tha't.would usually fallon
the conumm1 ty •NO 'plans have been developed.
2.Passive Reoreational Areas
C a.Los Angeles County Facilities
!'riendship Park
This,.l23 acre park site.of which 97 aeres are within the
Cit.y,is on the eaatexn boundary of R.ancho Palos Verdes,just.
nor1:h of Twenty-fifth Street:..Designed use capacity of this park is
approximately 1000 persons,with access being obtained from out-
side the Ci~y,off Nini:h street.The purpose of Friendship Park
is to provide a public facility which will give upland recreation-
al us&g-e near shoreline areas.Development plans eall for con-
struction of moderate day-use facilities,var1ous·scen!o vista
points,a nature trail,and minimal landscaping.'!be--sGuthwest
corner of the park is designated as a landslide hazard.
Shoreline Park
Shoreline Park consists of &S3 acre park which lies adja-
oent to the easterJl bopndary of the City,between the shoreline
and Twen~y-Fifth Street.Preliminary development pl~ns propose
light day use facili~ies.
Abalone Cove
.This park inC:l~des 82 acres,looated along the south side
..of Palos Verdes.DrIve'south between,Sea Co""e and Peppert-rae Drives.
~The par~ially developed beach aJ:ea park was only recently ac-
quired by the County and one portion opened to the public :the
summer of 1975.
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r This facility will be primarily a nature etudy area,
r..rather tha.n a high density bathing beach.The only improvements
"have been reinforcing and modification of exist.ing improvements
(paddle tennis cour~s,parkinq lo~s,picnic areas,associated
buildings I and 1.nfrastructure syst:ems)where they needed repair
or we~e below standards,and the installation of four portable
lifeguard stations.The headlands and other tidal 'reef areas
will be closed at minttS ~ides except to guided or monitored walks
in special ,environmental oorridors.
poin~Vicente Fishing Access
Point Vicente Fishing Access lies on the ocean side of
Palos Ve:r4es Drive Sout:h.,be'tween point yicen't.e LighthOuse and
Mar1neland.The fishing access is a fully developed l~acre site
which provides access to the shoreline for fishing and scuba '
diving purposes.
Lower N:Lke Site
ion of the
Drive We 1:
T e County intends to re-
a light day use faoi~~,
site would be of a com-
l~to ma1ntain open space
\.".
b.City Fac~lities
Highland Park
Highland Park is"being purchased by the City from Palos
Verdes School District in conjunotion with the Crestmont park
site.It is intended for this 17 aore site to remain primarily
i~a n~tural state for the next few y'ears.At a later date"this
s~te w111 be developed into a pass~ve recreational park with
"limited fao~lit1es.~o plans ha~e been developed.
B.Future Demand for Recreational and Open Space
The palos Verdes"Peninsula has been one of the fastest growing
areas in Los Angeles County;its population has doUbled in eaoh
decade from 1940 to 1970.By 1970,the population of the Penin-
sula had reached nearly ~5/000,having increased at an annual
rate of 8.1%during the 1960s.The bulk of this growth occurred
in the unincorporated County area of the Peninsula,'inclUding
the adjacent a~ea ~o the east near Western Avenue which had an
increase during the decade from 14,453 persons in 1960 to over
40,000 in 1970~The three incorporated communities of the Penin-
SUla experienced slow~~growth during this period and aocounted
for a combined population of appro~imatBly 22,000 persons by"1970.
3-45
Uti.,.u."U.L .LJ ••"&..~..._
14.ClllT
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Since 1970 there has been a mar~ed slowdown of growth on the
Palos Verdes Peninsula.Due to declining in-migration to Los
Angeles County overall,e~onomic downturns,and more restrictive
growth policies on the peninsula,popula~ion gro~for the Penin-
sula declined to 3.0 percent annually during·the 1970-1973 period.
Vop~laeion growth was down significantly in each Feninsula city
and most significanUy in i;he unincorporated County area,which
had a decline in annual growth rates front over 11 percent in the
1960s to 3.8 percent in the early 1970s.
Ranoho Palos Verdes had a population of 37,800 persons (esti-
mated by the Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission)as of the
date of its incorporation,September 1973.The estimat.d 1960 pop~
ulation of the area which is now incorporated into Rancho Palos I
Ve~des was approximately 10,000 persons,indicating nearly a four-'
fold increase in 13 years.As in the res~of the Peninsula,pop---
ulatlon growth has slowed considerably since 1970,dropping from
13 p~cent annually durinq the 1960s to 3.2 percent in the early
19709.
For the fu~ure,1:.he eJtpectation of continued growth is re-
flected in population and housing 9row~h projections for the Palos
Verdes peninsula.The demand potential 'for residential housing
in Rancho Palos VerdeS is expeeted to increase 2.5%on an average
annual basis from 1970-1990.fhese esti~ate~reflect demand po-
'ten~ial considered in light of the amount of land which will be
available for development of housing,and in light of pUblic poli-
cy consider~tions•
Households in the PeninSUla a~ea are signifiean1:.ly larger
than in most.communities in loos Angeles county.In 1970,average
household size for the Peninsula was 3.7S members,compared to
2.83 persons per household in Los Anqeles County as a whole.
Larger household sizes are typical of suburban areas with large
families,limit.ed rental housing,and fewer non-family households.
Household size in Peninsula communities has remained fairly stable
in recent years.
Like most ~owing suburban'.area.S,:Rancho Palos V'erQ.es is
characterized by a high proportion of children unde~.20.years of
age and parents age 30 to 54.Corresponoingly,there is a rela-
tively low proportion of persons over 65 liVing ~n.the area.
Forty-five percent of the population o~Rancho Palos'Verdes ·is
under 20 years ot agel nearly 42 percent 1s between the ages of
30 and 541 and only 2 •.5 percent is over 65 years of age.Resi-
dents of Rancho Palos Verdes are on average slightly youn~er
than Palos Verdea peninsula residents as a whole.The median age
of Rancho Palos Verdes residents is 28.8 years,compared to 29.9
years for all Palos Verdes Peninsula residents.
Incomes in Palos Verdes Peninsula communities w~re substan-
tially higher -than Los Angeles County averages in both 1960 and
.i9·70.·Median family in~ome for .the Peninsula rose from $13,770
in 1960 to $24,930 in 1970,a percentage inc~ease of 81 percent.
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raJ 019
.~".Family income of Rancho Palos Verdes residents was slightly
lower'than that.of other Palos verdes community residents in both
l.960 aJld 1970.Median family inoome in Rancho Palos Verdes in-
cr~ased 73 percent during the decade to $21,803 in 1970.The
highest income area on the Peninsula was Rolling Hills,with a
median family inoome of $36,·379 in 1970.
There are ~aspee~s to the de~nd for recreational.and open
space.First,there is the regional'demand,gen~rated by the pop-
u1a'tion of the greater LOB Angeles area.Regional demand rela1:es
~o major park and recreational areas which offer ~e visitor an
opportunity for a variety of recrea-ciona1 e:q>eriences.With the
rapid disappeara.nce of t.he supply of public open spa.oe in the Los
AngeJ.es area and,at the same time,the demand increasing',an im-
balance between de~d for and supply o~recreational area is evi-
dent.t.hroughout.the area.In contrast,the:ce is a local demand
for recreational and open space,which is generated by the.popu-
lation of the Pa10s Verdes Peninsula and the City of ~ancho Palos
Verdes in pa.rt.icu1ar.The loc:elates to 'the need for
areas for passive aetiv ty as well as actiye recreat10nal areas such
.as ball fie1ds~tennis courts,e~c.,and other typ~s of facilities.
As ~dicate4 in ~e previous sect10nt approximate1y 116 devel-
oped acres are available for aotive recreational activity (excl.u-
sive of.school sites).since 165 acres of this are a golf course,
op1y 10 acres can be considered a developed community park.Using
r-'the generally accepted standard of four acres per 1000 population
~for 1oca1 needs,an existing deficit,with an eXisting population
of nearly 42,000,of over 150 acres is evident.While this doe~.
not include the use of school sites as recreational areas,which
would.tend to reduce t.he deficit,it also presumes that the cur-
rently undeveloped County faoilitie~adjacent to and within Rancho
Palos Verdes will be developed to planned levels.
Curren-cly the General Plan of Rancho Palos Verdes prOVides for
an a4ditiona1 1,110 acres for residential development,~d approxi-
mat.e1y 8000-9000 additional people.Ut~l.izin9 the same ~t~dard
for tuture needs,another 40 acres will be needed in add~t~On to .
,t.he existing deficit.
}JIFL Cel<,1W
.ilization of the 4.49 acre upper site and approxi-
1.b1ll;;:"~~T1()t!mate1y 6.6 acres of e s e more sc loVe rec-c~~Featl.onal actXVities would ijeqin to overcome the current deficit
and to meet the future needs of the C~ty.
The additional 68.1 acres of proposed passive open space is
based upon both the need for additional open spaoe as well as con-
s1[deration of environmental factors associated wi~h this portion
01:the site.As.J.ndicated in the environmental assessment of the
site (see Appendix),~sensitivity of this portion of the site
dict~tes a low level of development.
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~.«4/03/01 13:29_FAX 1 41S 744 4043 ~S PWR PGSO iii 020
16.
The particular sites chosen fo~open space and recreation
land ~ould provide needed activity areas for ~he resident popu-
la.tion.Their location in the western.portion of the :£»aloli Verdes
Peninsula,in and adjacent to ~e coas~al zone along the Pacific,
would provide recrea~ion areas in p~oximdty to a large portion of
the resident population.The antici ated volume of ttse of
.sites wou ited .tivit:.of itself--
t e pot~ntial active recr.at~onal area at the main site might
eventually have annual volumes at.full development of 60',000,
significantly less for the open space areaa,and 30,O~for ~e
upper ne~9hhorhood site.
An iaen~ified need of the current and fut.ure.reoreation pro-
gram is fo~building space for recrea~ion elasses and orqanized
qroup meetings.At present,Ranoho Palos verdes C1ty park has
one bU11dinq which is used for th1s purpose,plus staff offic~••
Thill facility i,.small and is used to capacity.There are many
community groups seeking space tor their a~ivities•.Some wQuld
be"willing to donate time and money t.o the City to provide space
for cooperative use.
Th~e are no usable structures on that portion of the main
Ii i t.e for which appl1.C;8 tion is bein.g-made.The upper site oontains
five main structures.One of these can be eliminated from poten-
tial use due to its type of construa'tion.The other four struc-
tures oould provide space for recreation proqrams and qroup meet-
.-~:lngs,compatible with the concept o~a neighborhood park facility.C..'The need eXists,.but.the major question is the suit.ability of the
particular structures and costs of renovation and maintenance.
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~UI'lABILITY
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1lI02l
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Those portions of the site ~hat have been requested for use as
either active or passi~e recreational areas by the City are based
upon the demand for additional acreage generated by the added pop-
ulation all well as an assessment of the site sUit.ability.As can
be seen by eXam:l.nation of the Re-use report (in the Appe~dix),al-
~er.native uses of the site have been examined with the full part1ci-
pat:ion 0'£other in'teres'ted public aqencies in mind.It appears
that the best "mix"of uses for the site would be as an adminis-
trative site for a number of public agencies with.the open space
and"recreational portions being administered by the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes and LoS Angeles Count.y.
Perhaps the single most important resource relating t.o the site and
its vicinity are the superb views to ~he site and panoramic vistas
from it.Point Vicente and the site of the proposed Civio Center
are significant focal points whi"ch are highly visible from a number
of vantage points in the sl.:lr;rounding area.In addition,these focal
points afford excellent 270 0 IIview sheds lt of the coastline and ocean.
The Point will offer exceptional views of su~roundin9 marine habi-
tats,surface geology,'and additionally,vantage points to view
the annual migration of the California Gray Whale.Views to the
site are of considerable ~portance because these focal points are
architectural fea~ures which tend to focus viewer attention from
a variety of view locations along major'public routes and lands.
Because of ~ese considerations as well as the recommended designa-
tion of Palos Verdes Drive as a scenic corridor and highway,visual
.qualities ot proposed development should be compatible ~ith local
characteristics and should take advantage of,but not obstruct,
views from nearby van~age points •
.In the examina't:.ion ot possible uses for the site and portions
thereOf,;i~~eoame eviden'f.that only a small portion of the XIlain
Site abo 1 e utilized for intense urban uses such as an aam~
frative area for public functIons.After the ident~£~cat~on ~f
this portion of the site,the remainder of the site,bebause of
its environmental sensitivity and the strong demand for recreation
and open space areas,was identified for such recreational uses.
The proposed city recreation area adjacent to Palos Verdes Drive
was ohosen because it represented topographically the best por-
tion of the site for potentia~active recreation activities and
its adjacency to Palos Verdes Drive means that !ngress and eqress
to the proposed recreational area caP be readily proVided by con-
struction of·an access road off of Palos Verdes Drive.
The.major access point to the main site wi11 continue in its pre-
sent location from Hawthorne Bou1evard.It is proposed to nego-
tiate with GSA for a road right-of-way designed to provide access
for all agencies using the main site~
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.-
NPS PWR PGSO
18 •
..-.,
.,
The porf:ions of the main site proposed for recrea:t.ional and open
space 'I1se by the city do not include existing physical improve~
men't.s"of use and would require demo 11.tion.This includes several
9'atehouses or control stations,thea-cre building (T-Sl,generator
build1.ng (S-201),kennels,.and chain11nk fence.The vast missile
storage and launching areil present.a st.ill unsolved problem.The
ground level concre~e area will lend itself 'to pro~iaing a vis~
ea w , r exam e e 1ns a 0 0 enehes;
The W1 er ea r vide ZlC e rea 3.0 e r but
nO nq is proposed at this tiJne.On the other hand,these under-
.qround areas may need to be pennanent:ly sealed off.
The upper site of 4.49 acres contains structures and facilities
associated with its foxmer role as a~Integra~ed Fir~Con~rol (IFe)
Center.The recreational uses proposed will leave the existing
~opography and ~uCh of the eXisting vegetation intaot.Further-
more,-the ~ow ~evel of o\ltdoor use'by ~hese activities will not
be threatened by adverse geological conditions.Finally,these
activities will,if the proper landscape design is instituted,en~
hance the visual quality of the area.Pour of the eXisting build-
inqs might be suitab1e for use for recreation programs and meeting
rooms.The City would like ~o keep the flexibility of further
evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of ut;llizinq some or all of ~e
four buildings and the platform or of ae~li$hing all of them and
making the site totally passive.The guard house,small storage
building I building S-3l0,and the chainlink fence would be removed.
fhe upper site con~ains a joint use access easement.This easement
is not incompatible with the proposed park use.The exi$tipq
access drive would be continued.
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'..
CAPAB1LITY
:-
NPS PWR PGSO
19.
1aJ023
As a newly incorporated City (1973),Rancho Palos Verdes is in
the initial stage of developing a City administrativ~and support
structure to acoommoda~a the service needs for an estimated cur-
rent population of nearly 42,000 and the ability to meet the
needs of an ultimate population of approximately 50,000.The
City does not yet have a capital improvements program 6
Cur~ently,the city contracts with Los Anqeles County for a number
of services,inc1uding police,roads,an1mal control,building and
safety,engin••ring,and recreation servioes.The operatinq bud-
get for ~he current fiscal year (1915-76)for recreatio~services
is $125,000 (see Appendix)6 This·budget includes park adminis-
trat10n,grounds maintenance,and construction and repair I with
a staff of two full-time and 26 part-time personnel.I~is antici-
pated that eventually the C1~y mi9ht ta~e over all opara~~ons re-
lated ~o the prOViding of recreation services.
In terms of capital bUdgets related to the acquisition and de-
velopment o~recreation ~nd'opan space sites,the City is in the
process of acquirinqotwo surplus sohoolsites from the Palos Verdes
Unified School District 'to increase the supply of recreational land.
To initiate the purchase of the crestmont and Highland School
Sites,$40$,500 has been provided in the Capital Improvements and
~~I AcqUisition Fund in fiscal year 1975-76 for the first installment~j on these sites.For fisoal 1975-76,funds were transferrea from
surplus ip the general fund r the Environmental Excise ~ax Fund,
and the Revenue Sharing Fund to the capital Improvements Fund.Ad-
ditionally,monies totaling $100,000 for design studie~related
to parkland development were appropriated and included,in this
fund.
The major sources of funds tor acquisition and development of
parkland are the EnVironmental Sxc1sa Tax and Parkland Dedication
from subdivis1ons6 At the present t,ime,'there is an unappropri-
ated balance of $862,927 in the Environmental Excise Ta~Fund.
There is interest on th~part of several community q';;~~ps for
working with the City to develop these faoilities.The City is,
ho~ever,committed to a fisca1 philosophy of carefully programming
future long-ran~e oosts,rather than only'short-range expendiency.
This analysis,relative to volunteer resources,has not been ac-
complished,since acquisition of the site was uncertain.
Recently,a Parks and Reoreation Commi~~ea was appointed by the
City Council to prOVide pQlicy guidance for the development of
recreational land a~d programs.
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l ..':.4
I
...~....
NPS PWR PGSO 1aI024
20 •
PA.RXS"AND REC~~TION ORGANIZATIOl\J CHART
&Recreation committee
Parks
City Council
r pUkS
Cit.y Manager
I 1 •
,Reoreati~n ~ept.P~lic Works
(contraot)
,.
•
3-52
J
•O(l03/01 1~:30 FAX 1 41S 144 4043-:-#'.-~;
,-'
PROGRAM OP UTILIZATION
NPS PWR PGSO IaJ 025
21.
The City or Rancho ,Palos Verdes proposes to develop approximately
90 acres of the 115 aere surplus NlKE site for a vax1ety of rec-
reational and open space uses.Figures 6 and 7,show the portions
to be acquired for parkland in relation to other proposed uses for
the remainder of the site.it the main site,the 6.6 pore ~Qten
tial aative reoreational.area would oompJ.ement the pro$l0sed Los
Angeles County Departmen~of Beaches development on the coast s~de
of Palos'Verdes Drive as well as meeting an identified need for
additional recreational land in the City.Th a~res of passive
o an s ace surrounds and 00 lements t.he trat ve
center n ee n ac 'y"
The 4.49 acre upp.er siote would be used primarily as a neiqhborhood
park capitalizing on the dramatio views tram this location.
Potential Aotive Recreational Area a~Main Site (Figure ·6)
Eventually,tbis area mi¢t contain picnic areas,tennis.,
courts,and an athle~iQ field.This mUlti-use area will be fo~
day use only.
Road access will be prov;ded off of Palos Verdes Drive wi~
a paved parking lot t.o serve the picnic areas,tennis courts and
ath1~tic::field.Development of this site WOU1d potentially oocur
~~over a five-year period based on funding priorities.In the in-
~'terim i~would be used as open spaoe.No structures exist on this
portio~of the site.
2.Passive Open Space at Main Site (Figure 6)
ative
3.Upper site (Figure 7)
Development at ~his site ~nQludes minor landscaping a~d es-
tablishment of picnic areas.The parking lot would be expanded
in the future.-A level pJ.aying area would be established bet.ween
the street and the parking lot.'Two alternatives exist for the
ex.isting.structures.:·.(;1.)',Demo·lish all,:+andscape "and use area·
,o~~~.for p,:Lc~i~s,vi:e~i~g~et7"!,.(2}..Ref.10v~t~(Wi~the ~oopera-
b.On of communit:.y groups)one to four eX1st~ng structures .
(S-302,S-30i,S-304,S~j07),demolishing the other s~ruQtures,
and use for recreation programs a~d group meetings as well as for
3-53
·_-,_-_-_.._--.-_..-.------------_.--._----
.t._04;{03/01 ~3:31 FAX 1 415 744 4043
............~
NPS PWR PGSO raJ 028
22 •
t!'."•.
V
picnics,viewing,ei:c..The city wishes to keep i:hese two alterna-
tives as feasible approaches at this time ..
The Ci.j:y would be resJilons ibJ e for approximat:ely 75 acus a:f
recreational and open ace land at the main NIXE &ite and 4.5
ac r S~te on Crenshaw Boulevar.It lias been as-
s purposes of fiscal impact analys1s that there will be
no cost of acquisit:ion;i:hus,the City would heax only development:
and maintenance c:osi:s..It is estimated that.during a five-year
period,beg1nninq 1978-79 !mat:.32 000 will be re u1r d
for develo 0 acre area includin s o~s e
nio areas«and tennis courts (Table •Ma1neenance during the
SaMe period 'for this developed area ~1l1 start at ~ouqly $5,000;
by 1982,at:.full development,the annual cost:.will approximate .
$33,O~0.
For the larger open space and pas~ive recreational area,it is
again assumed that there will be no site aoquisition cost •.,Total
development cost is eBtimated~t $84,000,plus $6,000 demolition
cost.~e mo.Lni:enance cost W'ou1d inorease gradual:ly from about~oo and leve,l off at approximately $14,000 annually.
For the recreai;ional area at:the upper site,composed of 4.49
acres,it is est:.ima.ted that:for A1t:erna~ive (1)cost·s woUlCl be
approximately $3,500 for ~otal demolition an4 $25,000 for develop-
ment,with annual.maintenance est1ma1:ed at:·$1,000 per acre.Al.-
terna~ive (2)QOS~S would be approximately $1,500 for partial
de~lition and $50,000 for aevelopment (primarily in partial reno-
vation of structures),with annual maintenance estimated at $1,500
per a.cre.
3-54
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.-9·
h.
Assumes lOOt di.scount from Bureau of Outdoor Recreation
Assumes 'total develo~ent costs of ~132,OOO ($20,000 per acre)
Assumes lllaintenanoe cost or $5,000 per developed acre
Assumes total 'development cost of $84,000 ($1,200 per aore)+$6,000 demolition
Assumes maj.ntenance cost.s of $200 p~r acre
Asswnes tntal Clemolition and development costs o~~25,000
AssUDlel!;:maintenance costs of $1,000 per acre
Assumes maintenance costs of $1,500 per aore
3-55
04/,03/91 1~:31 FAX 1 415 .14.4 4043 NPS PWR PGSO laJ028
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3-56
·.....-'.---..-----~--_.__.__.._----------
NPS PWR PGSO IaJ029
,I
I
I
-I'
figure 2 •upper site
n
..0'.scale :1 =20
3-57
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04~J/01 13:32 FAX 1 415 744 ~043
...".,......:.-_..'..
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.~
I4l 030
3-58
__(i~4/03/01 13:32..FAX 1 415 744 4043 NPS PWR PGSO ~031
3-59
04/03/01 13:33 FAX 1 415 144 4043 NPS PWR fGSO tal 032
3-60
._••..,.__--_...__..__...----..-.------••_....._0 ,__...
:_,'.~4L03/oi 13:33 FAX ~,415 7 44 404~_ .NPS fJVR PGSO iii 033
..
.'
..
3-61