RPVCCA_SR_2010_10_19_10_Letter_Regarding_Abalone_Cove_Nature_Grant_AppCrTYOF
MEMORANDUM
RANCHO PALOS VERDES
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CAROLYN LEHR,CITY MANAGER 09--
OCTOBER 19,2010
RESIDENT LETTER TO CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND RECREATION REGARDING
ABALONE COVE NATURE CENTER GRANT
RECOMMENDATION
Provide staff direction as appropriate.
DISCUSSION
On Friday,October 15,the City Manager was contacted by Mayor Pro Tem Tom Long,
who made a request that an item having particular time sensitivity be added to the
agenda for the October 19 Regular Meeting of the City Council.
Mayor Pro T em Long noted that a letter from resident Eva Cicoria together with a
petition circulated by "Save Our Shoreline!"has been sent to the granting agency
regarding the pending grant for proposed improvements at Abalone Cove.He asked
that the letter and template petition language be placed on the agenda for the purpose
of asking that the Council authorize staff to prepare a detailed response to the
California Department of Parks and Recreation.The submittal would offer clarification
as the agency continues to process the City's grant application for the Nature Education
Facility Grant.
Such analysis by staff would exceed one hour of staff time,and therefore Mayor Pro
Tem Long is asking for Council's concurrence to authorize staff work.
Attachments:
Letter from Eva Cicoria dated October 5,2010
Sample Petition Form from "Save Our Shoreline!"
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OCT·13 2010
California Dep$rtment of Parks and Recreation
Office of Grants and Local Services
Attn:Sandra Berry,Supervisor
1416 9th Sl Rm.918
Sacramento,CA 95814
Eva Cicoria
(310)547-5689
28981 Palos Verdes Drive East
Rancho Palos Verdes,CA 90275
October 5,2010
Re:Ref#N1-19-006;Abalone Cove Nature Education Facility Grant Application
Dear Ms.Beny,
Enclosed are 2,076 petition signatures (1,467 paper petition signatures plus 609 online petition
signatures)opposing the Nature Education Facility Grant Application submitted by the City of Rancho
Palos Verdes (ref.#N1-19-006 per City staff)to build a 5,900 square foot nature center in Abalone Cove
Shoreline Park.Not knowing whether the Application would progress from the review phase to evaluation,
Save Our Shoreline continued its efforts to inform the public about the Grant proposal after SUbmitting our
initial letter and set of petition signatures on July 31,2010.As you can see from the number of signatures
and the comments of signers,the public shares our concern that the building is unnecessary and
inappropriate for this site and the Application should be denied.
We would like to point out a number of inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the City's proposed project and
we want to highlight some competing considerations.
..The proposed project is inconsistent with the mission of the California Department of Parks and
Recreation to inspire and to protect its most valued natural and cultural resources.
..The proposed project is inconsistent with land use plans for Abalone Cove Shoreline Park that
designate the site for open space passive recreation.
•The project summary presented in the Application does not paint an accurate picture of the larger
context of the project:It is not necessary or desired,because the site is currently well used and
there are already five indoor nature centers within a nine mile stretch of this coastline.
•Nature education and environmental stewardship needs for this region would be better served with
a more minimalist,outdoor format including interpretive signage and a webcam.whereas the
proposed building and its interior contents at this site would send conflicting messages regarding
OUf stewardship responsibilities and protecting our natural resources.
..Current educational opportunities at the site focus on the unique,outdoor experience,and future
educational opportunities may be enhanced by a web cam on site without the adverse impacts of a
large building and substarttial pavement and hardscape..
It The project proposal was hastily produced,suffers from lack of public input,and will suffer from
significant public opposition to this fundamental change to the unique character of this natural
resource.
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Inqonsistencies with the Mission of the California State DePi'rtment of Parks and ,Recreation
liThe mission of California State Department of Parks and Recreation is to provide for the health,
inspiration.and ~ucatioo of the people of California by helping to preselVe the state's extraordinary
biological diversity,PrO_ecting ita mpst v@lu@4naturalp:lcult&UJl f!l9urces,and creating opportunities for
high-quality outdoor recreation.-[Emphasis added.}This open bluff top exists as an ever-diminishing
natural resource within a short distance from one of the world's largest cities.No matter how educational
or inspiring the contents of a building at this site might be,they cannot replace what would be lost by
inserting a large building in the middle of the bluff top.The vista stretches from Portuguese Point out to
Catalina Island and up the~ine.Indeed,this vi_is one of the attfactiens to the Peninsula.Daily
commuters and occasienal viSitOI'$driving.along the adieeent r"'y (Palos Verdes Drive SOuth);
thousands of visitors to the beacm.,tide poets and piCl1ic areas at ANlone Ceve;as well as artists setting
up their easels,all have been inspired by this taste of Wild coast.
IWnsis_des with Land Use Blans
The proposed bUilding and hardscape are inconsistent with Land and Water ConselVation Fund
requirements for Abalone Cove Shoreline Park and Rancho Palos Verdes planning documents for this
site.When Los Angeles County first acquired tm!property,one-half of the purchase price was provided
by the Land and Water ConselVatiofl Fund with the specific condition that the land be used for outdoor
recreation in ...utty.f8ee Prejedt Number QS.002S9 in your ~nt.)When the land was
transferred to Plancho Palos Verdes,the City formally accepted this asreement.
The Rancho Palos Verdes General Plan,General Plan Map,Open Spaoe Recreation ~oning Ordinance,
and Zoning Map atl _itnate Abalone Cove aspaEjsPie q(.>en space with a socio-cultural overlay.The
GeneralPlanfpame 94)clefinesthe passive ~tiGn.des_nation as "mostly unstructured in order to
allow natural ecGsy$t$tAs to funet_with the least amGunt of human disturbance."The Open Space
Recreation Zoning Ordinance provides for areas of o~door recreation,particularly for park and recreation
purposes.It dOes not include buildiAgS.Last,the City's recently adopted Coast Vision Plan does not
include any building at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park.
project Sumgrv
The Grant Guidelines indicate that the project summary in the grant application "is to facilitate the
Departmenfs unclerstanding of the proposed projeet within its larger context.-The City's Application aptly
describes Abalone Cove in the larger context On the opening statement of its project summary)as lIan
area of ..•expansive views of the Pacific Ocean among the concrete and asphalt of urbanized Los
Angeles.-How ironic that the Cijy proposes to add a large building and hamscape.Abalone Cove is a
natural treasure and the fact that it is on the border of vast urban sprawl uncferscores the urgency of
leaving it as close to its natural state as possible.Many of the CUlT'ent visitors to Abalone 'Cove are from
urbanized neighboring areas.They,Uke most of us,visit Abalone Cove for a particular type of experience
away from concrete and asphalt and buildings.Their attraction to this place should serve as further
justification for minimizing the disturbance of nature at Abalone Cove.
The Project Summary statement that the Park is underutilized is inaccurate.By the CitYs own admission
(page 25 of the Grant Application),the Park has 20,000 visitors annually.Those visitors presumably paid
a fee to park at Abalone Cove;others park on nearby City streets and walk to the COve.Moreover,these
numbers don't reflect the thousands of people who enjoy the vi_when driving along the coast or those
who linger awhile at the Viewing area just southeast of the proposed building site.
Last,the P~oject Summary paints a misleading or inaccurate pidture of the availability of other sites nearby
~or the p~b!IC to learn about the unique ~ora and fauna i~the area.There are five existing nature centers
In the ViCinity.The pt.Vicente Interpretive Center is an Indoor museum and is well known for its whale~
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watching activities.Indoor exhibit areas at Ladera Linda Nature .center feature examples of flora,fauna
and other materials found on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.White Point Nature Center,only 5.2 miles from
Abalone Cove,though in Los Angeles,has indoor and outdoor displays of coastal sage and other native
plants.The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium provides exciting exhibits of ocean life.
Need for Nature Education.Environmental Stewardship and Outreach
To be clear,we wholeheartedly agree with the Grant Application that there is a need for nature education
and environmental stewardship-both with respect to the intertidal marine environment at Abalone Cove
and with respect to the Coastal Sage Scrub habitat of the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.We also believe
that the site is an ideal location for interpretive signage that explains the unique biodiversity-the different
types of marine life as well as the adjacent Coastal Sage Scrub habitat,that alerts visitors to the harm that
can be done and has been done to these ecosystems,and that describes what we can all do to help
protect the habitat.The proposed building and contents,however,stand to get in the way of education
and send the public conflicting messages regarding environmental stewardship.Indoor exhibits featuring
sustainable practices in bUilding design,while important,are not coastline dependent,would distract from
where the focus ought to be,and would be more appropriate in more populated.urban inland areas.
The Grant Application also contemplates indoor classrooms at this site,yet Abalone Cove has proven
effective as an outdoor classroom where programs like those led by the Docents of Los Serenos de Point
Vicente and by Sierra Club's Inner City Outings offer children from many different areas an opportunity to
actively explore and learn about Abalone Cove's amazing tide pools.fragile geology and other natural
wonders.
At a time when we should be sending a very clear message about the need to take better care of our
environment and cherish what remains of dwindling natural open spaces,particularly so close to urban
areas,erecting a building on this bluff top sends the public mixed messages:We want to protect the
habitat and teach the public about the degradation of land use,but we'll put up a building and hardscape
that reduce the open space corridor;we'll install lighting that may adversely impact wildlife;we'll grade the
bluff top possibly undermining the fragile geology;and we'll install exhibits on energy usage and
conservation at a site far from the populace so they have to drive further to learn these things.
Structures should be limited to restrooms.On-location interpretive signage,paired with a patrolling park
ranger presence and webcam,would meet the need for nature education,while focusing the attention of
visitors to the bluff,beach and tide pools on what is important here-exploring the sights,sounds,and
smells of nature's rich biodiversity in a sustainable,responsible way.
EducatmnalOpportunmes
Educational opportunities that the City proposes for outside the building are listed on page 31 of the
Application.They include many of the things that the Application describes in other parts.underscoring
that the building contents will either be duplicative of outdoor information or inappropriate at this site.An
exception to this is the installation and monitoring of the tide pools by web cam.On that point,we don't
object to the City's plans.Strategies and Methods on page 35 indicates an outreach program
incorporating web cam feed will be developed to take to classrooms and elsewhere.These types of
~pportunities that the City's Application outlines for off-site education make sense.The Application
Indicates that teachers "will receive materials prior to the visit for suggested in-class activities before and
after a visit."Then why have indoor classrooms on site at Abalone Cove?Better to learn material suited
for the classroom at school and save the time at AbalOne Cove for outdoor education.
The Project Proposed is not Consistent with Sustainable Practices
We take issue with the City's repeated statements that Abalone Cove Shoreline Park is "the City's most
sustainable choice"for the 5,900 square foot facility.The site is close to the tide pools of Abalone Cove
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Ecological Reserve.That much is true.Should the fact that there is already a parking lot there be
justification for adding a building?And once there is a building,will that jUstify yet more developme.nt to
"improve accessD ?If the parking capacity proves insufficient to handle the additional traffic to the site on
busy summer weekends,will the response be to pave over even more of the bluff top?
A fundamental planning concept for any natural area of importance is to consolidate the infrastructure in
one location.This makes sense from a maintenance and operating cost perspective.It also relieves
stress on unspoiled locations.other locations a short distance from Abalone Cove already have the
infrastructure for indoor nature education.
The proposed exhibit for "Sustaining the Earth D is out of place here.Why invest in such an important
theme at a location on the edge of the Peninsula,far from the public that would benefit from the
information?Better to put up that type of display in a more centralized urban location.
Project Readiness
As stated above,the City's proposal to build at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park suffers from lack of public
support and will encounter significant hurdles if it were to be approved by the Department It does not
comply with the City's General Plan and zoning and seeks a fundamental change to RPV's public
parkland.Page 6 of the General Plan states,"Careful planning and management of a natural
environmental resource must be comprehensive and anticipatory in order to preclude irreversible and
irretrievable commitments of this resource made on a piecemeal and expedient basis at fUture dates."
The City Council gave authority to proceed With completing and submitting the Grant Application at the
Council meeting of June 1,2010.A draft of the Application was not available for review by City Council
Members or the public until just prior to the meeting and several members said they had not had time to
review it.At that meeting,and through June,residents objected to the building proposal and offered
alternative ideas that would be consistent with City planning documents.The final proposal was
completed just prior to the July 1 submission deadline and is,at best,a conceptual outline of the proposed
building project.
Just two years ago,the City of Rancho Palos Verdes adopted its "Coast VISion Plan."The Coast Vision
Plan represents over two years of planning,including considerable staff hours and public input.The Plan
is touted on the City website as "an informational planning document for the City's coastal areas ...with
public access,interpretive materials,recreational amenities,and other facilities to improve the experience
of the coast and open space for residents of and visitors to the Peninsula."The Plan's goal was to "identify
program,design and linkage concepts for the entire area:yet,nowhere in the Vision Plan is there
mention of a nature education center,or any building for that matter,in Abalone Cove or at Abalone Cove
Shoreline Park.
The Coast Vision Plan for Abalone Cove identifies new park amenities with picnic tables,shade features,
benches,trash receptacles,an ADA accessible bluff-top tran,and trail signage.A program to remove
invasive species and plant low-profile shade trees is contemplated.That's it.
The Vision Plan does identify other locations for nature education within the City.It identifies Lower Point
Vicente (1.7 miles up the road from Abalone Cove and the site of Point Vicente Interpretive Center)as a
key location for connecting the community to the ocean and land.The VISion Plan identifies an area
referred to as "Gateway Park"immediately adjacent to the Portuguese Bend Reserve (in the Palos Verdes
Nature Preserve)as the site for connecting the community to the Preserve.This vision contemplated an
outdoor education center at that location,immediately adjacent to the largest and most frequently
visited/hiked swath of preserve land&-the contiguous reserves of Forrestal,Portuguese Bend,Upper
Filliorum,and Three Sisters.The plan was for an outdoor pavilion and interpretive signage to educate the
Visiting public about the value of Coastal Sage Scrub and the pUblic's role in protecting and restoring it.
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That plan would reach 50,000 annual visitors to the PreseNe,most of whom are unlikely to hike or ride
their bikes or horses down the road to Abalone Cove to learn about Coastal Sage Scrub and stewardship.
Abalone Cove Shoreline Park fulfills a unique function on the coastline as it is.Yes,it would benefit from
improvements to parking,restrooms,interpretive signage and trails.But a large building would
unnecessarily alter its character and is not what the public wants for this site as evident from the response
to Save Our Shoreline's petition drive.Once again.we request that you deny the Rancho Palos Verdes
Nature Education Facilities Grant Application.
Very truly yours,
~~
Eva Cicorta,for Save Our Shoreline
00:Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
Carolyn Lehr,City Manager
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Say NO to a Proposed Building at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park
Save Our Shoreline!
Background:On June 30,2010 the City of Rancho Palos Verdes,founded to rein in coastal development,submitted a grant application to the
State of California to erect a 5,900 square foot "nature education center"in Abalone Cove Shoreline Park,on the only remaining stretch of
undeveloped coastal bluff top in the City.This building would be
It Destructive to the stunning view and the natural experience.
It Wasteful government spending:$7,000,000 +maintenance and operating costs.
11II There are already 5 existing indoor nature centers in this 9 mile stretch of coastline.
A BETTER ALTERNATIVE:Improve what we already have-trails,vegetation,information kiosks-for far less money,without the building.
We,the undersigned,oppose the proposal to erect a building in Abalone Cove Shoreline Park.
Signature Printed Name "if Street Address and City Email Address Date18+
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