20171002 Late CorrespondenceTO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CITY CLERK
OCTOBER 2, 2017
ADDITIONS/REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA
Attached are revisions/additions and/or amendments to the agenda material presented
for tonight's meeting.
Item No. Description of Material
1 Emails from: Jim Knight; Tom Long
Respectfully submitted,
W:\01 City Clerk\LATE CORRESPONDENCE\2017 Cover Sheets\20171002 additions revisions to agenda.doc
From:
Sent:
To:
Emily Colborn
Sunday, October 01, 2017 7:57 PM
CityClerk
Subject: Fwd: NCCP Review Oct. 2
Late Correspondence for Monday's meeting.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Jim Knight <knightjim33@gmail.com>
Date: October 1, 2017 at 12:56:58 PM PDT
To: CC <CC@rpvca.gov>
Subject: NCCP Review Oct. 2
TO: RPV City Council
FROM: Jim Knight
DATE: Oct 1, 2017
RE:NCCP
I am glad this Council is reviewing the status of the NCCP. It has been 13 years since RPV adopted the
plan and we still don't have a final signed agreement with the Resource Agencies. I have been in the
real estate business for 45 years and I have never seen such a long time to get two parties signatures on
an agreement.
A little background on the NCCP. The Federal Endangered Species Act was adopted in 1973 and at
the time was the only tool to protect threatened species and habitat. But it had problems. Each
development project had long delays while the EIS was prepared, reviewed and accepted and the end
result was a project by project piecemeal approach leaving species unprotected with non-functional
fragmented habitat.
The State of California decided in 1991 to implement a Natural Communities Conservation Plan
(NCCP) process wherein large scale habitat planning could take place (city, county or state
jurisdictional planning boundaries) and developers, government agencies and the environmental
community could sit at one table and give input on the plan. The ultimate goal was using good science
(an idea in general we could use more of today) to maximize protection of large areas of contiguous
habitat, and wildlife corridors, to support species of concern while taking into consideration
developer's needs and public access. It proved to be a superior habitat planning process.
1 /.
I was part of early meetings of the RPV NCCP and even though there were disagreements I could see
that with three alternatives developed everyone at the table at least knew they had direct input. Always
a good idea when one is trying to achieve an agreement. I also knew that not only were we on our way
to preserving large open spaces, a cherished attribute for everyone in our city, but the NCCP would
open doors for funding to acquire private land including the Wildlife Conservation Board
contributing millions toward the purchase of the Portuguese Bend area. And that acquisition was not
by force such as eminent domain but by fair market compensation.
The final plan accepted was Alternative C. But it still have a few tweaks to be made. The staff report
mentions that the Long Point Development at one point wanted to use the City Hall site for a golf
course. I, and many others, were not happy with that addition to Alternative C. I made the first
PowerPoint presentation to the Planning Commission and City Council (had to project the presentation
on the side wall) trying to persuade them both that this land was currently public and had greater value
conserved and fully accessible to our residents, young and old. I remember Peter Gardner coming over
to my house to discuss the inclusion of golf on UPV in Alternative C and I explained that the Long
Point proposal would indeed increase the number of native plants, but it would be all fragmented with
little biological function. He was a scientist by profession and got the point.
But the most important reason I was at the NCCP planning table was my 2 year old daughter I brought
to many meetings. The NCCP was a means to preserve that open space, habitat and species not only
for us today, but for her, her children, their children and many generations to come. As has been said,
we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.
I will look forward to finally coming to a conclusion of the NCCP agreement and continuing to move
forward with implementing that plan, including cooperatively working as a team with the PVPLC, to
achieve the primary goal of preservation of sensitive habitat and species for future generations to enjoy
and learn from.
Jim Knight
2
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Importance:
Dear Councilmembers,
Tom Long <Tom_LongRPV@msn.com>
Monday, October 02, 2017 4:28 PM
cc
NCCP
High
Unfortunately I will likely not be able to attend tonight's workshop. But I urge you to act as
promptly as you can to reach all agreements necessary to implement the NCCP so as to
protect the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
As one of your constituents I would like to learn how you plan to protect the Preserve. I look
forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Tom Long (former RPV Mayor 2007 and 2011).
Tom Long Personal E-Mail
Email tom !ongrpv@msn.com
Mobile 213.718.4484
If you have received this email in error please delete it and notify me.
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