CC SR 20220607 07 - Hatano Farm Udpate
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 06/07/2022
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Regular Business
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to receive a status report on the Hatano Farm Area at
Upper Point Vicente and provide direction to Staff on its future operation.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Receive and file a status update on historic designation of the Hatano Farm Area
at Upper Point Vicente (UPV); and
2. Direct Staff to return with a management agreement with the Palos Verdes
Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) for the operation of a native plant farm at
UPV.
FISCAL IMPACT: None at this time.
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Karina Bañales, Deputy City Manager
REVIEWED BY: Same as above
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. April 19, 2022, staff report
B. Public correspondence received since the April 19, 2022, City Council
meeting
BACKGROUND:
On April 19, 2022, the City Council directed Staff to pursue historic designation of the
Hatano Farm at UPV at the state and national levels, and to further explore options for
the future management of the farm site, with its current operator, Mr. Martin Martinez,
potentially working as an employee or consultant of the City o r the Palos Verdes
Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC). For background on this issue, read the April 19,
2022, staff report (Attachment A).
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CITYOF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
In the weeks since, Staff has begun the process of pursuing historic designation through
the National Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, and
California Point of Historical Interest programs. Staff has also been fleshing out what the
future operation of the farm site could look like and has determined what it believes is the
most feasible option: repurposing the site as a native plant farm managed by the PVPLC.
Tonight, Staff will present the City Council with an update on historic designation efforts
and seek direction to draft a management agreement with the PVPLC for the proposed
native plant farm for consideration at a future City Council meeting.
DISCUSSION:
1. Historic Designation
After the April 19, 2022, City Council meeting, Staff met with Palos Verdes Library District
(PVLD) staff for guidance on the process of applying for designation through the National
Register of Historic Places, California Register of Historical Resources, and California
Point of Historical Interest programs. PVLD staff gave City Staff a better understanding
of what the process would entail, what research would be needed and provided the names
of several consultants who prepare historic preservation nominations.
Staff determined the City does not have the resources or expertise in-house needed to
submit the strongest possible nominations, and therefore sought quotes for consulting
services under the City Manager’s signing authority. Staff is now in the process of
negotiating a service agreement with a consulting firm. Although the scope of work and
timeline is still being determined, Staff anticipates the nomination applications would be
submitted in the coming months.
Staff also met with a presresentative from Ted Lieu’s office, who expressed the
congressman's support for historic designation and offered assistance through the
application process. Staff plans to schedule meetings with the offices of additional local
representatives to seek support. Including Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, Senator Ben
Allen, and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn.
2. Repurposing the Hatano Farm Lease Area at UPV
Following the April 19, 2022, City Council meeting, Staff looked further into the most
feasible options for repurposing the farm site and bringing it into compliance with the
Program of Utilization, the federal document administered by the National Park Service,
which controls what activity and land use is permissible. In addition to the POU, which
prohibits commercial activity and leases, and limits use to public recreation, the site falls
under the City’s Natural Communities Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan
(NCCP/HCP), which limits what types of plants can be grown , and the Palos Verdes
Nature Preserve Public Use Master Plan (PUMP).
As discussed at previous City Council meetings, the City could come into compliance by
creating its own Recreation and Parks Department program ming for the site. However,
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this would require considerable time and funds to develop programming compliant with
the POU, allocate funding for new hires, and amending existing job specifications for
several Recreation and Parks Department positions to include farming expertise.
Additionally, some grading may be necessary to improve access and usability, and
roadway improvements may be required to improve site accessibility to Americans with
Disabilities Act-compliant levels. Grading is not contemplated in the NCCP and any such
plans would require additional review. If interested, Mr. Martinez, could apply for a
Recreation and Parks position to manage the site o r could be retained as a contract
employee with specialized skills.
The PVPLC continues to have an interest in using the site for growing native plants to be
used in its habitat restoration projects throughout the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
Since the April 19, 2022, City Council meeting, Staff has had several conversations with
PVPLC about what such a native plant farm could look like under the POU and NCCP,
and how it could operate. It is Staff’s understanding that the existing flowers species and
much of the existing cacti species could not continue to be grown as they are non-native
species. However, PVPLC could plant native wildflowers for habitat restoration use
elsewhere in the Preserve, and native cacti species to assist with wildfire prevention.
Based on discussions with NPS and PVPLC, Staff believes the n ative plant farm would
be compliant with both the POU and NCCP. The native plant farm would not involve a
lease, would not involve commercial activity (no plants or seedlings grown on site could
be sold), and would grow only native plant species. The site already offers a recreation
component with public trails that could be enhanced with interpretive signage.
Additionally, PVPLC could offer volunteer opportunities in the native plant farm, which
would provide public recreation.
Staff believes that a native plant farm managed by PVPLC is not only the most feasible
option, but could help achieve the Council’s desire of honoring the legacy of the
Peninsula’s Japanese farming families by incorporating an educational component, such
as interpretive signage and docent-led tours. Additionally, partnering with PVPLC is the
most time-sensitive option with regard to ensuring a plan is in place before August 16,
when Mr. Martinez’s lease agreement with the City expires. The PVPLC could possibly
onboard Mr. Martinez as a contractor or employee (depending on Mr. Martinez’s
preference) to oversee the operation of the native plant farm due to his expertise with
cultivating the property. However, Staff was recently informed by Mr. Martinez that his
availability to work on the farm may be limited, as he grows crops on another farm in
Fillmore in addition to the Hatano Farm.
If a native plant farm is desired by the City Council, the Council can direct Staff to return
to a future meeting with a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the PVPLC
for management of the site before the expiration of the August 16 lease agreement. Staff
would ensure the agreement is compliant with the POU, NCCP, and the PUMP. The fiscal
impact of such an agreement would be determined and presented to the City Council.
Public Correspondence
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Public correspondence received after the April 19, 2022, City Council meeting is included
as Attachment B.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council receive and file a status report on historic designation
efforts for the Hatano Farm site. Given the impending August 16 lease expiration, the
various land-use restrictions over UPV, and the challenges associated with creating City-
run programming at the site, Staff recommends the City Council direct Staff to return with
a management agreement with the PVPLC for the operation of a native plant farm at UPV.
Staff could return with an agreement as early as the July 19, 2022, City Council meeting.
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendations, the following alternative action s are available
for the City Council's consideration:
1. Take no action at this time and direct Staff to return with further analysis.
2. Direct Staff to bring back an alternative option for repurposing the Hatano Farm
site.
3. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
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Karina Banales
From:Mickey Rodich <mickeyrodich@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, May 17, 2022 4:36 PM
To:CC
Subject:Fwd: Not On The Agenda: Hatano Farm
Attachments:IMG_1024.jpg
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the City of Rancho Palos Verdes.
I don't think it is appropriate to use Hatano Farm as a seed farm. That
does nothing to promote the legacy of farming on the Peninsula. I think
it would be more appropriate to use Hatano as an educational
opportunity for our young students. Our City can form this educational
experience for our school children by joining up with the PVPUSD to
provide this activity as part of their curriculum. It can be compared to
field trips that they take during the school year. The students can be
taught how to plant a garden, nurture it, watch it grow, make compost,
use their compost in with the soil and harvest the fruits of their labor.
This would make them aware of nature and how our crops are grown.
And you can use the existing Hatano farmer to help with this program.
After all, isn't this exactly what our state is encouraging all of us to do,
today, with our organic waste?
Attached is a brief article that I found in Torrance Memorial Hospital's
Pulse magazine from Spring 2022. The article talks about Kathy Kellogg
Johnson, who is the co‐owner and chair of the board for Kellogg Garden
Products. I believe she lives in Rolling Hills. She is on the Board of
Directors of South Coast Botanic Gardens. She would be a credible
resource for this program and could provide our City with her valuable
experience and ideas.
In the article, it states: "She believes gardening gives children
enjoyment from being outdoors and working with their hands. They are
also more enthusiastic about eating something they grew themselves. In
our era of instant everything, children learn real time nature. They plant
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the seed, a blade appears, 90 days later a tomato appears, and 14 days
later they can pick it and eat it".
What can be more appropriate for our children than to learn how to
garden and see how vegetables grow. This makes a lot more sense than a
seed farm.
Sent from my iPhone
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B-3ommunil) \ IP Good Earth Wfltten by Nancy Sokoler Steiner I Photographed by Michael Neveux nutrient-dense and leads to a healthier population:' K athy Kellogg Johnson internalized the idea "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" long before the concept gained traction. It started with her grandfather, H. Clay Kellogg. who founded Kellogg Garden Products in 1925. ln the 1950s her father, H. Clay Kellogg Jr., conceived of recovering and repurposing organic materials-then con-sidered worthless-to-enrich soil. For example, he created a soil enhancer using discarded rice hulls that would other-wise have been burned. Today Kathy Kellogg Johnson continues her family's legacy of sustainability ( or as she prefers to call it, "regeneration") and healthy farming practices as the company's co-owner and chair of the board. Under her earlier direction as sustainability director, Kellogg Garden Products began recycling everything from cardboard boxes to plastic bags (the latter are made into shoes). ln 2007 Kellogg Garden Products of Carson was among the first to request a review of its carbon footprint and received a Zero Waste designation from the California Department ofRecyding (now CALRECYCLE) and the Califorrua Resource Recovery Association. The company's carbon footprint was found to be negative, preventing more than 400,000 tons of CO2e from being released annually. Kellogg Johnson gets satisfaction knowing the company's customers help keep the cycle going. "Carbon belongs in the soil, and plants are the mechanism by which carbon gets there; she says. "Creating enriched soil with the use of organic matter sequesters carbon, makes plants more 46 I Pulse Magazine Spring 2022 She champions the cause of, helping impoverished rural farmers adopt these practices and better their lives through her support of Plant with Purpose. The organization equips farming families around the world to increase farm yields, heal damaged ecosystems, improve nutrition, and increase household savings and opportunities. "They truly help people help themselveS:' says Kellogg Johnson, who has traveled to countries including Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda to work with participants. "It doesn't give money. It encourages learning:' Profits from her company's Eden Valley Blend products support Plant with Purpose. Closer to home, Kellogg Johnson participates in school gardening programs in the South Bay and local underserved communities. She remembers her shock upon watching a show where Chef Jamie Oliver interacted with children. The children couldn't identify common vegetables and didn't know that potatoes came from the ground, not the supermarket. She believes gardening gives children enjoyment from being outdoors -and working with their hands. They are also more enthusiastic about eating something they grew themselves. "In our era of instant everything, children learn real-time nature. They plant the seed, a blade appears, 90 days later a tomato appears, and 14 days later they can pick it and eat it." In October 2021, Kellogg Johnson received the inaugural Mother Earth award from Grades of Green (see pages 42-43) for her environmental work around the globe. The nonprofit, founded by four Southern California mothers, provides resources to students to engage in projects addressing environmental issues. Kellogg Johnson encourages beginning gardeners to visit their local nursery, where staff can suggest edible crops that work with specific sun, watering and soil conditions. She even started with a window box growing lettuce, green onions and rosemary. "Recovering_o~g~ics and u~ing them in gardens is a very hope-filled actlVlty, she says. In doing so, you are eating more nutntious food, reducing "ivaste and removing carbon from our atmosphere~ •