CC SR 20260421 01 - Trump National Trails Maint Compliance
PUBLIC HEARING - ADJUDICATIVE
Date: April 21, 2026
Subject:
Consider the 2025 Annual Review of Trump National Golf Club’s compliance with its maintenance
obligations (Case No. PLMH2026-0001).
Recommendation:
1) Receive and file the 2025 Annual Review of Trump National Golf Club’s compliance with its
maintenance obligations relating to trails and open space pursuant to the 2018 City Council -
approved Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions (Case No. PLMH20 26-0001); and,
2) Consider Applicant’s request to amend the Maintenance Agreement conditions to reduce the
City Council reviews from annually to biennially, and if deemed acceptable, direct Staff to
bring the condition amendment back for future consideration by the City Council at a duly
noticed public hearing.
1. Report of Notice Given: City Clerk Takaoka
2. Declare Public Hearing Open: Mayor Seo
3. Request for Staff Report: Mayor Seo
4. Staff Report & Recommendation: Amy Seeraty, Senior Planner
5. Council Questions of Staff (factual and without bias):
6. Public Testimony:
Principal Parties 10 Minutes Each. The appellant or their representative speaks first and will generally be allowed ten minutes. If the
applicant is different from the appellant, the applicant or their representative will speak following the appellant and will also be
allowed ten minutes to make a presentation. General Public 3 Minutes Each.
Applicant: Lili Amini, Trump National Representative
Mayor Seo invites the Applicant to speak. (10 mins.)
7. Rebuttal: Mayor Seo invites brief rebuttals by Applicant. (3 mins)
Normally, the applicants and appellants will be limited to a three (3) minute rebuttal, if requested after all other interested persons have
spoken.
8. Council Questions of Applicant (factual and without bias):
9. Declare Hearing Closed/or Continue the Public Hearing to a later date: Mayor Seo
10. Council Deliberation:
The Council may ask staff to address questions raised by the testimony, or to clarify matters. Staff and/or Council may also answer
questions posed by speakers during their testimony. The Council will then debate and/or make motions on the matter.
11. Council Action:
The Council may: vote on the item; offer amendments or substitute motions to decide the matter; reopen the hearing for additional
testimony; continue the matter to a later date for a decision.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 04/21/2026
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Public Hearing
AGENDA TITLE:
Consider the 2025 Annual Review of Trump National Golf Club’s compliance with its
maintenance obligations (Case No. PLMH2026-0001).
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file the 2025 Annual Review of Trump National Golf Club’s
compliance with its maintenance obligations relating to trails and open space
pursuant to the 2018 City Council-approved Amended and Restated Declaration
of Restrictions (Case No. PLMH2026-0001); and,
(2) Consider Applicant’s request to amend the Maintenance Agreement conditions to
reduce the City Council reviews from annually to biennially, and if deemed
acceptable, direct Staff to bring the condition amendment back for future
consideration by the City Council at a duly noticed public hearing.
FISCAL IMPACT: A Miscellaneous Hearing Fee of $3,168 was submitted as a deposit
by the Applicant to cover costs associated with this compliance
review. VR
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Amy Seeraty, Senior Planner
REVIEWED BY: Brandy Forbes, AICP, Director of Community Development
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
,
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. City Council-approved Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions
recorded November 27, 2018 (Linked)
B. April 15, 2025 City Council Staff Report (Linked)
C. Public Correspondence (page C-1)
D. March 30, 2026 Letter from Applicant (page D-1)
1
BACKGROUND:
The Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions for Trump National Golf Club,
among other guidelines, requires an annual review of Trump National Golf Club’s
(“Applicant’s”) compliance with trail and open space maintenance obligations (Attachment
A). Specifically, Condition No. 7 of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions
states the following:
7. Review and Monitoring For Compliance. The City and Owners [Trump National
Golf Club] shall review the Owners' compliance with its Maintenance Obligations
and compliance with the terms and conditions under this Declaration at least once
every twelve (12) months based on a tracking system and protocols implemented
by City for monitoring compliance. Owners shall implement and/or perform all
reasonably practical recommendations or requirements of City following such
annual review.
Pursuant to this condition, in 2019, the Community Development Department and
Recreation and Parks Department (“City Staff”) worked together to create a maintenance
spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel to track maintenance issues at the City-owned public
spaces managed by Trump National Golf Club . This maintenance matrix was first
presented to the City Council on February 4, 2020 and most recently on April 15, 2025
(Attachment B).
Since the 2025 meeting, City Staff and the Applicant have shifted away from the Excel
spreadsheet system for tracking maintenance issues, to the more efficient CityWorks
automated software platform. The use of CityWorks streamlines the maintenance issue
reporting process and allows for quicker response and update times and a better tracking
system for maintenance performed. The most common open space maintenance issues
reported this past year through CityWorks, which are also the most common throughout
the City’s open space areas, include litter, graffiti, dog waste, deteriorated signage,
signage needs, trail erosion, and vegetation overgrowth. While City Staff and Trump
National Staff have begun using CityWorks in late 2025/early 2026, City Staff are still in
the process of coordinating the login and workorder entry process, and more formal
reports will be available at the next formal review of Trump National Golf Club’s
Maintenance Compliance Hearing in spring of 2027 unless a modified reporting period is
considered by the City Council, as requested this evening by the Applicant . Additionally,
City Staff and Trump National Staff communicate regularly throughout the year on
maintenance and public use issues, and maintenance matters are addressed accordingly.
The purpose of this report is to conduct the 2025 Annual Review of the overall
effectiveness of the Applicant’s compliance with maintenance obligations for the trails,
open space, and public amenities, pursuant to Condition No. 7. The focus of this review
will be on the application of the maintenance matrix, a discussion of the most common
and recurring maintenance issues, and an update on the status of the Catalina Trail bridge
2
closure. Additionally, the City Council is also being asked to consider amending Condition
No. 7 to reduce the compliance review from annually to biennially, as requested by the
Applicant.
DISCUSSION:
1. Maintenance Compliance
Ocean Trails Reserve is 114 acres, contains 3.43 miles of trails, allows for access to the
beach via 4 public trails, and contains a large segment of the City’s segment of the
California Coastal Trail. These features makes it a desirable destination for the public.
The Applicant is required to maintain, manage, improve, and enhance, to the City’s
reasonable satisfaction, various portions of the Trump National Golf Club property,
including open space areas, public amenities such as picnic tables and benches, and
trails. Common maintenance issues include litter, graffiti, dog waste, deteriorated or
missing signage, trail erosion, and vegetation overgrowth. However, it should be noted
that these maintenance issues are the same recurring issues experienced throughout the
City’s trail-system, open space areas, parks, and other recreational spaces. As noted
above, City Staff and Trump National Staff now use the CityWorks software program to
log the issues, track, and objectively measure the completeness and timeliness of the
Applicant’s compliance with its maintenance obligations.
When a maintenance issue is identified by City Staff or reported by the public, City Staff
log it into CityWorks. Both Trump National Staff and City Staff have login access and
provide updates within the system. CityWorks allows photos and map coordinates to be
included, which improve the quality of the report and reduces confusion about the location
or nature of the reported issues. This system was implemented on a trial basis for internal
City Staff use in August 2023 and was made available to Trump National Golf Club in
mid-2025. Over the last year, City Staff has coordinated with Trump National Staff and
provided guidance and training during this introductory period, which remains ongoing.
Additionally, City Staff and Trump National Staff continue refining how the system is used
to track maintenance issues. While still a work in progress, the system is improving
reporting, as well as the ability to track maintenance status.
City Staff continue to work with the Applicant to review their progress and ensure
completion of pending items. City Staff believe the Applicant, despite the challenges of
the past several years including higher public use during COVID-19 and damage from
heavy rainstorms, continues to make significant progress to reasonably address the
ongoing maintenance of the trails, open space , and amenities. Usage of the Ocean Trails
Reserve has increased even further in recent years due to the landslide -related trail
closures at other popular Palos Verdes Nature Preserve (Preserve) Reserves, including
parts of the Portuguese Bend, Filiorum, and Abalone Cove Reserves. While Ocean Trails
Reserve has always been one of the City’s more popular Reserves due to its trail mileage,
coastal location, and coastal access, Park Rangers have noticed a significant increase in
use following landslide-related trail closures elsewhere. Increased public use translates
to increased maintenance issues.
3
Since the April 2025 City Council meeting (Attachment B), City Staff and Trump National
Golf Club Staff have had multiple meetings, including meetings specific to the Catalina
Trail bridge repair as further discussed below, to stay up to date with the current status of
the trails. Due to the large size of the Ocean Trails Reserve and Trump National Golf
Club, frequent usage by the public, and the recent rain that the area has received, topics
discussed at the aforementioned meetings and in this report include trail erosion,
deterioration of signage, weed abatement and overgrown vegetation along trails,
vandalism, and litter. Additional topics of discussion for this report are repairs to Sunset
Park and the Catalina Trail bridge closure and solutions for re-opening. These topics are
further discussed below:
Trail Erosion
Arguably the most challenging maintenance task the City experiences on its Citywide trail
system is trail erosion caused by water runoff or normal erosion of dirt trails over time.
Dirt trails require special water control maintenance techniques such as outsloping trails
and rolling grade dips and also regular maintenance of these water control measures .
Water control maintenance measures are extremely helpful if implemented correctly, but
it takes specialized experience to install and maintain them.
As a result of erosion from the recent rains, trails and amenities throughout the City,
including Ocean Trails Reserve, have needed continuous and recurring maintenance.
While various large-scale trail construction repairs were completed in October and
November 2021, during 2024 and early 2025, the Applicant worked on smaller projects
including repairing trail washouts and adding new posts and cables along the sides of
existing trails. Erosion and resultant slope failures also caused the closure of the Catalina
Trail bridge and the Coastal Switchback Trail landslide in 2021. This item is discussed
further in the “Catalina Trail Bridge Status” section below.
Additionally, the Applicant has informed City Staff that prior to the recent rain season,
efforts were made to proactively prepare for drainage and water mitigation by building
natural berms to shed water in the correct directions / areas. City Staff proposes to partner
Trump National maintenance staff with the City’s Open Space and Trails Staff and the
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s Volunteer Trail Crew to demonstrate some
more effective water control maintenance techniques that Trump Maintenance Staff can
implement and reasonably maintain on trails to help problematic areas that routinely
experience heavy erosion and water damage.
Weed Abatement and Overgrown Vegetation
Another significant trail maintenance task is keeping a comfortable trail prism clear of
overgrown vegetation. In spring and summer, the open space areas maintained by Trump
National Golf Club and the City see heavy vegetation growth, especially following a wet
winter. To clear this growth and maintain a comfortable trail prism, Trump National
Maintenance Staff need to be readily available to conduct trail clearing/vegetation clearing
to open trail widths back up each spring, and follow up with trimmings into the summer
after conducting nesting surveys for sensitive bird species in the area. City Staff have
4
received recent comments from some residents about the overgrown shrubs and
branches extending into the trails, leaf debris on the trails, and overgrown weeds at Trump
National Golf Club. These comments include the most recent comments (Attachment C)
received in response to the public notice for this meeting. The Applicant has informed City
Staff that overgrown vegetation along the trails, albeit common throughout the City’s trail
system, continues to be trimmed on a regular basis, and these areas are scheduled for
regular maintenance this spring. It should also be noted that sporadic leaf litter and/or
small amounts of sand on walkways is not considered non -compliance under the
Maintenance Agreement, which states that, among other requirements, the Applicant
shall maintain paths and trails to the City’s reasonable satisfaction. Staff does not believe
it to be a reasonable expectation to have trails throughout the City without sporadic leaf
litter.
Deterioration of Signage
Sign maintenance due to vandalism and exposure to the elements is another constant
and recurring issue for the Applicant, which is also common throughout the City’s open
space ares. Over the last year, the Applicant has replaced a significant number of signs,
including trail name signs and other wayfinding and informational signs. Given that signs
are critical for the identification of the trails, as well as advising the public of the Preserve
and beach rules, City Staff continue working with the Applicant to address these issues
on a timely basis. Most recently, similar to last year, the Applicant is working with their
sign vendor to order a large number of replacement carsonite stickers that indicate the
trail name, trail difficulty, bicycles or no bicycles allowed, as these are commonly
vandalized and replaced often. City Staff continue to work with the Applicant to ensure all
signs are current and updated.
Vandalism and Litter
City Staff have received reports regarding garbage on trails and in parking lots, in addition
to vandalism of fence posts and signage. Additionally, the Applicant has informed City
Staff regarding ongoing issues with frequent vandalism within the eastern section of the
Reserve including graffiti and etching. Also, as stated above, the bike decals on trail signs
are targeted and frequently vandalized, regardless of whether bikes were or were not
permitted on a given trail. These are common and unfortunate public use related
violations, and Ocean Trails Reserve is likely experiencing an uptick in these violations
due to the increase in public use the Reserve has been recently experiencing.
In an effort to further deter this type of activity, Park Rangers have continued to have
increased presence and patrols of the La Rotonda Drive parking lot and adjacent trails in
this eastern section of the Reserve to watch for any vandalism in the area. Furthermore,
the Applicant continues to monitor the trails every Friday for litter and graffiti detail.
Catalina Trail Bridge Status
City Staff have been working together with the Ocean Trails Reserve co-managing
entities (California Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California
5
Department of Fish and Wildlife, Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, and Trump
National Golf Club) to repair the Catalina Trail (and bridge) and Coastal Switchback Trail,
which are currently closed due to a landslide that occurred in July 2021 and also due to
significant erosion. Initially City Staff had to wait for the area to stabilize before
subsequent assessments to determine the stability of the area could be made following
the landslide event. During 2024 and 2025, City Staff held several meetings with the City’s
geologist, the California Coastal Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife to discuss possible solutions. City Staff have
also met numerous times to discuss the items needed to address the bridge
relocation/rebuild project. As previously noted, the trails cannot simply be repaired and
likely may need to be rerouted through dedicated habitat and Preserve areas due to the
breadth and scope of slope erosion. These repairs require significant coordination
because of the various land managers and jurisdictions involved , as well as the
engineering involved in making certain repairs.
City Staff most recently met with the Applicant on March 25, 2026 to coordinate on an
updated list of initial engineering items that will need to be submitted to the City and
reviewed by consultants with the City’s Public Works Department, as well as with all
applicable agencies. These initial studies, which include an updated geotechnical report
and a hydrology analysis, will help to determine a feasible location for a new bridge. City
Staff will then work with the Applicant on submitting the appropriate Planning Division
applications to start the planning and environmental review processes. The environmental
review and planning entitlement applications must be submitted, processed, and
approved prior to the Applicant being able to submit for the review and issuance of any
construction permits. This process will likely take several months, if not longer, to
complete, again because of the nature of the damage sustained and the requirements to
rebuild a new bridge. In the meantime, the Applicant has installed a new fence securing
both ends of the bridge with signage warning the public not to use the bridge due to
imminent danger of collapsing as a result of erosion along the canyon wall.
It is evident that the Applicant strives to keep up with the recurring maintenance issues,
based on continually improving and regular communication between the Applicant and
City Staff. City Staff will continue to work with the Applicant to facilitate and ensure that
recurring maintenance of the trails, open space , and amenities will continue to remain in
compliance with their obligations under the Maintenance Agreement. As such, Staff
recommend that the City Council find that the Applicant is compliant with Condition No.
7.
2. Consider Amending the Compliance Review Frequency
On March 30, 2026 the Applicant submitted a letter requesting that the maintenance
review be changed to a biennial (every two years) review, instead of an annual review
(Attachment D). They have made this request as an effort to productively reallocate both
organizations’ staff time since City Staff and Trump National Golf Club Staff have
established consistent and productive communication on open space maintenance,
because of their commitment to routine, regular, and effective maintenance, and because
of the continued reasonable compliance with the maintenance obligations. It is believed
6
that reducing the frequency of reviews would streamline communication by focusing on
meaningful updates while supporting more consistent, long-term maintenance planning.
This request would require an amendment of the existing Maintenance Agreement and
Condition No. 7. If the City Council agrees to consider the modified maintenance
schedule, City Staff would bring the 2018 City Council-approved Amended and Restated
Declaration of Restrictions (Maintenance Agreement) and Condition No. 7 back to the
City Council at a duly noticed public hearing to incorporate language to reflect the revised
review schedule.
It should be noted that this request was submitted to City Staff after the Public Notice for
only the usual annual review was transmitted to the newspaper. However, if the City
Council directs City Staff to bring a Maintenance Agreement and Condition amendment
back for future consideration, a new public notice will be published and mailed to property
owners within the same 500-foot radius at least 15-days prior to that meeting.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Public Notification and Correspondence
On April 2, 2026, a public notice was mailed to all property owners within a 500 -foot radius
of the project site and published in the Palos Verdes Peninsula News. In response to the
public notice, City Staff received six emails from four notified residents expressing
concerns with the conditions of the trails (Attachment C). These concerns expressed
include ruts in the trails, plant overgrowth encroaching onto the trail , and broken fence
posts. The comments state that these conditions, including narrowed paths, plant
encroachment, and rattlesnake risk, make portions of the trails unsafe and suggest a
failure to meet maintenance obligations. The public comments also question why, despite
available resources, a proactive and regular maintenance schedule is not being
implemented and call for stronger oversight and enforcement by the City. City Staff has
conveyed these concerns to the Applicant, and as the Applicant is typically and
reasonably responsive to issues raised by City Staff or members of the public, City Staff
does not believe that this constitutes “non-compliance”. It is also worth noting that these
issues are not an uncommon occurrence throughout the City’s open space and trails
system, and are addressed as they are observed and during routine inspection of open
space facilities.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council: 1) Receive and file this annual review report
regarding Trump National Golf Club’s 2025 compliance with its maintenance obligations
relating to trails and open space pursuant to the 2018 City Council -approved Amended
and Restated Declaration of Restrictions (Maintenance Agreement); and, 2) Consider the
Applicant’s request to amend the Maintenance Agreement conditions to reduce the City
Council reviews from annually to biennially, and direct Staff to bring the amendment back
for future consideration.
7
ALTERNATIVES:
In addition to the Staff recommendation, the following alternative actions are available for
the City Council’s consideration:
1. Identify areas of concern regarding the Applicant’s compliance with the
maintenance obligations and direct Staff to address these concerns at a future
meeting.
2. Take other action, as deemed appropriate.
8
March 30th , 2026
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Dear Members of the City Council,
LOS ANGELES
I hope this letter finds you w ell. I am writing on behalf of Trump Nation al Golf Club, to request a
modification of the annual trail maintenance review requirement.
We appreciate the collaborative relationship we share with the City and the Council's commitment to
maintaining the beauty and accessibility of our local trails. Since the inception of the review requirement,
w e have worked closely with the City staff, including via periodic virtual meetings, regular phone calls and
emails to ensure that any and all trail maintenance issues are promptly addressed.
City staff closely monitors progress with any issues addressed through these channels regularly and
through the "CityWorks" software program .
Accordingly, in light of these instantaneous modes of addressing issues, and after several successful
years of annual trail maintenance reviews, we seek to transition to a biennial process which will enhance
efficiency and effectiveness for both the Council and the Club.
Specifically, we believe the transition to biennial reviews is supported by improvements to the following
objectives:
1. Streamlined Communication: Reducing the frequency of presentations would enable the C lub to
concentrate on comprehensive updates and significant developments rather than routine reports.
2. Consistency in Maintenance: A biennial review aligns with the long -term planning and sustainability
goals we have fo r the trails, ensuring that maintenance practices are both effective and consistent.
Taking those points to account, we respectfully request the Council to consider this a djustment to our
review schedule. Thank you for your consideratio n. We look forward to discussing this matter further and
continuing our • • e partnership with the City.
C-1
From:robert geraci
To:Amy Seeraty
Subject:Response to April 2 2026 letter on Trump trails maintenance
Date:Friday, April 10, 2026 2:51:27 PM
[You don't often get email from elkrut@hotmail.com. Learn why this is important at
https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification ]
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe!!!.
Hi Amy
Responding to Brandy's letter
I have seen some efforts by Trump to fix ruts in the trails. In the West portal traIl upper end near intersection with
south Driving range trail, the large ruts in the decomposed granite have been filled. Unfortunately after the initial
repairs, they have not been maintained, so the granite is pooling in piles. It needs to be spread regularly. At the
observation deck, the castor beans have encroached onto the frail area. There must be 100 new plants growing on
the trail, some as high as two to three feet. Going east on the West portal trail, the ruts are reoccurring. They need
to be addressed. Further East, the plants are starting to encroach on the trail. And narrows the hiking area.
Dangerous during rattlesnake season.
Turning North towards the parking lot and along the 10th hole, the lemonade berry plants have seriously encroached
on the trail. It has narrowed down to two human widths in a few areas. Again dangerous.
On the switchback trail to the beach from the resort lawn area, the ruts are there and need to be smoothed out. It is
obviously steeper so the water damage is more pronounced, and in the lower half of the upper trail above the first
switchback,a few posts are becoming compromised and may need cement stabilisation against the water force.
Thanks for listening. We love our trails, and City of RPV’s efforts at keeping them safe and functional.
Sincerely
Robert Geraci
4105 Maritime Rd
RPV CA 90275
714 206 6203
C-2
1
Amy Seeraty
From:Carol Eichler <caroleichler8@gmail.com>
Sent:Thursday, April 9, 2026 11:28 AM
To:Amy Seeraty
Subject:April 21 Public Hearing / Comments
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Flagged
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe!!!.
Ms Seeraty,
Herewith my comments re the Trump National Golf Course Trail Monitoring and Maintenance Review.
1. What is the exact language, as reflected within the charter / contract between the City of RPV and Trump
National, delineating the responsibilities of Trump National Golf Course to maintain the public hiking trail?
I’m requesting that this language / a contract excerpt be made available for review during the April 21 meeting.
The public needs to clearly understand the precise contractual obligations of Trump National to maintain the public
trail.
2. Since the lack of public trail maintenance has measurably been going on for at least two years, despite citizen
efforts, I’m requesting that the city clarify the nature of its business relationship with Trump National Golf Course
administration.
How exactly does the city of RPV hold Trump National Golf Course responsible for its obligations?
What are the characteristics of this business relationship?
The city appears to be giving Trump National Golf Course a pass on its obligations; in simple terms, the golf course
is ‘getting away with’ not following charter guidelines.
3. In terms of #2, we strongly recommend that the city of RPV implement a penalty schedule for noncompliance.
Assigning financial penalties for lack of compliance with an established charter / contract is a conventional way for
municipalities to enforce compliance.
Since the golf course has for years blatantly not complied with the terms of its maintenance obligations, a schedule
of potential fines should be implemented presently: Trump National has had more than enough time to begin
maintaining the trails. It deserves no ‘grace period’, before penalties are assigned.
4. Trump National Golf Course enjoys the benefits of its cozy relationship with our city.
For example, its use of public parking lots, which prioritize the needs of golf course patrons over RPV citizens (see
city staffing costs for blocking access to public parking during No Kings rallies) stands in direct contrast to its refusal
to maintain public hiking trails.
You don't often get email from caroleichler8@gmail.com. Learn why this is important
C-3
2
If Trump National continues to refuse to maintain hiking trails, should it then continue to be allowed to control / block
access to taxpayer-funded public parking lots?
If so, a revision of the charter / agreements with Trump National are in order.
Thank you for submitting these items for consideration at the April 21 meeting.
Your help is appreciated.
C-4
From:Diane Stewart
To:Amy Seeraty
Cc:Stephen Stewart; Stephen Stewart
Subject:TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF CLUB TRAIL MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE REVIEW (case no. plmh2026-0001
Date:Thursday, April 9, 2026 3:12:01 PM
You don't often get email from dianerenestewart@gmail.com. Learn why this is important
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe!!!.
Amy Seeraty, Senior Planner
Dear City Council Members:
I live next door to Trump National Golf Club in PBC, Tract f16540. We walk the
bluff trails regularly, and have done as as far back as when Ken Zuckerman created
Ocean Trails, and donated the land and open space to create the trails system. At
the present time the bluff-side trail is not safe. In places it is encroached by
lemonade berry and in places by castor beans. The trails must be kept clean
because Spring is rattlesnake season, and it is so overgrown you could step on a
rattlesnake and never know what bit you.
I urge all of you to walk the bluff trail. It is a dereliction of duty to be non-
compliant with the trail maintenance obligation.
Thank you for you consideration
Diane Rene Stewart
4194 Maritime Road
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
C-5
From:sb93105@icloud.com
To:Amy Seeraty
Cc:Eric Wolterding; Katie Lozano
Subject:Re: Public Hearing Comment – Trump National Golf Club Trail Monitoring and Maintenance Review
Date:Monday, April 13, 2026 10:03:27 AM
Importance:High
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the
content is safe!!!.
Hello...
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate the opportunity to have this included. If it is not too
much trouble to include,
that would be great. I do intend to cover the thoughts in my email at City Council Meeting,
Tuesday, April 21, 2016
7pm.
Thank you again. I appreciate the thoroughness and communication of you all at Rancho Palos
Verdes City. I think
together we can make a big difference here for Ocean Trails in 2026.
Regards,
Robert Eichler
RPV Resident
On Apr 13, 2026, at 9:52 AM, Amy Seeraty <AmyS@rpvca.gov> wrote:
Hello-
Thank you for your email. I understand Katie has already reached out to
schedule a site visit just with City Staff prior to next week’s meeting.
However, please advise if you would like the most recent email below (sent
Friday afternoon at 3:02pm) to be part of the public record that gets attached to
the staff report. I am including the other emails with comments, questions, and
photos, as you and Carol requested that they be submitted for consideration for
next week’s meeting.
Please advise at your earliest convenience, thank you.
Sincerely,
<image001.jpg> Amy SeeratySenior Planner
amys@rpvca.gov Phone - (310) 544-
<image002.png>
<image003.png><image004.png>
C-6
5231
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
90275
Website: www.rpvca.gov
This e-mail message contains information belonging to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes,
which may be privileged, confidential, and/or protected from disclosure. The information
is intended only for use of the individual or entity named. Unauthorized dissemination,
distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you received this email in error, or are not
an intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately. Thank you for your
assistance and cooperation.
From: sb93105@icloud.com <sb93105@icloud.com>
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2026 3:02 PM
To: Amy Seeraty <AmyS@rpvca.gov>
Cc: Eric Wolterding <ewolterding@rpvca.gov>; Katie Lozano <KatieL@rpvca.gov>
Subject: Re: Public Hearing Comment – Trump National Golf Club Trail Monitoring and
Maintenance Review
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize the sender
and know the content is safe!!!.
Good afternoon all,
If I understand correctly, TNGC staff will now be included in the Monday 9 a.m. meeting at
La Rotonda. If so, I’ll need to withdraw for Monday, April 13th 9am. We tried this setup last
year, and it honestly didn’t work well — Angel is a nice person, but the dynamic put him in a
defensive posture, and the discussion became unproductive. Given his 25+ years at TNGC, I
can appreciate why. He’s a proud person. But this issue is not about Angel or his maintenance
quality.
At its core, this is a stewardship issue. This is about TNGC management directing the human
and equipment resources to make it happen and putting it on the calendar. And, that’s really
it.
The 2018 Amended and Restated Declaration of Restrictions outlines responsibilities and
expectations for trail maintenance related to Ocean Trails and the areas adjacent to TNGC.
Yet in practice, no maintenance is occurring — not much effort in the two years we’ve lived
here — despite heavy daily use and even higher weekend traffic. This is concerning, given
the substantial resources clearly available at TNGC. Of all the types of organizations that
would have such an agreement, they of all are in the best position to maintain these trails
given the greens keeping staffing they have and the beautiful John Deere equipment that
adorns the fairways. Why are the TNGC trails pristine when Ocean Trails go neglected.
Which brings me to the real question: why can’t we establish a straightforward, proactive
maintenance agreement? Something as basic as 6–8 scheduled, proactive, visits per year
(every 2 months, as example) covering the stretch from the La Rotonda parking lot and
trailhead to the end of Ocean Trails at the TNGC trailhead. This is a modest, predictable level
of care that aligns with the intent of the 2018 Declaration and the needs of the community.
Why is it so difficult for TNGC to commit to a simple, recurring maintenance frequency for
this shared public resource?
C-7
I’ll be happy to meet with City of RPV folks Monday, but as I indicated above,
I’m not interested in meeting with TNGC staff.
Robert Eichler
Rancho Palos Verdes Resident
Sent from iPhone SE3
On Apr 10, 2026, at 1:31 PM, Amy Seeraty <AmyS@rpvca.gov>
wrote:
Hello-
Thank you for submitting these photos. Please also note that we
have invited the general manager (Lili Amini) and the
maintenance foreperson (Angel) to join us, so they can see
exactly where the concerns are and be able to address them in a
timely manner.
I look forward to seeing you at the site on Monday morning.
Sincerely,
<image001.jpg>
Amy SeeratySenior Planner
amys@rpvca.gov Phone - (310) 544-5231
Address:
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website: www.rpvca.gov
<image002.png>
<image003.png>
<image004.png>
C-8
This e-mail message contains information belonging to the City of
Rancho Palos Verdes, which may be privileged, confidential, and/or
protected from disclosure. The information is intended only for use of
the individual or entity named. Unauthorized dissemination,
distribution, or copying is strictly prohibited. If you received this email
in error, or are not an intended recipient, please notify the sender
immediately. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.
From: sb93105@icloud.com <sb93105@icloud.com>
Sent: Friday, April 10, 2026 9:49 AM
To: Amy Seeraty <AmyS@rpvca.gov>
Subject: Re: Public Hearing Comment – Trump National Golf Club Trail
Monitoring and Maintenance Review
EXTERNAL EMAIL: Do not click links or open any attachments unless you recognize
the sender and know the content is safe!!!.
Hello Ms. Seeraty,
Please, if you could, enter these photo’s taken this morning, April
10. First photos of the parking lot on Friday AM. By the start of
Monday, this parking lot will
Be inundated with garbage from all weekend visitors. The Front
Gate area is a mess...
<image005.jpg>
<image006.jpg>
<image007.jpg>
<image008.jpg>
<image009.jpg>
Trail, some conditions observed…
<image010.jpg>
<image011.jpg>
<image012.jpg>
C-9
<image014.jpg>
<image015.jpg>
Well, they certainly CHOPPED this native tree/bush to its death.
Then chucked the remains on the trail for
aesthetics. Too lazy to take it away. Now, a native tree is dead
and breaking down...
<image016.jpg>
<image017.jpg>
<image018.jpg>
Of course, TNGC is really concerned about these trees
obstructing their golf cart paths...
<image019.jpg>
On Apr 6, 2026, at 10:41 AM, sb93105@icloud.com
wrote:
PUBLIC COMMENT SUBMISSION City of Rancho Palos
Verdes Community Development – Planning Division
Attn: Amy Seeraty, Senior Planner
Subject: Public Hearing Comment – Trump National Golf Club
Trail Monitoring and Maintenance Review [Case No.
PLMH2026-0001]
Submitted By: Robert Eichler
C-10
Date: April 6, 2026
Dear Ms. Seeraty,
I am submitting this letter as public comment for the upcoming
hearing on the Trump National Golf Club trail monitoring and
maintenance review. Since December 2024, as you may be
aware, I have written to the City multiple times—each time
including photographs—documenting the observable and
worsening deterioration of the Ocean Trails adjacent to the
Trump National Golf Course. Despite these repeated
submissions, the conditions have not improved and, in many
areas, have continued to decline.
As a frequent user of these trails, I have witnessed that
maintenance has become virtually nonexistent, even though as I
understand, the responsibility lies with the Trump National Golf
Course. This is particularly concerning given the substantial
resources clearly available on-site, including a full greenskeeping
staff and extensive John Deere maintenance equipment. With this
level of staffing and machinery, it is difficult to understand how
the Ocean Trails could be allowed to fall into such disrepair.
Trail maintenance requires time, effort, and basic stewardship—
none of which appear to be occurring by Trump National Golf
Course.
The Ocean Trails are a valued community asset, offering
exceptional coastal views and serving as an important
recreational space. Their current condition, however, detracts
from the natural environment and presents safety concerns.
Issues I have personally observed include:
1. Broken fence posts
2. Overgrown shrubs and extended branches
obstructing pathways. Neglect for native plant
species, care.
3. Significant accumulated leaf debris and, at
times, golf course sand on walkways.
Significant trail sand accumulations in spots.
4. Widespread pet waste, both recent and long-
neglected
5. Litter in the parking lot and along the trails,
including bottles and other discarded items
This level of neglect is unsightly, unsafe, and inconsistent with
the standards expected for a public-access trail system of this
C-11
prominence.
I respectfully request that the City thoroughly investigate these
conditions as part of the trail monitoring and maintenance review
and take appropriate action to ensure that the trails are restored to
a safe and well-maintained state. Routine upkeep—such as
vegetation trimming, debris removal, and basic infrastructure
repairs—would significantly improve both safety and the visitor
experience.
I also invite you and other City officials to join me for a brief
walk-through of the affected areas. I would be glad to meet at the
La Rotonda Drive parking area for a 30‑minute tour to provide
firsthand insight into the concerns described above.
Thank you for including this comment in the public hearing
record. I do plan on attending the public hearing on Tuesday,
April 21, 2026 @ 7:00pm. I look forward to the City’s response
and to meaningful steps being taken to preserve and protect these
important community trails.
Sincerely,
Robert Eichler Rancho Palos Verdes Resident
C-12
March 30th , 2026
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Blvd.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Dear Members of the City Council,
LOS ANGELES
I hope this letter finds you w ell. I am writing on behalf of Trump Nation al Golf Club, to request a
modification of the annual trail maintenance review requirement.
We appreciate the collaborative relationship we share with the City and the Council's commitment to
maintaining the beauty and accessibility of our local trails. Since the inception of the review requirement,
w e have worked closely with the City staff, including via periodic virtual meetings, regular phone calls and
emails to ensure that any and all trail maintenance issues are promptly addressed.
City staff closely monitors progress with any issues addressed through these channels regularly and
through the "CityWorks" software program .
Accordingly, in light of these instantaneous modes of addressing issues, and after several successful
years of annual trail maintenance reviews, we seek to transition to a biennial process which will enhance
efficiency and effectiveness for both the Council and the Club.
Specifically, we believe the transition to biennial reviews is supported by improvements to the following
objectives:
1. Streamlined Communication: Reducing the frequency of presentations would enable the C lub to
concentrate on comprehensive updates and significant developments rather than routine reports.
2. Consistency in Maintenance: A biennial review aligns with the long -term planning and sustainability
goals we have fo r the trails, ensuring that maintenance practices are both effective and consistent.
Taking those points to account, we respectfully request the Council to consider this a djustment to our
review schedule. Thank you for your consideratio n. We look forward to discussing this matter further and
continuing our • • e partnership with the City.
D-1