TheFoothillsForum

I hear you, Party. Watching the Home Depot battle unfold has been an eye opener, a real education. Even today, hearing professionals say one thing, which you know is not true. Makes you kind of skeptical.

Although Home Depot is not over with, there is still the environmental process to go through and to be vigilant that it is done properly, I agree with you about the letter writing to Wendy regarding the golf course.

As you mentioned there are a couple of things I think the community should be asking with regards to the MWH Development plans....
What about an EIR?
What about the traffic that already plagues Tujunga Canyon Blvd.?
How difficult/easy would it be for the developer to get the zoning changes they have requested?
Will the public have any input on this?
With Mayor Villaraigosa recently pushing for a 'GreenLA' and wanting to build 35 new parks before 2010, how can the city afford to lose VHGC?
Why not have a multi-jurisdiction purchase of the golf course property? City of LA, City of Glendale, County of LA, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

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eureka !
There's a key or two here IMO for focus.
Villaraigosa can be approached on the inconsistency
...pushing for a 'GreenLA' and wanting to build 35 new parks before 2010, how can the city afford to lose VHGC?

and the money issue for the purchase of the land that I was asking about earlier. It just seemed like NO WAY was that a possibility if LA was gonna have to come up with the $$$ alone.
Why not have a multi-jurisdiction purchase of the golf course property? City of LA, City of Glendale, County of LA, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

BTW was that your idea ?
Cause if it is ...
your talents are way under-used in "politics" ;for the good guys that is.

I agree, VHGC would make a great park. And it would help the mayor get one of his 35 parks. You're right about the money also. It is doubtful L.A. could/would finance this on their own. And why should they when people from a number of areas use the course. If the golf course itself is improved and other recreational options are added to the property, even more people will benefit. That's why the multi-party purchase makes a lot of sense. And, Party, I can't take credit for that idea, but I am fully in favor of it.

Karen had a letter to the editor in yesterday's Glendale News-Press too:

Cartoon was a nice touch of paper

My husband and I enjoyed Saturday’s editorial cartoon, “Mind If I Play Through?” Not only because we are in favor of saving the Verdugo Hills Golf Course, but also because we think the editorial cartoon format is a nice addition to the Glendale News-Press.

Thank you also for the coverage the News-Press has been providing regarding the golf course, including the newspaper’s April 28 editorial, “Saving golf course is the right thing to do.”

Karen and Tom Zimmerman, La Crescenta

If you would like to voice your opinion on Rich Toyon's commentary, please email the NewsPress at 'gnp@latimes.com'. Your input would be appreciated. Include your name, address, & phone number (for verification purposes only).



Community Commentary:
Officials should pursue park
By Richard Toyon
Aug 22, 2007

On July 19, the Verdugo Hills Golf Course Committee learned that MWH Development filed an application with the city of Los Angeles to build 229 houses on the Verdugo Hills Golf Course (“Developer wants to close course,” July 13).

This plan is completely different from one the developer portrayed more than a year ago when he claimed he was “working with the community.” The fact remains that this current plan will forever destroy this precious recreational resource that has been a mainstay in our community for over a half century.

In March, the Verdugo Hills Golf Course Committee met with Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Paul Edelman, of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy; then-mayor Dave Weaver of the city of Glendale and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Wendy Greuel (in whose district the golf course sits) to discuss the idea of a cross-jurisdictional purchase and the creation of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course and Regional Park (“Group hopes to buy public golf course,” March 28 ). It was a bit of a feat to get the four parties in the same room, but now it is up to those individual agencies to determine the worth and importance of the golf course to their respective constituencies or the deleterious price of inactivity.

Here are three reasons the city of Glendale should participate in a joint purchase of the golf course.
Reason 1: The Crescenta Valley is one community.

The loss of the Verdugo Hills Golf Course will surely impact the city of Glendale. In case anyone was not paying attention in City Hall, the last City Council election was decided directly by issues dealing with the Crescenta Valley.

The Crescenta Valley is a community and a community does not stop at a postal zone or city border. Most Glendale residents in La Crescenta residents consider themselves La Crescentans, no matter the jurisdiction, and most Crescenta Valley residents consider Montrose as part of the Crescenta Valley first and the city of Glendale, second.

The bottom line is that Glendale is part of this greater community called the Crescenta Valley and the loss of the golf course is a blow to the entire community.

Moreover, Glendale residents have been enjoying the golf course just beyond their border for 50 years. To shy away from the Verdugo Hills Golf Course battle because it is in another city is short-sighted, hasty and enabling of irresponsible development. So, if the golf course is saved without the help of the city of Glendale, should Glendalians be barred from playing there? Obviously not. But by the same token, it seems only fair and sensible that the city of Glendale participate in the purchase of a facility that has been enjoyed by her citizens and has served the greater community for decades.

Reason 2: Glendale has a right and a duty to be involved.

The idea that the golf course could be shared as a regional park is entirely supported by the Glendale city charter It reads:

“Parks, playgrounds, auditoriums, museums, gymnasiums, etc.: “To acquire, construct, operate and maintain parks, playgrounds, markets, baths, public halls, auditoriums, libraries, museums, art galleries, gymnasiums and any and all buildings, establishments, institutions and places whether situated inside or outside of the city limits, which are necessary or convenient for the transaction of public business or for promoting the health, morals, education, care of the indigent or welfare of the inhabitants of the city or for their amusement, recreation, entertainment or benefit.”

Could it be any plainer? Glendale city residents continue to use the golf course and have used it since the day it was opened. The golf course was laid out more than 50 years ago and the potential of it has still to be realized with the specter of future hiking and biking trails, playgrounds, tennis courts, exercise courses and even senior activities. All of this potential is extant without infringing upon the existing golf course and driving range. Our elected council members must take a leadership position in the saving of the golf course along with the city manager, planning director and Parks and Recreation Director. If we lose this existing recreational resource, where will we replace it?

Reason 3: What happens at the golf course doesn’t stay at the golf course.

The city of Glendale is very close to the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. The proposed 229-house development will produce all of the significant and unavoidable adverse impacts that a project of this size inevitably has on traffic, noise, air quality, biological resources, recreational resources, visual resources, historical resources, schools and public services. These impacts will be inflicted upon the residents of Glendale, a mere chip shot away.

It is unfortunate, but the city of Los Angeles has a history of avoiding the use of a full Environmental Impact Report on projects like this one. Instead, Los Angeles often relies on a much less thorough document known as a Mitigated Negative Declaration.

As an example, in an accepted declaration, it would be like saying that this project will have absolutely no effect on traffic that cannot be handled by other means. Tell that to the citizens who live near the golf course.

There is simply no question that this project, similar in size to the neighboring Canyon Hills development, will have large-scale impacts on the entire surrounding community. The city of Glendale must respond by formally requesting to the city of Los Angeles that a full Environmental Impact Report be performed on this project. A full report is the only way that the public and the decision-makers will ever get a complete analysis of the project’s impacts.

But there is an even better way of protecting Glendale residents from these impacts. The city of Glendale should participate in the purchase of the golf course and turn it into the Verdugo Hills Golf Course and Regional Park for the benefit of the entire community.

There are at least three good reasons why, and tens of thousands of Crescenta Valley residents who await your decision.

MAILBAG - August 25, 2007

Course is a jewel to be treasured

I am writing to encourage you to please help the citizens of the foothills preserve the Verdugo Hills Golf Course as a public park (“Developer wants to close course,” July 13).

We are outraged to hear the developer has filed an application and plans to destroy this beautiful landmark in our community, along with mature oak trees.

We ask you to please request the city of Los Angeles prepare an Environmental Impact Report for this project to analyze the effect it will have on the surrounding area. We believe the report will show the project should not be approved due to the negative effect on traffic, in an already busy and very dangerous area; air quality; grading; and recreational resources.

This is one of the last places for families and friends to spend time together golfing (and learning to play) without going to another community. Our son has wonderful memories of learning to play golf at Verdugo Hills. Also, a beautiful, open green space would be gone forever.

Too many such treasures are rapidly diminishing, as hillsides and chaparral give way to new developments with no regard for the natural topography that initially made this area desirable to residents.

We implore you, please do not let the developer build 229 homes without considering all of the concerns of the community and how it will significantly and adversely change our beautiful area.

JULIA AND TOM LEEPER
La Crescenta

The News-Press published this letter in this morning's Mailbag section.
The writer is one of the 'Neighbors of the Golf Course', a group of families that live near the golf course and are mobilizing to preserve the VHGC property - the golf course and the undeveloped natural habitat.

Partnership could save the golf course

Our neighborhood has recently completed an opinion petition regarding the Verdugo Hills Golf Course.

As block captain of our local Neighborhood Watch organization, I am writing to say that some 100 households in the LaShell tract here in Tujunga have been visited, door-to-door, by a number of us volunteers.

We have heard overwhelming support from neighbors to save the golf course.

What is truly needed is a partnership between the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County, the city of Glendale and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to purchase the golf course for the purpose of keeping this beautiful open space green. A community park would serve the people of this geography in perpetuity.

It will be of utmost importance that the city of Los Angeles conduct an environmental impact report. So many people are voicing their concerns about traffic, noise, congestion and safety.

Thank you for your concern and for your assistance in these vital matters.

KARAN NEAL CLARKE
Tujunga

Another letter to the editor emphasizing the need for a thorough EIR by the City of L.A. and the need to protect the hillside and other natural areas of the golf course property.

Whether it’s the Americana at Brand project in downtown Glendale, the continually growing number of multiunit residential developments replacing single-family homes throughout our communities, or the proposal to replace the Verdugo Hills Golf Course with 229 houses, we are told that our cities must be ready for increasing population numbers. What our cities, whether it be Glendale or Los Angeles, don’t explain is how this is to be accomplished with infrastructures dating from the 1970s or earlier.

Mailbag letters by Stanton Price (“City needs to think about its water use,” Aug. 1) and Andy Gero (“Area must retain rural landscape,” July 25) pointed out the illogic of runaway development. We are already facing the repercussions of increasing population numbers; growing traffic congestion from our freeways to our surface streets; shortages of natural resources, including water and electricity; shrinking recreational opportunities, parklands and open space; crowding in our schools; added pressure on social services, as well as on our law enforcement officers and firefighters. The list goes on.

How can our planning departments continue to approve zoning changes and variances for new developments when our quality of life is so severely affected? The only ones who appear to profit are the developers.

KAREN ZIMMERMAN

La Crescenta

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: Think before axing course
By Margaret Rice

Once again I write about something happening all too often in the Crescenta Valley.

There is another assault on our open spaces motivated by the greed of a developer. The target of this attack is the Verdugo Hills Golf Course, with its fully grown oak trees and 63 acres of open land. The plan is to build 229 homes on these precious acres (“Developer wants to close course,” Aug. 13).

The grading of this acreage means the removal of 500,000 cubic yards of soil. This translates to 33,000 dump trucks full. If anything upsets us, it should be this scenario. Thirty-three thousand dump trucks parked end to end would likely reach from the proposed site all the way to Tijuana, Mexico.Think of trying to travel the very narrow Tujunga Canyon Boulevard to access the Foothill (210) Freeway. Imagine the danger all those dump trucks will pose to people driving to work. Imagine the danger as parents drive their children to school. What about the residents of the area driving to see the doctor or going to get groceries? Think of all the dust and other particles that will assault our lungs and sinuses.

Now, imagine 229 more homes in this narrow corridor of travel. Think about the glut of the recently built town homes and condos and apartments that have been shoehorned into any open lot. The only goal of this effort is to strangle the Crescenta Valley to gain as much money as possible. Has anyone noticed the vacant condos up for sale? How about the numerous cottages and older homes that still line Montrose Avenue as they await the bulldozers? But who are we to protest?

What is the future going to look like for us without open spaces? Where will all the people go for recreation? I think our air quality will worsen. I think we will all feel somewhat crazed as we experience heavier traffic, crowded stores and schools, and how about the uncaring new residents as they trample the idea of neighborhoods?

Let’s think more about what 229 homes really means. If we say that each family will be made up of three or four people, that is 687 to 916 more people. If two people in each family have a job, that’s more than 900 round trips daily to work. We can add even more round trips if there are children going to and from school, to the library, to the doctor’s office.

Speaking of the library, what level of service will there be for all of us from our community services, such as fire, paramedics and police? Building more schools, fire houses and police stations mean higher taxes.

Please join in the battle to save our precious open areas. Please don’t let those amazing ancient oak trees suffer the disgrace of the bulldozers. Think about all of us on overload. Let’s demand that an Environmental Impact Report be done. At the very least, we should know all about this proposal before one shovel of dirt is moved.

Why is it that this is the only time I see articles about VHGC?? I read some papers.

These are mostly letters to the editor and community commentary - do you read the op-ed section (opinions and editorials)?

In other words, it's the people in the community, more so than the reporters or editors of the paper who are deciding the VHGC is important enough to write about.

I knew that. But still this is the only place I see them.

Vince, this is because the articles we've been finding are usually printed in the Glendale News-Press. They are covering the VHGC story more than the S-T newspapers, and receiving more letters to the letter about VHGC. Most people in Sunland-Tujunga probably don't get the News-Press. Not everyone in the Crescenta Valley gets it either.

The North Valley Reporter is a S-T paper which is printed once a month. They recently printed a letter about the golf course. Doc's newspaper, The Paper, is another local S-T publication. Have you thought about writing a letter to either of those newspapers, or to the Glendale News-Press? You will know if a newspaper is considering your letter. They telephone you to verify that you are the person who submitted the letter. That's why you have to include your name, address and phone.

You can also write to the Daily News and/or the LA Times but it is more difficult to get something published in those newspapers because they cover a much larger circulation area.

If you write something about the golf course, please email me a copy so we can save it for our files. A letter from a kid's perspective would be valuable.

P.S. I like your new avatar That's you're best one yet. Very sharp!

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i already knew all of that.