Sen. Wilson Cautions County on Zone Changes

U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson has warned Los Angeles County supervisors that California congressmen will have a harder time getting federal funds to buy parkland for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area if too much housing is allowed in an area that includes the former Renaissance Pleasure Faire site.

In a letter to members of the Board of Supervisors, Wilson (R-Calif.) did not mention a developer’s controversial proposal to build 159 homes on the 320-acre Pleasure Faire site in Agoura. The developer has asked the supervisors to amend the county general plan, which allows only 103 homes on the site.

But Wilson warned the supervisors that any change in the plan would create problems for the National Park Service in obtaining money from Congress to buy more land by leading members of Congress to think that the county does not value the park.

He sent the letter to the supervisors Dec. 15, the same day the board held a public hearing on the developer’s proposal.

The national park area stretches from the Hollywood Freeway to Point Mugu. The Park Service owns more than 13,000 acres of land in the area and wants to buy more.

Decision Jan. 12

The supervisors are expected to decide on developer Brian Heller’s proposal Jan. 12. The National Park Service and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy have listed the property as a “priority” for addition to the national park, but Heller has said he wants to develop the land, not sell it.

Wilson wrote: “. . . any change in housing density in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area will lead to an increase in property values, making it very difficult for the National Park Service to acquire these priority lands and incorporate them into the designated recreation area.”

Wilson referred to Congress’ allocation of $11 million this year to buy land for the park.

“This allocation is especially significant because there is a perception among members of Congress, who are in key positions to determine funding for parks, that Los Angeles County does not actively support setting aside open spaces for public use in the Santa Monicas,” he wrote.

“Any zoning change for priority land acquisition in the Santa Monicas . . . does not allow the California delegation in Washington to adequately pursue the goals of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.”

Wilson’s letter should be interpreted as “a broad warning” to the board that land use changes that increase real estate costs will make it more difficult to obtain funds for the recreation area, Wilson aide Caren Rubin said Tuesday.