Hollywood United Neighborhood Council

GRIFFITH PARK MASTER PLAN WORKING GROUPark Master Plan Working Group

Representative: Susan Swan
Email: SSwanLA@gmail.com

8/2013
GRIFFITH PARK MASTER PLAN NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING AND COMMENT

In response to several requests from Working Group members, the deadline for public review and comment on the draft plan has been extended until October 2, 2013. It is the goal of the Department to take the finalized plan to the RAP Board of Commissioners on November 20, 2013. All of the Commission meetings are open to the public, subject to the Brown Act, with the agenda posted on the RAP website 72 hours in advance of the meeting.

Please address comments in writing to:
Michael A. Shull
Assistant General Manager, Planning, Construction and Maintenance Branch
221 N. Figueroa Street, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90012

VISION PLAN

APPENDIX 1 Wildlife_Management_Plan

APPENDIX 2 Plants_and_Trees

APPENDIX 3 State_Parks_Park_and_Rec_Trends

APPENDIX 4 Large_Mammal_and_Herptile_Survey

City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument Application submitted for Griffith Park on May 15, 2008:

GP Historical Press Release

GP Historic Summary

Griffith Park HCM (big file, give it time to load.. 350 pages)

Griffith Park 1897 Survey

Here it is!

The Griffith Park Wildlife Management Plan

This plan was commissioned by RAP in response to a proposal submitted
by Dan on June 20, 2007. The proposal includes this written proposal,
and additional wildlife monitoring to augment work initiated in
March, 2007 by the Griffith Park Natural History Survey (GPNHS). Dan
has devoted almost all of his time to Griffith Park issues since the
May fire, and continues to conduct ongoing monitoring as authorized
by RAP's acceptance of his June proposal.

Also explore http://griffithparkwildlife.org

Griffith Park: List of Assets

GPMPWG's Redrafted Master Plan Chapters:
1-VISION FOR GRIFFITH PARK
2-PLANT AND ANIMAL WORLD (formerly Environment)
3-HUMAN DIMENSION
4-BUILT ENVIRONMENT, DRAFT ADDENDUM TO BUILT ENVIRONMENT
5-MOBILITY

Have a look at the Griffith Park Fire Recovery Plan as presented to GGPNC in January 2008

For information on Griffith Park closures, see:

Rec and Parks Blog Spot: http://lagriffithpark.blogspot.com/

Sierra Club -- Griffith Park chapter -- home page: http://angeles.sierraclub.org/griffith/index.asp

Hileman's Recreational and Geological Map of Griffith Park

Griffith Park is currently the largest Urban Wilderness Park in the United States. Help us keep it that way, protect your open spaces.

Sign the petition! Print it out, sign it and follow the mail-in instructions on the petition.

You can also read Councilmember LaBonge's statement concerning his position on the Griffith Park Master Plan by reading his weekly newsletter .

The Griffith Park Master Plan - Working Group Meetings
The regular schedule for meetings will be monthly on the first Monday of the month, with provision to modify for special circumstances.
Griffith Park Rangers Station, Meeting Room
4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Griffith Park

For Meeting Summaries and Agendas go directly to the Recreation and Parks webpage at Meeting Summaries and Agendas

Here is what SaveGriffithPark.org has to say about the meeting January 9th

To read the Revised Chapters of the Griffith Park Master Plan by the Working Group go to GPMP Working Group Revised Chapters

HUNC is participating in a 'working group' to go over the Griffith Park Master Plan, which currently envisions much 'revenue recapture' usage of the Park. Many in the community feel that the users of Griffith Park are better served by preserving the open space. To this end, the Los Feliz Improvement Association is spearheading a drive to petition the City to preserve the current open space in the interior as Urban Wilderness. The City of Los Angeles recently established an Urban Wilderness in Debs Park, near Highland Park. Griffith Park's greater biodiversity and historic significance make it an even better candidate for such a designation.

Contact Bernadette Soter for more information or fill out the petition here and drop it off at Counterpoint Books at 5911 Franklin Avenue (at Bronson). You may also mail it in to the address on the petition, but we would like to present the petitions 'en masse' for a greater effect, and to keep track of how many petitions are turned in.

You may also want to attend GGPNC's Parks, Recreation & Open Space Ctte . Discussion of the current events regarding the GP Master Plan are always agendized.

Thanks for your help in keeping Griffith Park the place we all love.

Read the full Griffith Park Master Plan at http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithPK/gp_masterplan.htm

For more information, go to http://www.savegriffithpark.org

Read the Los Feliz Improvement Assn's newsletter here .

There is also an overview at PreserveLA.com which has been cut out and put here in case it's hard to find on their site

Councilmember LaBonge's newsletter regarding his views on Griffith Park is available in pdf format here and in a text form here . The newsletter is a Special Griffith Park Edition that gives Councilmember LaBonge's views and recommendations on the draft Griffith Park Master Plan. We recommend that you print the newsletter if you have the capability as it contains a two-page map of the park highlighting all its existing features and a list of the members of the Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group. City Controller Laura Chick has released 3 audits of the Department of Recreation and Parks, read them in their entirety below:

11/10/05 Audit of the Department of Recreation and Parks (in pdf)

1/05/06 Audit of the Department of Recreation and Parks 2 (in pdf)

1/09/06 Audit of the Department of Recreation and Parks 3 (in pdf)

Some other sites to explore:

www.livableplaces.org/policy/parks.html

USC Center for Sustainable Cities

Toward a Sustainable Los Angeles: a "Nature's Services" Approach
A Second Year Report to the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation
March 2003

Parks and Park Funding in Los Angeles: an Equity Mapping Analysis

Los Angeles National Land Trust

Parks for People.. the Trust for Public Land.. L.A. Case Statement

City Project CA (www.cityprojectca.org)
Healthy Parks, Schools, and Communities: Mapping Green Access and Equity for the Los Angeles Region

Los Angeles Times article 2/1/06 including study done by Rand Corp on park usage in Los Angeles. Read the full Rand Study or read the summary.

Park and Recreation Trends in California 2005

State of California Resources Agency
An Element of the California Outdoor Recreation Planning Program
Copyright 2005: California State Parks

Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council
Parks, River and Open Space Committee
ASSETS

Parks
Griffith Park
Barnsdall Park

Recreation
Active and Passive Recreation
Hiking, Picnicking, Ball Fields
Pony Rides, Merry-go-Round, Playgrounds
Riding Trails
Equestrian Center
Tennis, Golf
Biking
Girls Camp, Boys Camp
River - The Los Angeles River
Open Space - to be identified (open lots, etc.)

Historical Landmarks
Mulholland Fountain
Griffith Observatory
Hollywood Sign

Areas of Concern
Traffic
Access
Preservation
Thoughtful Enhancement
Law Enforcement

Support Groups
Griffith Park Resource Board
Equestrian Trails Incorporated
Sierra Club
Los Feliz Improvement Association
Friends of Los Angeles River
California Native Plant Association
Audubon Society
Coalition for Safe Trails
Friends of FernDell
Hillside Federation

Agencies
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mayor of Los Angeles
Los Angeles City Council
Department of Recreation and Parks
Rangers
Department of Transportation
Street Maintenance
Hollywood United Neighborhood Council
Cities of Burbank and Glendale (and adjacent homeowner associations)
CalTrans
Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Fire Department
Department of Water and Power
Los Angeles County Flood Control
Bicycle Advisory Committee

11/17/05

COUNCILMEMBER LaBONGE: SAVE THE DERBY

GREETINGS:

Thank you for your interest in development issues in the 4th Council
District and in particular the future of The Derby.

As you may know, I am opposed to the current developers' proposal to
consolidate five separate parcels into one large mixed use condominium
and retail project bordered by Los Feliz Boulevard to the north,
Hillhurst Avenue to the west and Avocado Street to the south.

First and foremost, I am a preservationist and have a long track record
of supporting the historic and architecturally significant buildings in
our city. We have an opportunity here to fight to save the last in this
distinctive chain and we should wage this fight to save The Derby.

Secondly, I am concerned about the density that the developers have
proposed, especially as their project envisions street-level retail
along Hillhurst including a grocery or equivalent-sized store. In
neighborhoods where traffic congestion is already a factor and
accessibility to public transportation poses a serious challenge, my
preference is to limit density. To preserve the residential flavor of
Los Feliz, Silver Lake and other neighborhoods with a lot of
single-family dwellings, we need to be mindful of their relationship to
adjoining blocks of multiple unit buildings and also commercial/retail
areas.

Finally, on the matter of a grocery operation, whether it is Whole
Foods or another chain that would draw multiple daily car trips to an
already busy intersection such as Los Feliz and Hillhurst, I cannot
think of a more problematic situation. I do not support a market at this
corner. The traffic would go from bad to worse and would present an
overnight nightmare situation for drivers and residents.

As your councilmember, be assured that I will continue to press for
preservation of The Derby and encourage your continued participation in
this important process.

Thank you for your interest in your community.

TOM LABONGE
Councilmember, 4th District

Dear Resident:

Thank you for your interest in the draft Griffith Park Master Plan.
Like you, I love Griffith Park and my longtime priority is to see its
beautiful open spaces preserved, its attractions enhanced and is
boundaries expanded to the west with the acquisition of Cahuenga Peak.

The draft, which will be modified, has created a tremendous amount of
public discussion. In order to provide a forum for individuals to
provide input, I, along with Recreation and Parks Department General
Manager Jon Kirk Mukri, have created a citizen advisory group called the
Griffith Park Master Plan Working Group. The suggested changes put
forward by this group, along with those submitted independently by
others, will be forwarded to the Recreation and Parks Commission for
consideration prior to its adoption of the document.

The following lists my position on a number of proposals put forward in
the draft:

I support:

Preserve interior of park
Preserve wildlife habitats
Expand park boundaries
Purchase Cahuenga Peak for open space
Expand public transit access to park
Improve park management
Expand educational opportunities for youth
Reforest Toyon Canyon and Toyon Vista
Develop passive recreation and picnic space at Toyon Canyon
Preserve Dante's View, Captain's Roost, Amir's Garden
Revitalize Bird Sanctuary and Fern Dell
Maintain Martinez Arena for public equestrian use
Audubon certification for all 5 golf courses
Connect Griffith Park to Los Angeles River and Los Angeles River
Bikeway
Preserve and enhance equestrian trails
Develop additional children's play areas
Complete modernization of park water system
Improve and expand youth sport activities (more sports fields)

I do not support:

Commercialization of Griffith Park
Off-road mountain biking
Pleasure Pier over Los Angeles River
Hotels
Destination Restaurant at Griffith Observatory
Culinary School
New Roads
Tram to Toyon Canyon
Overhead Power Lines.

As we move along in the process of analyzing the draft of the Master
Plan, I hope that you will continue to provide feedback to the
Department of Recreation and Parks which is managing the process. You
are welcome to attend the twice-monthly meetings of the Griffith Park
Master Plan Working Group or submit comments online by visiting
www.laparks.org.

Thank you for your interest in your community. Please feel free to
contact me if you have additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
TOM LABONGE
Councilmember, 4th District

LaBonge Statement - Master Plan

Griffith Park is one of the greatest public spaces in the world. My
love for the park is second only to the love I have for my family.

When elected in 2001, one of my primary goals was to direct the
Department of Recreation and Parks to update the 1978 Griffith Park
Master Plan. Several years later, we have from Melendrez Partners the
draft Master Plan -- a working document for all of us to review and
revise. It is a work in progress.

This process began in 2002 and has had it starts and stops along the
way. The draft plan was released earlier this year with the expectation
that the document would be reviewed and refined before going to the
Recreation and Parks Commission.

With this in mind, I requested the department to form a Griffith Park
Master Plan Working Group to analyze the draft in its current form and
make recommendations that would be considered for inclusion in the next
version. We have been successful in getting a very engaged working group
that is comprised of representatives of the Los Feliz Improvement
Association, Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, Hollywood
United Neighborhood Council, Atwater Village Neighborhood Council, Los
Feliz Oaks Homeowners Association, Franklin Hills Residents Association,
Sierra Club, the equestrian community and youth and adult sports
groups.

Melendrez Partners certainly thought outside the box in composing the
draft Master Plan. By proposing such previously unthought-of ideas as a
tramway to the Griffith Observatory from the Greek Theatre and
"Pleasure Pier" over the Los Angeles River allows people to think
in different ways about experiencing park attractions. We may never
realize any of these recommendations, but it has been a springboard for
discussion about which park features are worthy of developing, others
worthy of enhancing and others that might be left alone or eliminated.

For example, I think it is critical that we identify a suitable
location to replace the baseball fields that were lost when the Golden
State Freeway was constructed. Additionally, we should enhance and
upgrade many of the park's facilities that are showing their age.
However, much of the area defined in the master plan as the California
Heritage Zone remains one of our region's last unspoiled acreage. To
this end, as identified in the included map, this area must be
maintained in its natural state and be free from any future development.

As the process moves along, I hope you will continue to express your
opinions about the evolving draft Master Plan document. You are welcome
to attend the bi-monthly meetings of the working group or submit
comments online by visiting www.laparks.org.
Let us follow the wish of Griffith Jenkins Griffith that "Griffith
Park should be a park for the masses!" And together, let's continue
to love and enjoy the great City of Los Angeles!
Griffith Observatory

Renovation of the Griffith Observatory is entering its final year with
a re-opening tentatively scheduled for the late spring or early summer
of 2006. This will be a very exciting and highly anticipated event, a
highlight in the observatory's and the park's history. What has
traditionally been Los Angeles' No. 1 "vista point" for both
natives and visitors alike, will be even more so when we unveil the
facility after a $90 million upgrade and enhancement.

There is little doubt that when this great day arrives and the City
Engineer delivers the completed observatory and the Department of
Building and Safety issues its certificate of occupancy, this burnished
civic and cultural attraction will be second to none for a Los Angeles
landmark. We will have many people and entities to thank and celebrate.
They include some very generous private donors as well as various
government officials who help us secure federal, state, county and city
funds. I know it will be a very happy day for Dr. Edwin C. Krupp, the
Observatory's director, and his staff, Friends of the Observatory, and
others who have worked so long and hard to see this dream become a
reality.

The City must be prepared for this day and be able to manage the
impacts of an instant hit attraction, for lack of a better term. For
more than a year from its re-opening, we have been developing a
comprehensive access plan to mitigate the traffic and parking challenges
at the Observatory and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Recreation and
Parks, along with my office, has employed a technical advisory group
comprised of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Los Angeles
Police and Fire Departments, the Getty Museum, the Greek Theatre and
Hollywood Bowl and other private consultants, to identify various
mitigations to address demands we expect the facility will impose. We
are also working closely with the Los Feliz Improvement Association, the
Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council and the park's neighbors to
craft a strategy that will produce a successful re-opening.

I want to thank you for your patience as we await the historic day in
the City of Los Angeles.

SUPPORT
- Preserve interior of park
- Preserve wildlife habitats
- Expand park boundaries
- Public transit access to park
- Improved park management
- Educational opportunities for youth
- reforest Toyon Canyon and Toyon Vista
- Passive recreation and picnic space at Toyon Canyon
- Preserve Dante's View, Captain's Roost, Amir's Garden
- Revitilization of Bird Sanctuary and Fern Dell
- Maintain Martinez Arena for public equestrian use
- Audubon certification for all five golf courses
- Connect Griffith Park to Los Angeles River and River Bikeway
- Preserve and enhance equestrian trails
- Additional children's play arenas
- Complete modernization of park water system

DO NOT SUPPORT
- Commercialization of Griffith Park
- Off-road mountain biking
- Pleasure Pier over Los Angeles River
- Hotels
- Destination restaurant at Griffith Observatory
- Culinary School
- New roads
- Tram to Toyon Canyon
- Overhead power lines