HILL CANYON

The following history is an example of what can be accomplished when the community comes together to stop destruction of our environment by those who think only of the development prospects and profits for developers.

The majority of people who moved to the Conejo valley did so for an improved quality of life. That quality of life is being threatened by those who have other objectives. It therefore is very important that all new proposals be assessed by everyone in the community for the effect they may have on OUR Quality of Life.

SEPTEMBER 28, 1999

YES, YES, YES, The vote was almost unanimous!
THERE WILL BE NO GOLF COURSE IN HILL CANYON!
Now the goal is to preserve Hill Canyon, as it is, forever!

In case you have been wondering what all this fuss over Hill Canyon is about, take a look at this view (photo by Paul Nicholson)! Then look at the map by Wendy Node that was published in the September 18, 1999 edition of The Star, in the Conejo Valley section. This will provide you with a very good idea of the location of Hill Canyon.
HELP KEEP THIS AREA FREE FROM DEVELOPMENT!
TELEPHONE A COUNCILMEMBER AND REQUEST THAT THE ZONING ON HILL CANYON BE CHANGED FROM PL (PUBLIC LAND) TO OS ( OPEN SPACE).

The latest info on HILL CANYON ;

Subj: Re: RE; Hill Canyon
Date: 9/27/1999 7:39:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: toparks@gte.net (Linda Parks)

I thought I'd share this information with a larger group, so if you want yet more on the Hill Canyon dealings, read on:

A constituent asks:

Linda,

Is the real reason for the proposed Golf Course in Hill Canyon, that without it the City cannot expand the sewer plant and therefore major development slows. I have heard that the city already discharges to much water to Conejo Creek and the City needs the Golf course to get rid of the excess water.

Not at all. As a matter of fact in September of 1997 the City did a Water Rights Application to allow for the City to sell reclaimed water downstream to Camrosa and PCVWD and the State Water Resources Control Board granted the City's application to sell to these water purveyors City reclaimed water. The City wanted to also be able to water the proposed golf course and the State Board denied their request because the Board wanted evidence of specific diversion facilities that the city would use to divert and deliver the reclaimed water in Hill Canyon. The ruling states that "due to cost consideration and other factors, the City has previously advised the SWRCB staff that the City does not presently intend to use project water within City boundaries." The City was going to go back and try again to get permission to use reclaimed water for the golf course. I'll have to check on the status of that. I think if they can't use reclaimed water it will make the golf course all the more un-environmental.

Elois Zeanah and I tried to get the hundreds of thousands of dollars in yearly revenue from the sale of this reclaimed water to go towards lowering sewer rate increases to residents (with no success).

Additionally, there are environmental concerns related to the lowering of the water level of the Calleguas Creek that will occur if water is diverted to water the golf course. There are rare or endangered plants downstream that require a certain water level.

Anyway you look at it there are 147 Shapell houses allowed for on the Western Plateau (in the northwest end of Hill Canyon) which will need a road that crosses the creek(s) and may just be being built by the golf course project as one of the 5 or so stream crossings for golf carts, etc. Also there are approximately 200 houses on the backside of the Target shopping center that will also look down into the Canyon. From what I hear golf courses are a desired amenity for high-end houses. Also, Shapell donated the 3 or so acres to the Park District to allow them to join the JPA and pursue the golf course so I suspect Shapell is a proponent of the golf course.

The govt. has it in their minds that they'll make $ but the City's Los Robles Golf Course isn't making enough to pay for it's own facelift. It would take 50 years at the $200,000 a year Los Robles brings in to pay for the $10 million Los Robles upgrade.... and of course that doesn't include the dozen or so claims a year the City gets due to errant golf balls. I might also point out that the firm running Los Robles gave campaign contributions to Councilmen. Who do you think would do the ultimate grading contract? An influential local civil engineer who gets all the projects? There's a lot of (bad) reasons for the golf course but a place to stick wastewater is not one of them.

This is really the "WEST END OF WILDWOOD" !!
The following article was written by Barbara J. Collins a Thousand Oaks resident to respond to a February 14th commentary by Jane Lazz and Tex Ward. The article was first published in the Thousand Oaks Star.

Hill Canyon is located at the west end of Wildwood. To highlight the impact that development of this area will have on this community and to more readily identify the location the name "Hill Canyon" is changed to the "WEST END OF WILDWOOD"

Don't allow a golf course to destroy the West End of Wildwood
If you have not actually visited the West End of Wildwood, the site for a proposed golf course, I strongly urge that you take the time, to observe it for your self. It may be the last time that you get to see this beautiful, peaceful valley bordered with numerous coast live oaks.

    Spreading out in front of you is a large wetland, with thickets of willow and mule fat, one of the only ones left in Thousand Oaks. Birds and other wildlife abound. Pause for a moment and experience their presence in the solitude that surrounds you. Observe a great blue heron taking off from the stream.

    Now, walk around the area a bit more and follow some of the paths. You can wander along the grassy valley bordered by steep canyon walls and fringed with numerous oak trees. Also scattered in the grassland are some elegant oaks, well over 200 years old, giving a beauty to the area that is rare to find these days.

    Walls of the canyon are quite steep, clothed with typical chaparral vegetation. At the eastern end of the property, a beautiful, meandering stream flows through. When you are actually down in the area, its grandeur is overwhelming, and you can immediately see why it is being coveted for a golf course. But, how do you replace such a priceless gift? Once it is lost there is no turning back.

    There is much to be lost if the golf course is built. Most of the wildlife, for example, will have to move on, and places to move are getting fewer and fewer. Although there are plans to relocate the wetlands, wetlands restoration projects have been notoriously unsuccessful. Even if they look like the real thing, which is rare, the animals often do not recognize them. In the words of Joy Zelder, director of the Pacific Estuarine Research Laboratory at San Diego State University, "Our ability to create or restore endangered species habitat is very low."

    And from Peter White, who works for the North Carolina Botanical Garden, "A priceless original is often bargained away for a cheap counterfeit." Wetlands restoration projects are only a facade of the real thing.

    There are other problems with the golf course. We hear from Lazz and Ward that reclaimed water will be used to irrigate the golf course. I suspect that fertilizer will also be used. The effect of fertilizer and reclaimed water on the stream will result in algal blooms throughout the year.

    One such algal bloom could have been observed in the north finger of Lake Sherwood over Christmas, caused by nutrients (fertilizer and reclaimed water) entering the lake. When the algae die, bacteria decompose the dead organic material, depleting the oxygen in the water causing the death of fish and other organisms. This is what you will be looking at in the stream leading away from the golf course.

    I think there are other issues that need to be considered. Lazz and Ward state,"Visitors will experience the outdoors, with less impact on the canyon than now occurs," and that this will be an "enlightened, creative approach to stewardship of natural resources." I don't think so. True stewardship of natural resources would be to let the canyon remain as it is, with as little human disturbance as possible.

    I also wonder about the appropriateness of the city using taxpayer money to the sum of $16 million to build a facility designed for the benefit of only a few - - those who play golf and are able to afford the luxury of playing at this facility. The rest of the people, the large majority of the population of Thousand Oaks, will be prevented entry except for the outlying areas, too steep or unsuitable for a golf course.

    I notice a multi-use trail is to be placed at the north side of the proposed facility. At present, this trail has an unexcelled view of a magnificent valley with numerous oak trees. Are we to transform this into a large trail for horses, bikes and people with a view of a golf course, riddled with sand traps, putting greens and golf carts?

    There is a load cry that this will be a great "source of funds for open-space acquisition and maintenance." Better yet, why not use the $16 million for just that, to preserve an area that may be the last natural wetland left in Thousand Oaks? Twenty years from now, what are we going to use to show our children what Thousand Oaks once looked like? Will there only be malls and golf courses to show?

    Preserve this beautiful area before it is to late. Once it has been disturbed, there will be no turning back. And once again, nature will lose to the bite of the ever-hungry bulldozer.

    Please join the residents of Thousand Oaks, who care about nature.

Save the WEST END OF WILDWOOD!

NOW WHAT CAN BE DONE?     IT'S UP TO YOU CITIZEN ! ! ! !

GET INVOLVED OR SIT ON YOUR HANDS AND LET THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS AND DESTROY THE BEAUTY OF "The West End of WILDWOOD"!!

photo by Paul Nicholson

Photo by Ed Lawrence

Photo by Ed Lawrence