State Senate Bill Introduced to Expand Chino Hills State Park in Carbon Canyon

As reported by the Orange County Register, State Senator Ling-Ling Chang, who was elected to replace the recalled Josh Newman, proposed a bill on 20 February that would "require the {State Parks] department to seek opportunities for acquiring land to expand open space for Chino Hills State Park," to quote the wording of her Senate Bill 404.

There are four properties targeted for acquisition and inclusion in the park, including the Lamb and Eastbridge parcels in south Chino Hills at the east end of the park and comprising 1,600 acres.  The others are immediately adjacent to Carbon Canyon and include an 11-acre tract and the 369-acre parcel that was slated for 162 houses as the Madrona development.

This latter, approved by the Brea City Council despite the proposal being counter to the city's own ordinances, was rejected by the Orange County Superior Court after a suit was filed by Hills for Everyone, which was a major player in establishing the state park in the early 1980s, and partners.  The lower court's ruling was upheld by a state appellate court and the California Supreme Court.

If everything works out, just south of 2,000 acres would be added to the park, which would be about a 14% increase in the size of the 14,000 acres now within it.  Chang was quoted as saying:

I believe the best use of this land is to keep it open and accessible to the community.  Southern California is so heavily urbanized, it becomes almost impossible to find an area to provide tranquility, solitude and relief from hectic urban life.

The Chino Hills tracts, if purchased, would protect valuable ridgelines from intrusion to park visitors of houses, while the Brea parcels will facilitate wildlife movement between the park and Tonner Canyon to the north.

Speaking of Tonner Canyon, the synchronicity of what might transpire under Senator Chang's legislation and the recent news of an agreement by City of Industry, Chino Hills and Diamond Bar to share ownership and management of the 2,500-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch in Tonner Canyon is notable.

Claire Schlotterbeck, executive director of Hills for Everyone and who had a significant role in the establishment of the state park along with State Senator Ross Johnson, a Republican, who died recently, told the paper "we finally have willing sellers.  We've been waiting 40 years."

The cost of acquisition could easily go into the tens of millions of dollars, given that prices per acre can be up to about $10,000, but there is support for the plan in Brea and Chino Hills.  So, as news develops, updates will be made here.