Following the Tres Hermanos Ranch Hike, in which more than 600 persons participated and walked most of the way along Tonner Canyon Road, some history of namesake Patrick C. Tonner can be found in the first part of a post on The Homestead Blog.
Showing posts with label Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority. Show all posts
03 April 2026
Tres Hermanos Ranch Hike on 22 April!
After a series of guided tours of Tres Hermanos Ranch, the newest event at this roughly 2,500-acre local gem, managed by an authority comprised of the cities of Chino Hills, Diamond Bar and Industry, is a self-guided three-mile hike from Grand Avenue Park in Chino Hills to the ranch headquarters and back. For more information:
16 June 2024
Yesterday's Second Round of Tres Hermanos Ranch Tours
With a waiting list of a few hundred persons from the inaugural tours, held last September, of Tres Hermanos Ranch, owned by the City of Industry and adjacent to Carbon Canyon in the cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar, the governing body, the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority (TRCA) offered a second route of visits to the ranch yesterday.
Four groups were ferried into the property from the nearby Diamond Bar Community Center and made three stops during a warm morning, learning about the management, natural history and cultural history of the ranch. We'll see when and what future offerings will be, but there is certainly strong community interest in this remarkable place.
To read more about yesterday's excursions, check out: https://homesteadmuseum.blog/2024/06/15/tres-hermanos-ranch-tour-postview-william-benjamin-scott-1868-1920/.
23 September 2023
A Photo Recap of the First-Ever Public Tours of Tres Hermanos Ranch
It was a beautiful day today out at Tres Hermanos Ranch, the 2,445-acre parcel administered by an Authority composed of the cities of Chino Hills, Diamond Bar and Industry, as the first-ever public tours of this amazing property, situated just north of Carbon Canyon, were offered.
Authority officials and staff from the three cities did a great job of organizing and carrying out this initial offering, for which the available 104 seats were snapped up in a matter of minutes, with some 400 persons placed on a waiting list.
Tours were held at 9, 10, and 11 a.m. as well as Noon with guests meeting at the nearby Diamond Bar Community Center and transported by bus to the ranch. Ben Montgomery and Dan Fox, the city managers of Chino Hills, in which 70% of the ranch is situated, and Diamond Bar, which comprises the remaining 30%, rode along on the buses and provided information.
Their Industry counterpart, Joshua Nelson, who has an extensive engineering background, met visitors at the first stop, the Arnold Reservoir, dating to about 1918, and discussed it and future work to be done to better stabilize and support it.
At the second stop, near some historic barns and outbuildings, yours truly, a Chino Hills resident and director of the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum, a City of Industry owned and funded historic site, provided a general historical background.
The third and last location was deep in the southern reaches of Tres Hermanos, a beautiful and isolated locale, where Cal Poly Pomona emeritus professor of plant sciences, Dan Hostetler, also a Chino Hills resident, talked about the flora and fauna, past and present, at the Ranch.
Given that this was a first effort, it was remarkably well-run by the dedicated staff of the Authority and the three cities and guests appeared to be astounded and impressed by the ranch and, we hope, the information given by the presenters.
There needs to be an evaluation of the event and consideration of what future possibilities might be entertained for further public access, so those interested in knowing more can periodically check the Authority website.
Meanwhile, for those who want to know more about the early history of the ranch, along with a review of how the day went, please head over to The Homestead Blog for a post covering these topics.
22 August 2023
First-Ever Public Tours of Tres Hermanos Ranch on 23 September
Guided tours of Tres Hermanos Ranch, the 2,445-acre property in Diamond Bar and Chino Hills and administered by a joint-powers authority comprised of those two cities and the City of Industry, will be offered to the public for the first time on Saturday, 23 September on the hour from 9 a.m. to Noon.
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| A 1925 view from near what is now Grand Avenue looking southwest toward the Tres Hermanos Ranch headquarters, left of center on the knoll, and outbuildings to the left. Courtesy of the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum, City of Industry. |
Registration for these free 1 1/2-hour visits, focusing on the ranch's history, flora and fauna and more, opens on Tuesday, 5 September at 9 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis with a waitlist established for cancellations. Space is very limited, so, if you're interested in going, make your reservation early. For more information, go to: https://treshermanos.org/2023/08/22/guided-tours-of-the-ranch-offered/.
01 May 2020
History of Tres Hermanos Ranch Webinar This Sunday
The history of Tres Hermanos Ranch, situated north of Carbon Canyon, and now under the management of an authority comprising the City of Industry, which bought the property in 1978, and the cities of Diamond Bar and Chino Hills, is the topic of a webinar hosted by the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum this Sunday, the 3rd at 2 p.m.
The PowerPoint illustrated talk includes the ownership of the area from the Mexican era through the creation of the ranch by three friends who were not related but had shared genealogies in the region's oil history—these being William B. Scott, William R. Rowland and Harry Chandler.
The presentation, which has been given in person in Chino Hills, La Verne, Covina and San Dimas, will last about an hour and is being conducted on the Zoom platform. To sign up, here is the link.
The PowerPoint illustrated talk includes the ownership of the area from the Mexican era through the creation of the ranch by three friends who were not related but had shared genealogies in the region's oil history—these being William B. Scott, William R. Rowland and Harry Chandler.
The presentation, which has been given in person in Chino Hills, La Verne, Covina and San Dimas, will last about an hour and is being conducted on the Zoom platform. To sign up, here is the link.
11 May 2019
A Double Dose of Tres Hermanos in the Champion
This week's edition of the Chino/Chino Hills Champion has not one, but two, front-page articles concerning Tres Hermanos Ranch, which is situated in Tonner Canyon directly north of Carbon Canyon.
One article concerns last Monday's Chino Hills Historical Society presentation to about 125 people on this history of the 2,450-acre ranch, owned by the City of Industry since 1978, but for about sixty years before that the property of the "three brothers," William R. Rowland, William B. Scott, and Harry Chandler. Rowland died in 1926 and his share was evidently sold to the heirs of Scott, who passed away six years before that, and Chandler.
The talk actually went back to pre-history to mention that native indigenous Indians of the area and their likely use of the ranch site for hunting and gathering and noted that, during the Spanish and Mexican periods (up to the late 1840s), the property was part of public lands set aside for neighboring ranches to have additional grazing land for cattle and other animals.
By 1870, these public lands were made available for purchase by private citizens and among these were George Butler and Wilson Beach, who acquired the Tres Hermanos area by mid-decade and then sold an interest to teamster Charles Wright. A few years later, Santa Cruz lumber baron Sedgwick Lynch acquired Butler and Beach's portion of the property and left that to his wife, Jane. She and Wright held onto the Tres Hermanos area as part of an expanded Rancho Los Nogales, a 1,000-acre land grant from the 1840s that swelled to about 9,000 acres by the end of the century.
In 1908, Pittsburgh dentist and real estate investor Walter Fundenberg bought Los Nogales from Lynch and Wright and hoped to find oil, though the lucky strike never materialized. Within a decade, he split Los Nogales through two sales: one to Frederick Lewis, an East Coast millionaire who created the Diamond Bar Ranch, from which the city of that name was later developed, and the other to Rowland, Scott and Chandler as Tres Hermanos.
Examples of parties and other events at the ranch and some other tidbits were given in the talk and brief summaries of some of the later history, as well. These latter included mention of the installation of a Metropolitan Water District feeder line through the ranch in the mid-1960s, plans early the next decade by the Pomona Valley Water Company to buy the ranch and create a massive reservoir for water storage and delivery; and the sale to the City of Industry, which contemplated residential development when early planning for Chino Hills was launched and later looked at a reservoir and a solar farm.
Speaking of the solar farm, the headline article on the front page of the Champion concerned yet another lawsuit filed about Tres Hermanos and the scuttled solar farm plans. William Barkett, who'd signed a long-term deal with the City of Industry a few years back to develop the farm and then was informed that the deal was off by a new administration in that city, has brought suit against Industry, Chino Hills and Diamond Bar (these latter two cities recently acquiring interests in Tres Hermanos in a landmark deal with the City of Industry), as well as the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority established by the trio of municipalities. Each of the four has its own legal representation.
Claiming potential lost revenue of $246 million, Barkett's San Gabriel Valley Water and Power alleges that the three cities illegally denied the firm's opportunity to develop the solar farm with the City of Commerce. As noted here before, the proposed arrangement with Commerce, which came out of the blue led to some confusion on the part of Commerce's public comments about its commitment to the abruptly announced plans to pursue the project.
The company claims that the cities violated the Brown Act concerning public meetings to discuss the business of the municipalities, to which Chino Hills council member Ray Marquez responded that everything was done to the letter of the law and that the suit's allegations were "nonsense."
The three cities have until 22 May to file responses to the amended complaint of SGVWP, which was made on the 1st. In turn, the firm will have until 21 June to reply to those responses. Chino Hills Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Calciano implied that there are no legal grounds for the suit, so that it should be tossed by the San Bernardino Superior Court. She added, though, that there will be a 17 July hearing before a judge, who will decide what to do.
So, stay tuned for further news on this latest legal twist and other news relating to Tres Hermanos Ranch!
One article concerns last Monday's Chino Hills Historical Society presentation to about 125 people on this history of the 2,450-acre ranch, owned by the City of Industry since 1978, but for about sixty years before that the property of the "three brothers," William R. Rowland, William B. Scott, and Harry Chandler. Rowland died in 1926 and his share was evidently sold to the heirs of Scott, who passed away six years before that, and Chandler.
The talk actually went back to pre-history to mention that native indigenous Indians of the area and their likely use of the ranch site for hunting and gathering and noted that, during the Spanish and Mexican periods (up to the late 1840s), the property was part of public lands set aside for neighboring ranches to have additional grazing land for cattle and other animals.
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| Reference to Tres Hermanos Ranch and some legal trouble with cattle brands, San Bernardino County Sun, 1 June 1935. |
By 1870, these public lands were made available for purchase by private citizens and among these were George Butler and Wilson Beach, who acquired the Tres Hermanos area by mid-decade and then sold an interest to teamster Charles Wright. A few years later, Santa Cruz lumber baron Sedgwick Lynch acquired Butler and Beach's portion of the property and left that to his wife, Jane. She and Wright held onto the Tres Hermanos area as part of an expanded Rancho Los Nogales, a 1,000-acre land grant from the 1840s that swelled to about 9,000 acres by the end of the century.
In 1908, Pittsburgh dentist and real estate investor Walter Fundenberg bought Los Nogales from Lynch and Wright and hoped to find oil, though the lucky strike never materialized. Within a decade, he split Los Nogales through two sales: one to Frederick Lewis, an East Coast millionaire who created the Diamond Bar Ranch, from which the city of that name was later developed, and the other to Rowland, Scott and Chandler as Tres Hermanos.
Examples of parties and other events at the ranch and some other tidbits were given in the talk and brief summaries of some of the later history, as well. These latter included mention of the installation of a Metropolitan Water District feeder line through the ranch in the mid-1960s, plans early the next decade by the Pomona Valley Water Company to buy the ranch and create a massive reservoir for water storage and delivery; and the sale to the City of Industry, which contemplated residential development when early planning for Chino Hills was launched and later looked at a reservoir and a solar farm.
Speaking of the solar farm, the headline article on the front page of the Champion concerned yet another lawsuit filed about Tres Hermanos and the scuttled solar farm plans. William Barkett, who'd signed a long-term deal with the City of Industry a few years back to develop the farm and then was informed that the deal was off by a new administration in that city, has brought suit against Industry, Chino Hills and Diamond Bar (these latter two cities recently acquiring interests in Tres Hermanos in a landmark deal with the City of Industry), as well as the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority established by the trio of municipalities. Each of the four has its own legal representation.
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| A view of Tres Hermanos Ranch from near Diamond Ranch High School, March 2018. |
The company claims that the cities violated the Brown Act concerning public meetings to discuss the business of the municipalities, to which Chino Hills council member Ray Marquez responded that everything was done to the letter of the law and that the suit's allegations were "nonsense."
The three cities have until 22 May to file responses to the amended complaint of SGVWP, which was made on the 1st. In turn, the firm will have until 21 June to reply to those responses. Chino Hills Assistant City Attorney Elizabeth Calciano implied that there are no legal grounds for the suit, so that it should be tossed by the San Bernardino Superior Court. She added, though, that there will be a 17 July hearing before a judge, who will decide what to do.
So, stay tuned for further news on this latest legal twist and other news relating to Tres Hermanos Ranch!
05 February 2019
Tres Hermanos Ranch Joint Partnership Agreement Reached
As reported in today's San Gabriel Valley Tribune, an agreement has been reached between the cities of Chino Hills, Diamond Bar and Industry in which the former two cities, by jointly paying a little above $4 million (Chino Hills kicking in almost $3 million and Diamond Bar the remainder) with Industry providing $37.5 million, will share ownership of the 2,500-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch, situated in Tonner Canyon just north of Carbon Canyon.
The arrangement brings to an end a protracted legal battle between the Tres Ciudades over the fate and future of one of the last remaining large tracts of undeveloped land in the region. The ranch, created by William Benjamin Scott, an oilman; William R. Rowland, son of the original grantee of nearby Rancho La Puente and a Los Angeles County Sheriff and oilman; and Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, was sold to the City of Industry in 1978 by a Chandler family company.
Ideas for a massive reservoir and a huge solar farm, the latter more recently proposed, have been discussed over the years, but, after signing a deal with a firm to work on the solar farm, which brought litigation from Chino Hills and Diamond Bar, Industry terminated the agreement. The solar farm proponents are not giving up, however, and have now threatened all three municipalities with lawsuits.
The Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority, which existed for years but met irregularly, will be revived, wll be granted ownership of the ranch, and there will be seven seats on the administrative body. Three will be appointed by Industry and two each by the other cities. After Industry formally approves the sale tomorrow, the Authority is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Thursday. Any approved uses of the ranch will need at least one vote from a member whose city is in the area where the project would be built and two votes from Industry. If the latter was to leave the Authority, the other two cities would have the option of acquiring their portions of the land—about 700 acres is in Diamond Bar and the rest in Chino Hills.
Mayor Carol Herrera of Diamond Bar heralded the agreement as "an incredible opportunity . . . to ensure it remains a valuable open space resource in our cities and region for decades to come." This refers to a provision in a deed restriction that the ranch is to be dedicated only towards "open space, public use or preservation" and the agreement now stipulates that there are "no proposed new uses, new improvements, or major alterations contemplated on Tres Hermanos for the foreseeable future." It was also agreed that the three cities would share the cost of maintaining the property.
Industry City Manager Troy Helling called the deal a "reset," observing that "this is one way of showing that we're here to be good neighbors" because Chino Hills and Diamond Bar "have a right to say what happens to" Tres Hermanos because the ranch is in their domains. The City's mayor Mark Radecki stated that
Despite the fact that Industy's lease with the solar farm's developer, San Gabriel Valley Water and Power, ended at the end of 2018, that company has pursued a deal that would have the City of Commerce try to buy Tres Hermanos from the successor agency of the former City of Industry redevelopment agency, the Urban Development Agency.
William Barkett, a lead figure at the solar farm firm, indicated that the company would "seek relief for all money amounts and other benefits that would have flowed to" his company if Industry had followed through with the previous arrangement and that all three cities would be targeted. Bartlam responded that this was expected, but did not deter the municipalities from following through to make the deal and establish the newly constituted Authority.
Stay tuned for future developments!
The arrangement brings to an end a protracted legal battle between the Tres Ciudades over the fate and future of one of the last remaining large tracts of undeveloped land in the region. The ranch, created by William Benjamin Scott, an oilman; William R. Rowland, son of the original grantee of nearby Rancho La Puente and a Los Angeles County Sheriff and oilman; and Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, was sold to the City of Industry in 1978 by a Chandler family company.
Ideas for a massive reservoir and a huge solar farm, the latter more recently proposed, have been discussed over the years, but, after signing a deal with a firm to work on the solar farm, which brought litigation from Chino Hills and Diamond Bar, Industry terminated the agreement. The solar farm proponents are not giving up, however, and have now threatened all three municipalities with lawsuits.
The Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority, which existed for years but met irregularly, will be revived, wll be granted ownership of the ranch, and there will be seven seats on the administrative body. Three will be appointed by Industry and two each by the other cities. After Industry formally approves the sale tomorrow, the Authority is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Thursday. Any approved uses of the ranch will need at least one vote from a member whose city is in the area where the project would be built and two votes from Industry. If the latter was to leave the Authority, the other two cities would have the option of acquiring their portions of the land—about 700 acres is in Diamond Bar and the rest in Chino Hills.
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| Much of Tres Hermanos Ranch looking southwest from Diamond Bar, March 2018. |
Industry City Manager Troy Helling called the deal a "reset," observing that "this is one way of showing that we're here to be good neighbors" because Chino Hills and Diamond Bar "have a right to say what happens to" Tres Hermanos because the ranch is in their domains. The City's mayor Mark Radecki stated that
the value is in what the land means to the people of this region, to the wildlife that use it as a corridor, and in what our communities can accomplish together to protect the special environment that has been preserved.Notably, the kickstart to the reset came from outgoing Chino Hills City Manager Rad Bartlam's suggestion that he and Helling have lunch so that a partnership, not the continuation of adversarial relationships, could be pursued. Bartlam added that the intent is to maintain as much of the existing open space as possible and that "there is a possibility of opening the land to the public." There would have to be some mitigation done, including what to do with Arnold Reservoir, a body of water visible just south of Grand Avenue, which bisects the ranch. Bartlam was quoted as saying that "all the focus is, for the most part, on protecting Tres Hermanos."
Despite the fact that Industy's lease with the solar farm's developer, San Gabriel Valley Water and Power, ended at the end of 2018, that company has pursued a deal that would have the City of Commerce try to buy Tres Hermanos from the successor agency of the former City of Industry redevelopment agency, the Urban Development Agency.
William Barkett, a lead figure at the solar farm firm, indicated that the company would "seek relief for all money amounts and other benefits that would have flowed to" his company if Industry had followed through with the previous arrangement and that all three cities would be targeted. Bartlam responded that this was expected, but did not deter the municipalities from following through to make the deal and establish the newly constituted Authority.
Stay tuned for future developments!
19 August 2018
A Turn of Events at Tres Hermanos Ranch
The situation has evolved yet again at Tres Hermanos Ranch, situated in Tonner Canyon just north of Carbon Canyon. Long owned by the City of Industry's redevelopment agency and subject to a purchase by the City after the dissolution of those agencies by the state, the ranch was then earmarked for a solar farm.
The cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar separately filed lawsuits challenging the sale on several grounds concerning this proposed plan without consulting the cities with respect to existing general plans and others.
Recently, however, came news in late July through the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that the City of Industry, which has undergone major administrative changes, has abandoned the solar farm plan, though it is not clear if the concept of some use of the ranch for solar power generation is totally jettisoned.
Yesterday, a new shift was announced in the form of an article in the Tribune that Industry has made overtures on some form of a joint partnership concerning the future of the 2,500-acre ranch, about 70% of which is in Chino Hills and the remainder in Diamond Bar. The article indicated that discussions have yielded progress with an agreement nearing completion toward a joint powers authority. There has been a Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority in the past, so it appears this would be a new entity with Industry having a more direct and formal repersentation.
One of the issues is the $42 million price tag which was attached to the ranch when a deal was made to sell the former redevelopment property to Industry and whether it would ask the other cities to help defray portions of that cost. Industry is seeking to end a lease agreement with a firm hired to develop plans for the now-scuttled solar farm but is being challenged by that company, San Gabriel Valley Water and Power, LLC.
While specifics of the discussions were not provided by any of the cities, Chino Hills City Manager Rad Bartlam called the talks so far "genuine" and found them encouraging, stating that the several weeks of meetings would, hopefully, lead to a result "we can all live with." Industry leaders have expressed hope for use of Tres Hermanos for a public purpose, with green energy still an interest of some of them.
Jim Gallagher of Save Tres Hermanos Ranch and a recent candidate for a Chino Hills City Council seat, however, expressed suspicion about the latest news, citing the possibility of housing needs assessments leading to Chino Hills and Diamond Bar eyeing at least parts of the ranch for development. Instead, Gallagher and others with the advocacy group are pushing to preserve the ranch as part of a nature corridor linking the Puente and Chino hills ranges.
As the Tres Hermanos situation continues to develop, look for more here.
The cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar separately filed lawsuits challenging the sale on several grounds concerning this proposed plan without consulting the cities with respect to existing general plans and others.
Recently, however, came news in late July through the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that the City of Industry, which has undergone major administrative changes, has abandoned the solar farm plan, though it is not clear if the concept of some use of the ranch for solar power generation is totally jettisoned.
Yesterday, a new shift was announced in the form of an article in the Tribune that Industry has made overtures on some form of a joint partnership concerning the future of the 2,500-acre ranch, about 70% of which is in Chino Hills and the remainder in Diamond Bar. The article indicated that discussions have yielded progress with an agreement nearing completion toward a joint powers authority. There has been a Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority in the past, so it appears this would be a new entity with Industry having a more direct and formal repersentation.
One of the issues is the $42 million price tag which was attached to the ranch when a deal was made to sell the former redevelopment property to Industry and whether it would ask the other cities to help defray portions of that cost. Industry is seeking to end a lease agreement with a firm hired to develop plans for the now-scuttled solar farm but is being challenged by that company, San Gabriel Valley Water and Power, LLC.
While specifics of the discussions were not provided by any of the cities, Chino Hills City Manager Rad Bartlam called the talks so far "genuine" and found them encouraging, stating that the several weeks of meetings would, hopefully, lead to a result "we can all live with." Industry leaders have expressed hope for use of Tres Hermanos for a public purpose, with green energy still an interest of some of them.
Jim Gallagher of Save Tres Hermanos Ranch and a recent candidate for a Chino Hills City Council seat, however, expressed suspicion about the latest news, citing the possibility of housing needs assessments leading to Chino Hills and Diamond Bar eyeing at least parts of the ranch for development. Instead, Gallagher and others with the advocacy group are pushing to preserve the ranch as part of a nature corridor linking the Puente and Chino hills ranges.
As the Tres Hermanos situation continues to develop, look for more here.
13 October 2017
City of Industry Approves Solar Farm Project for Tres Hermanos Ranch
Here is the latest from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune on the City of Industry's plans for a solar farm project at Tres Hermanos Ranch, just north of Carbon Canyon:
17 September 2017
Chino Hills to Sue City of Industry Over Tres Hermanos Ranch Sale
The Chino/Chino Hills Champion reported in its edition yesterday that the City of Chino Hills intends to file a lawsuit challenging the late August sale of the 2,450-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch, immediately north of Carbon Canyon, to the City of Industry, which has been planning for a large solar farm on the ranch.
This development came after a closed door session of the Chino Hills city council meeting last Tuesday night. City Attorney Mark Hensley cited a "number of issues" including Industry's not presenting the proposed solar farm to the Chino Hills Planning Commission, which determines appropriate use to the city's general plan.
City Manager Rad Bartlam decried a lack of transparency in the process, telling the council that the city had to file public records requests for thousands of documents in order to learn of the plans for the ranch. Mayor Ray Marquez observed that the farm would cover most, if not all, the property and be visible from Grand Avenue.
A City of Industry spokesperson responded that going to the Chino Hills planning commission before a purchase "would have been premature" and added that Industry was committed to following all applicable laws and regulations from the local jurisdictions up to the federal level.
Jim Gallagher, a Chino Hills resident and member of the grass roots organization Save Tres Hermanos Ranch, told the city council during the open portion of the meeting that people [most, presumably] in Chino Hills are against housing and the traffic it would bring to the area if these were built. Chino Hills and Diamond Bar together allow nearly 1,100 units (meaning a few thousands new residents) on their respective portions of the ranch.
Gallagher went on to say that "Tres Hermanos is a critical natural area with a natural waterway. Our residents say yes to open space and green infrastructure." This latter refers to the publicly stated intention of Industry to build a large solar farm on the ranch and Gallagher told the council that it was too big, noting he mentioned this to Industry officials. He then observed that there are misperceptions in the public mind about what solar farms are.
Chino Hills council member Cynthia Moran stated that the idea of the sale was "not necessarily a good one" and that she would like to see a public meeting to explain how the decision to sell the ranch will affect the city. She also said that while "people are quick to say they don't want houses," there is also the matter of residents comprehending "the reality of the situation."
Stay tuned as this issue ramps up!
This development came after a closed door session of the Chino Hills city council meeting last Tuesday night. City Attorney Mark Hensley cited a "number of issues" including Industry's not presenting the proposed solar farm to the Chino Hills Planning Commission, which determines appropriate use to the city's general plan.
City Manager Rad Bartlam decried a lack of transparency in the process, telling the council that the city had to file public records requests for thousands of documents in order to learn of the plans for the ranch. Mayor Ray Marquez observed that the farm would cover most, if not all, the property and be visible from Grand Avenue.
A City of Industry spokesperson responded that going to the Chino Hills planning commission before a purchase "would have been premature" and added that Industry was committed to following all applicable laws and regulations from the local jurisdictions up to the federal level.
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| A view from the south of Tres Hermanos Ranch, March 2016. |
Gallagher went on to say that "Tres Hermanos is a critical natural area with a natural waterway. Our residents say yes to open space and green infrastructure." This latter refers to the publicly stated intention of Industry to build a large solar farm on the ranch and Gallagher told the council that it was too big, noting he mentioned this to Industry officials. He then observed that there are misperceptions in the public mind about what solar farms are.
Chino Hills council member Cynthia Moran stated that the idea of the sale was "not necessarily a good one" and that she would like to see a public meeting to explain how the decision to sell the ranch will affect the city. She also said that while "people are quick to say they don't want houses," there is also the matter of residents comprehending "the reality of the situation."
Stay tuned as this issue ramps up!
15 September 2017
San Gabriel Valley Tribune Editorial on Tres Hermanos Ranch
The editorial board of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune has weighed in on the Tres Hermanos Ranch issue and the editorial can be viewed here.
The last post here linked to an article on a request by the cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar for a state review on the legality of the sale of the ranch to the City of Industry, so we'll see what is forthcoming from Sacramento.
The last post here linked to an article on a request by the cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar for a state review on the legality of the sale of the ranch to the City of Industry, so we'll see what is forthcoming from Sacramento.
30 August 2017
Chino Hills & Diamond Bar Seek State Rejection of Tres Hermanos Sale
A new twist to the ongoing saga of the City of Industry re-acquisition of Tres Hermanos Ranch, as the cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar are petitioning the State of California to reject the sale or undertake a review to determine if the purchase meets legal criteria. The stated harm to the cities involves the loss of tax revenue from the lower price ($41.5 million rather than in excess of $100 million) paid by the terms of the 24 August sale.
Read more in this San Gabriel Valley Tribune article.
Read more in this San Gabriel Valley Tribune article.
29 August 2017
City of Industry Reacquires Tres Hermanos Ranch
In a 4-3 vote last Thursday, the Successor Agency to the City of Industry's Urban Development Agency approved the sale of the 2,500-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch, originally acquired by the UDA forty years ago, to the City for $41.5 million.
Although there had been offers by the City and an Irvine developer of $100 million or more, the lower amount was approved on condition of guarantees by the City for public access to portions of the ranch, in addition to a proposed solar farm intended for the area.
Read more in this San Gabriel Valley Tribune article about the purchase.
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| Tres Hermanos Ranch from the south, March 2016. |
Read more in this San Gabriel Valley Tribune article about the purchase.
31 May 2017
Tres Hermanos Ranch and Tonner Canyon Plan Reported
This came out several days ago in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune concerning the City of Industry's plans for Tres Hermanos Ranch and other land in Tonner Canyon directly north and adjacent to Carbon Canyon.
Here is the link to the article discussing those plans for a large solar farm in the area and quoting from nearby officials, including Rad Bartlam, city manager of Chino Hills.
Here is the link to the article discussing those plans for a large solar farm in the area and quoting from nearby officials, including Rad Bartlam, city manager of Chino Hills.
09 April 2017
The Latest Tres Hermanos Update
With the City of Industry's $100 million offer for the Tres Hermanos Ranch, in Tonner Canyon just north of Carbon Canyon, still on the table, but with an uncertain future, here is a new article from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune about a lull in the situation.
14 January 2017
City of industry To Offer $100 Million for Tres Hermanos Ranch
According to yesterday's Pasadena Star-News, the City of Industry has upped its offer to purchase the 2,500-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch, which the city acquired forty years ago through its now-defunct redevelopment agency, to $100 million.
This was done after the regular council meeting Thursday included a closed session discussion after which the matter was to be resumed in two weeks. However, a special meeting was called for yesterday afternoon, at which the decision was made to make the offer.
Industry city attorney Jamie Casso stated that the special meeting was called, with 24 hours notice as required by law, because the city had to make its offer ten days in advance of the next meeting of the successor agency to the city's redevelopment agency.
The article paraphrased Industry city manager Paul Philips' statement that "the City Council wants the land preserved for open space, public uses and public facilities" but did not offer details when contacted by the reporter, saying, "It's a work in progress."
The land, which became subject to the disposition under the successor agency, was eyed by developers, with an Irvine firm, GH America, making a $101 million offer. The city had an appraisal done that valued the land at less than half that amount and offered just over $40 million for the ranch, but is obviously willing to match the private offer.
The successor agency will consider Industry's latest offer at its next meeting on the 23rd.
The Star-News pointed out that the $100 million would come from Industry's general fund and that the city has a $264 million budget and some $800 million as surplus, amounts that far exceed what other municipalities have.
Chino Hills' mayor Ray Marquez, who is also a realtor, offered his views on the latest developments with Tres Hermanos, stating that residents prefer preservation of open space to high-density housing, but questioned why Industry would put up that kind of money, noting "there is a reason for it" and asking "what value is it to them?"
For more on this story, click here.
This was done after the regular council meeting Thursday included a closed session discussion after which the matter was to be resumed in two weeks. However, a special meeting was called for yesterday afternoon, at which the decision was made to make the offer.
Industry city attorney Jamie Casso stated that the special meeting was called, with 24 hours notice as required by law, because the city had to make its offer ten days in advance of the next meeting of the successor agency to the city's redevelopment agency.
The article paraphrased Industry city manager Paul Philips' statement that "the City Council wants the land preserved for open space, public uses and public facilities" but did not offer details when contacted by the reporter, saying, "It's a work in progress."
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| Tres Hermanos Ranch as seen from the south, March 2016. |
The successor agency will consider Industry's latest offer at its next meeting on the 23rd.
The Star-News pointed out that the $100 million would come from Industry's general fund and that the city has a $264 million budget and some $800 million as surplus, amounts that far exceed what other municipalities have.
Chino Hills' mayor Ray Marquez, who is also a realtor, offered his views on the latest developments with Tres Hermanos, stating that residents prefer preservation of open space to high-density housing, but questioned why Industry would put up that kind of money, noting "there is a reason for it" and asking "what value is it to them?"
For more on this story, click here.
28 May 2015
Tres Hermanos Ranch Development Dispute
As reported by Marianne Napoles in last Saturday's Champion, claims by The Hoffman Company, the firm retained by the City of Industry to sell its 2,500-acre Tres Hermanos Ranch along Grand Avenue between Chino Hills and Diamond Bar concerning the maximum number of housing units allowable in the latter city have been grossly exaggerated.
Diamond Bar city manager James DeStefano was quoted by the paper as asserting that 628 housing units were the maximum allowable under city codes and that no commercial development was permissible. He characterized Hoffman's assertions that up to 5,000 units were possible as "grossly in error, super grossly in error." DeStefano followed up by stating, "our numbers have not changed . . . nowhere in the world are we going to have 5,000 homes."
Diamond Bar's city limits encapsulate 720 acres of the ranch, while those of Chino Hills envelop 1,700 acres. The Champion reported that the latter could involve 467 units on 55 acres based on a development transfer from the southern portion of Chino Hills along Butterfield Ranch Road.
Previous statements, however, have indicated that this was a "parking" of that development transfer and that no concrete plans were in place for allowing development of that nature in Tres Hermanos. Moreover, as the article noted, master plans for any development on the ranch would have to be submitted to review to the respective cities.
Chino Hills council member Art Bennett, a member of the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority, a long-standing advisory agency composed of one representative from Chino Hills, City of Industry and Diamond Bar was quoted as stating that the future development of the ranch offered "a window of opportunity for Chino Hills" and that "this is the only time we'll be able to exert any kind of pressure on a developer to provide us with what we are asking for."
This statement is especially relevant in this era of severe drought, increasing risk of wildfire, and growing traffic congestion. Obviously, it could be years before any concrete proposals are put forward for development at Tres Hermanos. But, if water supply remains tight because of long-term drought (which many climatologists suggest is the scenario for this region), can approval of up to nearly 1,100 units (using the tentative high-end figures provided in the article) make any sense?
Moreover, wildland fire risk is heightened by continuing drought, tinder-dry fuel, and the propensity for higher winds in elevated areas like Tres Hermanos.
Finally, what are the realistic probable traffic solutions for the ranch? Grand Avenue is the only artery through the property and, while access to the northeast in the Diamond Bar portion towards Chino Hills Parkway and then to the 60 Freeway is obvious, traffic patterns could prove to be very problematic for any development, particularly in the Chino Hills section.
Claire Schlotterbeck of Hills for Everyone, which has been, for decades, fighting to preserve open space for recreation and as a buffer against over-development, was quoted in the article as requesting, at a recent Conservation Authority meeting, that a "visioning" process be introduced so that local residents can weigh in on what they think should be done with the land.
Schlotterbeck observed that many residents surrounding Tonner Canyon and Tres Hermanos want to see the land preserved as an important natural resource amidst massive suburban development. Her statement to end the article is notable: "If people don't want to see Tonner Canyon bulldozed, they need to be paying attention."
Obviously, there are conflicting views here. Bennett appeared to be suggesting that Chino Hills can only request mitigation or seek benefits from developers, but not stop housing projects from coming to Tres Hermanos and Tonner Canyon. Schlotterbeck looked to be advocating for preservation for recreation and habitat protection in these areas.
Coming years will bring these issues to a head as one of the last remaining major open areas in our region is sold and plans promoted to Chino Hills and Diamond Bar for development that, by any standard, will be large-scale. Resource (especially water) issues, fire risk and protection, and traffic concerns will be among the most important elements of the discussion.
As Schlotterbeck indicated, those who are concerned for the future of these two cities and the property in question have to be aware and, more importantly, engaged as part of the discussion.
Large-scale housing projects have been stopped before, with a prominent local examples of recent vintage being in the Newhall-Santa Clarita area. Tres Hermanos could be a similar situation and time will tell if that is the case.
Diamond Bar city manager James DeStefano was quoted by the paper as asserting that 628 housing units were the maximum allowable under city codes and that no commercial development was permissible. He characterized Hoffman's assertions that up to 5,000 units were possible as "grossly in error, super grossly in error." DeStefano followed up by stating, "our numbers have not changed . . . nowhere in the world are we going to have 5,000 homes."
Diamond Bar's city limits encapsulate 720 acres of the ranch, while those of Chino Hills envelop 1,700 acres. The Champion reported that the latter could involve 467 units on 55 acres based on a development transfer from the southern portion of Chino Hills along Butterfield Ranch Road.
Previous statements, however, have indicated that this was a "parking" of that development transfer and that no concrete plans were in place for allowing development of that nature in Tres Hermanos. Moreover, as the article noted, master plans for any development on the ranch would have to be submitted to review to the respective cities.
Chino Hills council member Art Bennett, a member of the Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority, a long-standing advisory agency composed of one representative from Chino Hills, City of Industry and Diamond Bar was quoted as stating that the future development of the ranch offered "a window of opportunity for Chino Hills" and that "this is the only time we'll be able to exert any kind of pressure on a developer to provide us with what we are asking for."
This statement is especially relevant in this era of severe drought, increasing risk of wildfire, and growing traffic congestion. Obviously, it could be years before any concrete proposals are put forward for development at Tres Hermanos. But, if water supply remains tight because of long-term drought (which many climatologists suggest is the scenario for this region), can approval of up to nearly 1,100 units (using the tentative high-end figures provided in the article) make any sense?
Moreover, wildland fire risk is heightened by continuing drought, tinder-dry fuel, and the propensity for higher winds in elevated areas like Tres Hermanos.
Finally, what are the realistic probable traffic solutions for the ranch? Grand Avenue is the only artery through the property and, while access to the northeast in the Diamond Bar portion towards Chino Hills Parkway and then to the 60 Freeway is obvious, traffic patterns could prove to be very problematic for any development, particularly in the Chino Hills section.
Claire Schlotterbeck of Hills for Everyone, which has been, for decades, fighting to preserve open space for recreation and as a buffer against over-development, was quoted in the article as requesting, at a recent Conservation Authority meeting, that a "visioning" process be introduced so that local residents can weigh in on what they think should be done with the land.
Schlotterbeck observed that many residents surrounding Tonner Canyon and Tres Hermanos want to see the land preserved as an important natural resource amidst massive suburban development. Her statement to end the article is notable: "If people don't want to see Tonner Canyon bulldozed, they need to be paying attention."
Obviously, there are conflicting views here. Bennett appeared to be suggesting that Chino Hills can only request mitigation or seek benefits from developers, but not stop housing projects from coming to Tres Hermanos and Tonner Canyon. Schlotterbeck looked to be advocating for preservation for recreation and habitat protection in these areas.
Coming years will bring these issues to a head as one of the last remaining major open areas in our region is sold and plans promoted to Chino Hills and Diamond Bar for development that, by any standard, will be large-scale. Resource (especially water) issues, fire risk and protection, and traffic concerns will be among the most important elements of the discussion.
As Schlotterbeck indicated, those who are concerned for the future of these two cities and the property in question have to be aware and, more importantly, engaged as part of the discussion.
Large-scale housing projects have been stopped before, with a prominent local examples of recent vintage being in the Newhall-Santa Clarita area. Tres Hermanos could be a similar situation and time will tell if that is the case.
07 May 2015
Tres Hermanos Ranch For Sale
With the dissolution of California's redevelopment agencies, the City of Industry, through a successor agency, has been going through a multi-year process of identifying and then either buying or selling its large swaths of redevelopment land.
The most significant piece involved in this has been the Tres Hermanos Ranch, created in the upper or northern reached of Tonner Canyon between Chino Hills and Diamond Bar about 1914 by Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, oil magnate William Benjamin Scott, and former Los Angeles County Sheriff, oil producer and ranching heir William R. Rowland.
The property, which passed down to Chandler's heirs was sold to the City of Industry in 1978 and the city had longstanding plans to build a reservoir for water storage intended for city uses.
While these went unrealized, the 2,450-acre parcel has been leased to several people using the land to graze small herds of cattle on the picturesque property on either side of Grand Avenue in the cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar.
This blog has featured several posts relating to the history of Tres Hermanos, which will now enter a new phase after nearly four decades. Local papers have reported in the last few days that the City of Industry has contracted with the Hoffman Company of Irvine to sell the ranch. It has been suggested the land could go for as high as $125 million.
Steve Tye, mayor of Diamond Bar, was quoted as being "shocked that they are selling it" and that he "didn't know it was going to come to that." Why exactly Mayor Tye was surprised is, well, surprising. Cities with redevelopment land can either buy at market rates or sell that properties. Tres Hermanos clearly didn't have commercial value and, as noted above, the city's intent was for water storage. Faced with new realities in the post-redevelopment agency area, the obvious outcome was to sell.
Obviously, the prospect of buying a huge, nearly virgin property is going to make the mouths of land investors and housing developers water (pardon the pun). According to Industry's city manager, speaking to a reporter Tuesday after a meeting of the successor agency, "this could be an international sale of some sort."
The same article, in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, quoted a Diamond Bar resident as feeling "very strongly about the preservation of our natural environment" and expressing the idea that "it would kill me to see them take out such beauty for tract homes."
It would take a significant number of people and very strong, highly organized community-based grassroots organizations to have any chance of convincing at least one of the two cities in which the ranch is situated that Tres Hermanos is better suited for preservation than for home building. The lobbying efforts of developers and promises of revenue and enticements (developers' fees for infrastructure, parks and so on) are going to be formidable barriers to overcome.
Another barrier, of course, is our drought. If it continues to worsen and lasts for decades as some project, will the building of hundreds of housing units be feasible as conservation measures get more extreme and water supplies tighten further? Knowing that housing projects would be years and years away, but also knowing that our changing climate makes the prospect of a long-term drought more likely, how can any large-scale development, whether at Tonner Canyon or anywhere else in the region, be justifiable?
Then, there are considerations dealing with traffic. Grand Avenue is the only major thoroughfare through the ranch and a proposed Tonner Canyon Road, which would essentially be a north-south bypass for the 57 Freeway, could only potentially be built if the lower part of the canyon, held by the City of Industry and the Boy Scouts of America, was made available. Hundreds of houses with many thousands of car trips per day with only one current roadway leading to freeways that are already packed (the 57/60 interchange is one of the busiest in the country) do not bode well for efficiency in traffic movement.
There are other considerations relating to infrastructure, schools, pollution and others, as well, which leads to another point about how we continue to conduct urban planning in a transforming environment.
Our long-established templates for development are increasingly being challenged as archaic and not viable for the changing world in which we now live and will be living. Planning for any place in our region, including Tres Hermanos, using outmoded models is not a smart way for public policy to proceed.
There has been a Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority, comprised of representatives from the City of Industry, Chino Hills and Diamond Bar, that has met and discussed the future of the ranch. We'll see what becomes of that body and how the management of the property is to be handled as the sale proceeds.
Naturally, with the announcement of the impending sale just made, there is nothing listed yet on the Web site of the Hoffman Company, but those interested might want to check here from time-to-time to see when a listing is posted.
The most significant piece involved in this has been the Tres Hermanos Ranch, created in the upper or northern reached of Tonner Canyon between Chino Hills and Diamond Bar about 1914 by Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler, oil magnate William Benjamin Scott, and former Los Angeles County Sheriff, oil producer and ranching heir William R. Rowland.
The property, which passed down to Chandler's heirs was sold to the City of Industry in 1978 and the city had longstanding plans to build a reservoir for water storage intended for city uses.
While these went unrealized, the 2,450-acre parcel has been leased to several people using the land to graze small herds of cattle on the picturesque property on either side of Grand Avenue in the cities of Chino Hills and Diamond Bar.
This blog has featured several posts relating to the history of Tres Hermanos, which will now enter a new phase after nearly four decades. Local papers have reported in the last few days that the City of Industry has contracted with the Hoffman Company of Irvine to sell the ranch. It has been suggested the land could go for as high as $125 million.
Steve Tye, mayor of Diamond Bar, was quoted as being "shocked that they are selling it" and that he "didn't know it was going to come to that." Why exactly Mayor Tye was surprised is, well, surprising. Cities with redevelopment land can either buy at market rates or sell that properties. Tres Hermanos clearly didn't have commercial value and, as noted above, the city's intent was for water storage. Faced with new realities in the post-redevelopment agency area, the obvious outcome was to sell.
Obviously, the prospect of buying a huge, nearly virgin property is going to make the mouths of land investors and housing developers water (pardon the pun). According to Industry's city manager, speaking to a reporter Tuesday after a meeting of the successor agency, "this could be an international sale of some sort."
The same article, in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, quoted a Diamond Bar resident as feeling "very strongly about the preservation of our natural environment" and expressing the idea that "it would kill me to see them take out such beauty for tract homes."
It would take a significant number of people and very strong, highly organized community-based grassroots organizations to have any chance of convincing at least one of the two cities in which the ranch is situated that Tres Hermanos is better suited for preservation than for home building. The lobbying efforts of developers and promises of revenue and enticements (developers' fees for infrastructure, parks and so on) are going to be formidable barriers to overcome.
Another barrier, of course, is our drought. If it continues to worsen and lasts for decades as some project, will the building of hundreds of housing units be feasible as conservation measures get more extreme and water supplies tighten further? Knowing that housing projects would be years and years away, but also knowing that our changing climate makes the prospect of a long-term drought more likely, how can any large-scale development, whether at Tonner Canyon or anywhere else in the region, be justifiable?
Then, there are considerations dealing with traffic. Grand Avenue is the only major thoroughfare through the ranch and a proposed Tonner Canyon Road, which would essentially be a north-south bypass for the 57 Freeway, could only potentially be built if the lower part of the canyon, held by the City of Industry and the Boy Scouts of America, was made available. Hundreds of houses with many thousands of car trips per day with only one current roadway leading to freeways that are already packed (the 57/60 interchange is one of the busiest in the country) do not bode well for efficiency in traffic movement.
There are other considerations relating to infrastructure, schools, pollution and others, as well, which leads to another point about how we continue to conduct urban planning in a transforming environment.
Our long-established templates for development are increasingly being challenged as archaic and not viable for the changing world in which we now live and will be living. Planning for any place in our region, including Tres Hermanos, using outmoded models is not a smart way for public policy to proceed.
There has been a Tres Hermanos Conservation Authority, comprised of representatives from the City of Industry, Chino Hills and Diamond Bar, that has met and discussed the future of the ranch. We'll see what becomes of that body and how the management of the property is to be handled as the sale proceeds.
Naturally, with the announcement of the impending sale just made, there is nothing listed yet on the Web site of the Hoffman Company, but those interested might want to check here from time-to-time to see when a listing is posted.
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