Hills for Everyone: News from the Lunatic Fringe?

To many property rights advocates and others who lean (slightly) to the right, Hills for Everyone is an organization that often raises temperatures and blood pressure. Why? Because this group dares to work for preservation of dwindling open space, conservation of diminishing plant resources, the protection of animals, and the maintenance of passive recreation in parklands salvaged from what is left in the Puente Hills-Chino Hills Wildlife Corridor, a region that has seen developers, oil companies and other capitalists make more than their fair share on their investment over decades.

Yes, in a region with 9 million people and overburdened transportation, school, water, trash, and other infrastructure systems and with the worst pollution in these here United States, the audacity to advocate for mitigation of these growing problems truly alarms those who actually believe there is a "free market." The kind of "free market" that has brought about the conditions we are now enjoying in this, the worst economic slump since the Great Depression. A "free market" in which, all too often, the freedom to profit without fear of being held responsible for the consequences, or, more precisely, the acknowledgment thereof, trumps social responsibility.

As one particularly energetic commenter on a blog to which I posted a few offerings opined, "I guess we know where you stand." As if that was a bad thing! Sure, we know where Hills for Everyone stands: denying property owners their fundamental right to use their holdings for profit, no matter the cost, evidently.

At any rate, the Winter 2009 newsletter of the organization is, naturally, devoted significantly to coverage of the November's Freeway Complex Fire, especially its after-effects. One important item that the group has stated in other venues is that, though wildland fires are often beneficial to regenerating soils and new plant growth, "these frequent fires are not natural and they are changing the very nature of our landscape." Cycles of fires are now running closer to five years rather than the much longer periods observed in past decades. Moreover, "fires that are too frequent don't allow young plants to develop . . . seeds . . . [and] non-native vegetation takes over." These latter, supplanting native grasses, "also die off faster in spring . . . and this extends the fire season . . . [as well as] ignite easier and spread fire faster." When accounting for climate change (less snowpack means a longer fire season) and short-sighted land use policy, the consequences are more dangerous incrementally.

Fortunately, not all is bad news! There is an update in the newsletter on the move to eradicate arundo in Carbon Canyon, including a $25,000 commitment from Brea to assist in treating the incredibly invasive reed. As noted last week, a man was spotted spraying some arundo near the old La Vida Mineral Springs resort site, so it appears that at least some work has begun. Also of interest is that the Canyon Crest project continues to be on hold, as previously reported on this blog. Additionally, a massive 3,600 unit project by Aera Energy (a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company) in the eastern Puente Hills above Brea and below Rowland Heights and Diamond Bar has been shelved for nearly a year, as Diamond Bar, never much of a preservation-minded city, has, to its credit, called for a significant redesign. Given the economy, nothing is likely to be proposed for awhile, though we'll see what comes down the pike a few years hence! Meantime, a smaller, 47-unit subdivision, Pacific Heights, in Hacienda Heights/Rowland Heights is now in the Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report review stage.

Other new outcomes: a lawsuit filed by HFE against the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) concerning an access road through a portion of Chino Hills State Park to the Van Diemer treatment plant atop the hills overlooking Yorba Linda has been settled, because "we will also be able to expand the State Park to protect many more acres of walnut woodland than will be destroyed by the road." Additionally, a proposal has been deleted to build an entry/exit to an elevated roadway above the massively-congested 91 Freeway (why is making more [and thereby consuming and disposing of more) always the answer to a problem?) that threatened a wildlife corridor between Chino Hills State Park and the Cleveland National Forest to the south. The elevated roadway may still, someday, be built, but at least the corridor appears to be out of harm's way. There are also announcements for a volunteer project to remove barbed from the State Park that trap and harm animals; an Earth Day event at the State Park on 25 April; and other tidbits.

If you tilt towards the center or even a little to the left (without losing your balance), support this worthy group. Check out the link on the right side of the main page of this blog. Send a little money to help support the organization's important work. Help with their volunteer projects. Stay aware about the many threats to the hills that serve as an important buffer in a highly urbanized and congested region. And, consider being, in whatever way possible, an advocate for the last vestiges of open space we have left in this area.

Developers and others have made plenty of money over the many decades of extensive suburbanization in our area. It's only fair to keep a little for open space, wildlife protection, and light recreation. Fair and balanced.

Carbon Canyon Road's Newest Traffic Signal: A Sign of Progress?

An 18 February article in the Orange County Register announced that a traffic light will soon be erected on Carbon Canyon Road at Olinda Place/Ruby Drive in Olinda Village. The $350,000 project, largely paid for with federal funds and supplemented on the order of 10% by Brea's Traffic Impact Fee, is slated to begin by late Spring and should take about four months to complete.

The quest for a signal at this location has been going on for many years and has been avidly pursued by residents of Olinda Village (including Hollydale Mobile Home Estates, as well as parishioners at Samsung Presbyterian Church adjacent to Hollydale.)

According to the Register article, Brea's Development Services Director stated that the installation of the traffic signal "is not expected to cause an increase in traffic on Carbon Canyon Road." Rather, the official offered that "it allows safe traffic movement out of the residential areas. During off hours, the light will slow traffic so residents can exit safely."

The sentiment of the folks in Olinda Village is very understandable. My father-in-law lives in Hollydale and I've been there plenty of times, knowing full well that turning onto Carbon Canyon can be a real challenge. It is very often difficult to turn onto the road . . . but so is it the case at every other junction along the two-lane portion of the roadway, including in Sleepy Hollow, Mountain View Estates, Western Hills Oaks, Carriage Hills, and Summit Ranch, where most people in Carbon Canyon reside.

In fact, one of the negotiated points between the developer and the City of Chino Hills concerning the proposed Stonefield housing project just east of Western Hills Golf Course has been that the former has offered to pay for traffic signals at Fairway Drive and Canon Lane. Someday, it is quite possible that we could have those two signals on the Chino Hills side and maybe one for Summit Ranch, too.

One issue about the statement about no increase in traffic by the Brea official is that volume is an entirely different matter than time. Now, when Olinda School moves "down the hill" to a future location next to the new community park on Birch Street, there won't be quite the morning traffic that can be generated when school starts, but the traffic signal will, to some degree, affect rush hour traffic, already crawling in peak morning and evening hours.

It may not seem like much now, but, should there be the expected increase in vehicles over time and if other signals are placed on the Chino Hills side, there will likely be further negative consequences concerning congestion that have, frankly, not been readily acknowledged.

Then again, it is possible that economic conditions, rising gas prices, global climate change, and other variables could reduce traffic in the Canyon in forthcoming years, thereby rendering the concerns expressed here moot (or mainly so.)

One other consideration is the fact the reckless driving is a very regular condition in the Canyon. The presence of a traffic signal, especially in its early days of operation, is no guarantee that this is going to change. Drivers will still speed and run red lights and Olinda Village residents will have to continue being very vigilant and careful even when turning onto the road with that shiny new green light giving the go-ahead. So, hopefully, city and police officials won't view the signal as a substitute for patrols and enforcement, which already seem to be at a bare minimum.

As for the rest of us, we'll still have to carefully negotiate our turns, as always, but without the benefit (such as it is) of traffic signals.

Finally, it also is a little unfortunate that, after almost a century without traffic signals on the two-lane portion of Carbon Canyon Road, we are seeing one more instance, well-intended as it is, of a change that affects the rural character of our Canyon, even as compromised as it has been by housing tracts and heavier and heavier traffic volumes since the 1980s. The new signal will serve the needs and wants of Olinda Village, just as the signal at Olinda Ranch serves those of that subdivision and Carbon Canyon Regional Park. Someday, there may be two or three others on the Chino Hills side to serve local interests there, too.

In the long term and in the broader view, however, that may not be such a good thing for Carbon Canyon as a whole.

Carbon Canyon Development History: A 1963 Example

Ah, the good old days! When massive housing developments went unchallenged by bothersome wacko, tree-hugging, socialist environmentalists, when city and county fathers recognized and appreciated the freedom in the free market, and when, in fact, about the only way that building projects were halted was because the conditions of that market weren't right.

Such was most likely the case in 1963 when the Los Angeles Times reported on a 600-acre development proposed in what is now the Chino Hills portion of Carbon Canyon by the Aspen Land Company.

Back then, the area in question was under San Bernardino County's jurisdiction, was in an almost completely undeveloped region (excepting the 1920s subdivisions of Sleepy Hollow and Mountain View Estates to the west) and was almost certainly free from any opposition to the plans of Aspen, the President of which, Ray Watt, had hired a project director, Fred Kayne, for the development.

As expressed in the paper, "the master plan will call for approximately 600 ranch-type homes on half-acre to three-acre sites, garden apartments, and a village shopping center at the project's entrance across Carbon Canyon Rd. from the new Western Hills Golf and Country Club."

Moreover, the article continued, "residence owners in the community also will own a proportionate share of the company's bridle trails, central clubhouse which will be complete with tack room, riding rings and stables, and two neighborhood recreation areas."

Because the project site was described as being immediately across from Western Hills, it appears that this may have been a much larger precursor to what became Western Hills Oaks, a subdivision that has homes dating to at least 1966.

The lot sizes certainly fit the description, although "ranch-type homes" could mean just about anything. The garden apartments, shopping center, bridle trails, clubhouse, and "recreation areas" never happened and there are far fewer than 600 houses. Moreover, Western Hills Oaks is much smaller than 600 acres, so one wonders if the land to the south that is now encompassed within the Vellano subdivision was included or if the area that is today's Carriage Hills neighborhood was to be part of the massive development.

Given what took place in later projects (Summit Ranch and Carriage Hills, in particular) and what is being proposed for the future (Canyon Crest, Stonefield, Canyon Hills, Pine Valley Estates--totaling about 360 homes), it's good that this project went mostly unfulfilled.

Almost a half-century ago, Carbon Canyon seemed a world away from the suburban development then under full sway in Orange County and the eastern San Gabriel Valley. These days, it's facing the intense pressures that are entailed in the agression of urban sprawl, even if the miserable state of the economy has eased matters. For now.

"Leave Early or Stay and Defend" Firefighting Policy Delayed

Yesterday's Los Angeles Times featured an article, "Australian Fires Give State Pause," [the link is: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-firefighting6-2009mar06,0,7928837.story] with direct bearing on Carbon Canyon and the aftermath of November's Freeway Complex Fire. Specifically, the piece was related to the question of a "Leave Early or Stay and Defend" policy of homeowners remaining to fight fires on their property, a policy now being questioned in the light of the devastation caused in early February by the Australian wildfires that saw over 210 deaths in the state of Victoria.

Locally, much of this came to the fore due to considerable news coverage devoted to some residents who remained in the Hidden Hills neighborhood of Yorba Linda and fought and saved some homes after a water delivery system failed and firefighting personnel left the area. For many, this was a clearly articulated justification for a "stay and defend" approach that homeowners could use to protect their homes.

On 3 February, Firescope, a state panel that advises on fire management, held a meeting at which a "Leave Early or Stay and Defend" presentation was made. One presenter, a researcher from the United States Forest Service, identified studies that showed that a high proportion of fatalities in fires was due to the fact that "residents decide to evacuate too late and are overcome by flames as they flee." Supporters of the "stay and defend" concept believe "that training residents to make a quick decision on whether to evacuate could save lives."

The result of the meeting was that Firescope would further study the issue, noting that preserving and saving lives was always the highest priority. Four days later, on 7 February, "Black Saturday" erupted in Australia, accelerated by prolonged drought, very high temperatures, dry plant material, and 60-mph winds--all conditions that, on a somewhat lesser scale, existed in November when the Freeway Complex Fire broke out--catalyzed into a firestorm that killed a minimum of 210 persons.

As stated in the article, "many died actively defending their homes under the government's 'Leave Early or Stay and Defend' policy," although it was also noted that this was "the first time that has happened since the program's inception." Consequently, Australian authorities are rethinking the strategy, while its supporters say that it was inadequate preparation that caused the conditions leading to the loss of life, because people were not given the tools to employ the policy guidelines fully and efficiently.

Orange County Fire Chief Chip Prather initially supported the "stay and defend" concept after "Yorba Linda residents told him they were able to save their homes because they ignored evacuation orders and extinguished spot fires around them." When Prather, however, took the matter to his department, "his enthusiasm faded." As the chief explained, "they looked at me like I was crazy. In Santa Ana conditions, my firefighters are basically standing in a blowtorch, and we're going to encourage people to do that? It's foolish." Similarly, Santa Barbara fire captain Eli Iskow told residents in Montecito, where a November fire incinerated 240 houses in short order, "firefighting can take many hours. Are you up to that?"

As a result of the meeting and the "Black Saturday" disaster, Firescope has decided to further study the issue, while continuing to emphasize what should always be first, foremost and always in everyone's mind, no matter what they type of natural disaster: the preservation and saving of life.

As put in the article, "the question now for California's fire officials is whether to resurrect portions of 'Leave Early or Stay and Defend' or scrap it altogether."

In addition to putting life safety at the head of the list, officials are putting a great deal of emphasis on preparation in the form of brush clearance, use of fire-resistant construction materials, screened vents, boxed-in eaves and other methods. According to a firefighters union president, "it happened just like we feared in Australia. The bottom line is that the people who decided to stay made a bad decision and it cost them their lives."

To go back to Capt. Iskow's question: "Are you up to that?", well, in some cases, there are people who clearly believe they are. Undoubtedly, there are anecdotal examples of "stay and defend" success stories, although it has to be wondered whether there were other contributing factors (shifting winds, for example) that were in play. There are also, however, anecdotes that demonstrate the opposite, that no amount of preparation, training, and equipment can save a home that is directly in the path of a ferocious wall of flame.

The point is: if a person is intent on remaining in their home to fight a fire, no evacuation order can force them to leave and, generally, fire personnel will make every effort to induce an evacuation and then ask the resident to sign a release. Whether or not, the firefighters union president is correct that all people who stayed to fight the fires in Australia "made a bad decision," there is one vital consideration to be pondered:

Can a policy of "stay and defend" adopted across California by public agencies account for varied, unknown and shifting variables?

These inclde differing conditions of weather (heat, humidity, wind), drought, fuel, firefighting personnel levels, water delivery capacity, housing types, training, home-based equipment and many others. A "Leave Early or Stay and Defend" policy would seem to be awfully hard to implement given the varying situations that are encountered from year-to-year and in varied geographical settings. The policy would not apply the same way in San Diego County as it would in Sacramento County and not in Chico as it would in Carbon Canyon.

Ultimately, a person cannot be forced to leave their home if they choose to "stay and defend" and take the responsibility for their decision. At the same time, a widespread acceptance and employment of the "stay and defend" strategy poses enormous risk.

As has been said in this blog many times previously: if the Freeway Complex Fire had originated in Carbon Canyon given the extreme heat, very low humidity, high winds, and drought-induced high fuel content, there would have almost certainly been many, many homes lost, especially in older communities like Sleepy Hollow and Mountain View Estates [the Canon Lane area.] Even with a much improved firefighting program that has seen a complete transformation since the last major fire in 1990, professional firefighting personnel, as better trained and equipped as they are, would more than likely have not been able to reach most of the affected area in time and a "stay and defend" approach would simply not work for hundreds of homes. A mass evacuation, made easier by emergency access route improvements on the Chino Hills side, would be the best option for the most people. If global climate change, whatever the assigned causes, continues as it has, the frequency and intensity of wildfires may well transform, as it would in so many other ways of life, how we in the Canyon deal with fire (and, for that matter, future housing development that would exacerbate the issue.)

In any case, life comes before property--always.

On the Skids in Carbon Canyon #1014: Our Accident of the Week

Within the last few weeks, perhaps up to a month ago, another section of relatively new guardrail was rammed into on Carbon Canyon Road.

This time, it was on the S-curve on the Chino Hills side along the same section that has, in the past few years, included destroyed CalTrans-managed directional signs, plowed through private property (such as an expensive cast-iron fence) and other mishaps.

If it wasn't for the rail, naturally, this car would have tumbled down a steep little slope onto another section of the road below. So, more than likely the errant vehicle probably sustained a little front fender and/or body damage, but was able to reverse out and drive away.

Someday, we taxpayers will fork out a little more money to repair the damage, as we always do. The above photos of the damage (including the crumpled yellow directional sign behind the guardrail) were taken last week.

Aerojet "Open Burn Open Detonation" Site Declared Safe

This week's Chino Hills Champion has a front page article concerning the declaration by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) that a 14-acre portion of the Aerojet munitions testing facility, known ominously as the "open burn open detonation" area, has been deemed "suitable for unrestricted use."

The 400-acre Aerojet site, ringed by 400 acres of "buffer", operated for forty years, from 1955 until cleanup began in 1995. The "OBOD" area was utilized from 1968 to 1994 on the eastern flank of the facility and, according to the article "was the most heavily impacted portion of the site." An Aerojet spokesperson was quoted as saying that 47,000 pieces of ordinance and tons of contaminated soil, containing the explosive RDX, were removed.

Eight years ago, the DTSC expressed its view that Aerojet was not dealing with the OBOD area quickly enough, while the City of Chino Hills was questioning the technology used for search for ordinance. In 2002, ordinance material and an artillery shell were discovered in Chino Hills State Park, despite the 400-acre "buffer."

As a result of this, Aerojet was required by the DTSC to use federal defense department standards for cleanup of the site and had to hire an outside company to conduct the operations.

Meanwhile, a public meeting is planned for 26 March, although the time and meeting location are not yet known.

I suspect that Michael Collins of enviroreporter.com, who has contacted this blog previously about the Aerojet site, will probably have a thing or two to say about this latest announcement. Links to his site and reporting about Aerojet are on the right side of the main blog page, as are the websites of Aerojet and its parent company, GenCorp. It will also be interesting to see what the City of Chino Hills will do in regard to future development of the OBOD area.

I'll post more on this as information is forthcoming, especially as regards the public meeting.

Arundo Spraying in Carbon Canyon Begins!

After November's devastating Freeway Complex Fire burned nearly the entirety of the Brea side of Carbon Canyon, there was actually a positive outcome, thanks to local preservation group Hills for Everyone and others, who suggested it was an opportune time to deal with the highly invasive arundo donax, which proliferated unchallenged along the banks of Carbon [Canyon] Creek for years.

The urgency was that, because the above-ground portions of the plant were burned off in the fire, the best time to spray the plant is when new growth emerges, allowing for maximum absorbtion of the chemical into the stalks and down to the root system. Follow up treatment would then continue to try to eradicate the plant. Otherwise, an expensive program of labor-intensive cutting of the strong, thick stalks wouls have to come first, followed by spraying. Courtesy of the fires, much of the work was already done.

As reported on this blog in January, an agreement was reached some weeks ago to treat much of the canyon area, although at that time there still needed to be buy-in from several private property owners. Whatever happened with that, the effort has begun.

This morning as I was driving to work, I noticed a truck from the Santa Ana Watershed Authority (SAWA) parked off the side of Carbon Canyon Road near the old La Vida Mineral Springs resort property. A few feet away, a man was spraying the emerging leaves of arundo along the side of the creek.

Hopefully, we'll see a sustained spraying operation followed by further treatment. As more information becomes available, postings will be made. Let's hope some significant progress can be made to obliterate this pest, keep the creek relative clear, and restore some of the natural appearance of the Canyon, especially as plant life begins to reappear in the aftermath of the fire.