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County calls for trail around development By Kimm Groshong, Staff Writer Pasadena Star News-7/24/04 ALTADENA -- A publicly accessible trail must be established around the gated La Vina development or the county will take legal action, officials have told homeowners in the upscale neighborhood. Two letters sent this week, one from the county’s Chief Administrative Office and one from Supervisor Michael Antonovich, call in strong terms for the identification of such a trail easement for public use around La Vina’s periphery. The letters come on the heels of trail users’ outrage at the posting of ‘No Trespassing’ signs by the La Vina Homeowners Association on a portion of the trail in Millard Canyon in May. The closed trail section lies within a 108-acre plot of land that belongs to the La Vina Homeowners Association. Earlier in the development’s 10-year approval process, the county and the developer said at least half the open space would be donated to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. Jan Takata of the county’s Chief Administrative Office wrote one letter, which is addressed to June Cowgill, the president of the homeowners association. In the letter, Takata says trail routes must link the Chaney and Millard trails with the Hahamongna Recreation Area and address the safety concerns of local equestrians. ‘The county remains committed to its goal of establishing these trails,’ the letter states. ‘I’m gratified that the county is doing this,’ said Paul Ayers, a trail advocate and attorney. ‘My hope is that the residents of La Vina will work with the county and come to an amicable solution.’ Takata claims his letter was a clarification of a previous letter he sent to the association saying it was not the county’s intent to put a trail across La Vina homeowners’ land. He said that in the December 2003 letter he was referring to the actual homeowner parcels within the development and not to the open space around it. However, the December letter says, ‘It was hoped that the La Vina Homeowners Association (‘HOA’) would be willing to grant access to HOA land that is located outside the perimeter of the La Vina Development.’ It goes on to explain how such granting could be accomplished and then says, ‘Again, absent the granting of access by the Association, the county intends to identify an alternative route that does not traverse land owned by the Association.’ Takata said the homeowners association helped establish the proposed trail that appears on the 1995 map, but has recently stopped working with the county on a public trail. ‘We’re at something of a loss because the h omeowners a ssociation had previously stated that they wanted the trail, that it was important to them.’ The Chief Administrative Office’s letter also specifies, ‘If resolution cannot be attained, the county will review all other available remedies,’ and asks that the president of the homeowners association, June Cowgill, contact Takata by the end of business Wednesday . The second letter, from Antonovich, was sent to all residents of La Vina. It explains that the homeowners association’s resistance and ‘downright hostility’ have forced the county to consider other means of securing the easements for hikers and equestrians that ‘are required under various county approv als.’ In specific, it says, ‘The Los Angeles County Counsel is exploring the county’s legal options to secure these easements.’ It also states, ‘the entire Altadena community neighbors, trail users and La Vina home buyers has always anticipated that these equestrian/hiking trails would be constructed.’ Cowgill declined to comment. Kimm Groshong can be reached at 626 578-6300, Ext. 4451, or by e-mail at kimm.groshong@sgvn.com Public discussion, news and announcements are posted on the Altadena Crest Trail email forum. For easy instructions on how to access that forum, please read ACTRWG Email Forum (signingup.html). Updated July 24, 2004. Send comments regarding this site to support at Altadena Trails .org |