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County calls for trail around development Pasadena Star-News La Vina irking county Motion will OK lawsuit to create public trail By Kimm Groshong Staff Writer Friday, November 05, 2004 - ALTADENA -- Supervisor Michael Antonovich plans to introduce a motion Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors meeting that would require county counsel to take the steps necessary to secure a public trail around the upscale La Vina residential community. The La Vina Homeowners Association, which represents more than 200 homeowners in the gated La Vina community in the Altadena foothills, owns 108 acres of open space that forms a ring around the development. A group of trail advocates known as the Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group formed by Antonovich to make the Altadena Crest Trail continuous from Eaton Canyon to the Arroyo Seco has raised concerns at the county level about the resistance users have met on trails around La Vina. The La Vina Homeowners Association posted new No Trespassing signs in May along a trail in Millard Canyon. Beginning in July, county offices began sending letters and setting meetings with the association, attempting to find a resolution and requiring the dedication of a trail for the public. The motion that Antonovich plans to read Tuesday says "The La Vina project entitlements specifically require the dedication of the equestrian and hiking trail easements and the constructions of the trails on open space lots." It continues, "The La Vina Homeowners Association continues to deny it has a legal obligation" and the board of directors' attitude "has often been hostile and uncooperative in dealing with county staff." And, therefore, the association has "left the county with no alternative." The motion calls for the County Counsel to file a lawsuit against the association and any other appropriate parties, "and to exhaust available judicial or administrative remedies, to secure the dedication of the trail easements and the construction of the trails consistent with the La Vina entitlements." Paul Novak, Antonovich's planning deputy, said since "a very good meeting" early last month with the association's board, the county believes the board has taken steps to undermine the progress made at that meeting and misrepresented the county's position with regard to the trail at its annual meeting. Members of the La Vina Homeowners Association and their attorney, Mindy Sheps, declined to comment for this story. 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). Return to Altadena Trails Home. Updated November 6, 2004. Send comments regarding this site to support at Altadena Trails .org |