Santa Monica Mountains voters give huge support to fees for the environment
With an aim to protect, maintain and potentially expand wildlife habitat that sprawls from Griffith Park to Topanga, two ballot measures are asking about 48,000 property owners throughout those regions to again help cover the costs of conservation.
Ballot Measure GG had a huge lead in the latest Nov. 5 election returns, and Ballot Measure H had even bigger lead in the Wednesday, Nov. 6 election returns. Measure GG had 74.01% and Measure H got 79.85% and both appeared to be sailing to victory.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), authorized under both state and county governments, hopes to raise money for open space protection, park ranger patrols and fire prevention services on more than 2,925 acres under its auspices, because it has no permanent funding in place.
Ballot Measure GG focuses on 1,075 acres of open space west of the Sepulveda Pass including Encino, Tarzana and Woodland Hills, resulting in a $38 annual special tax to all homeowners and other improved-property owners in that region, estimated to total $614,000 annually. Tarzana and Woodland Hills, resulting in a $38
Ballot Measure H applies to about 1,850 acres of open space in hillside areas east of the 405 Freeway in the Santa Monica Mountains and include the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park. It would result in a $65 annual special tax on homeowners and other “improved-property owners” estimated to total $1,857,000 annually.
“While we will wait for all the votes to be counted before declaring victory,” said George Lange, chair of the governing board of the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, “we are gratified that the people in the Santa Monica Mountains in Woodland Hills, Encino, and Tarzana and the Hollywood Hills to Griffith Park support the protection of open space and wildlife habitat including fire prevention in these unique urban natural areas.”
SMMC is a state agency working in conjunction with MRCA, which also works with two local groups — the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.
According to Eldeman, the measures will be in effect for 15 years, “with all funds exclusive to the use of the MRCA” helped by a citizens’ oversight committee and annual audits.
Undeveloped properties don’t pay the tax and low-income property owners in the areas can ask for an exemption.
Voters approved a similar tax in 2016 but it expires in two years. Those measures currently account for a $35 annual tax on qualified property owners east of the 405 Freeway, and $15 tax on those to the west.
Edelman said about 30,000 property owners are impacted on the east side of the 405, and about 18,000 property owners west of the 405.
Several weeks before the broad support showed up in early voting results on Nov. 5, Marian Dodge, chair of the Federation of Hillside and Canyon Associations, said that MRCA actually buys “vacant lots and create easements that assure that our wildlife will be able to move across the mountains, which is key to maintaining genetic diversity in the animal population.”
Most notable for Edelman is the work done to preserve and expand natural habitats that support bobcats, coyotes, deer, foxes and mountain lions, and buying land that MRCA protects from development, allowing the organization to create habitat interconnectivity for miles.