Simi Criticizes Cranston Over Jordan Ranch

The Simi Valley City Council on Thursday sent a letter to Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) protesting his opposition to a complex land deal that would allow development of 59 acres of federal parkland in eastern Ventura County in exchange for the state acquiring 5,700 acres of surrounding wilderness.

“The land transfer proposal which is currently being discussed would preserve and protect significant open space lands adjacent to Simi Valley for future generations,” city officials stated in the letter to Cranston.

The letter was sent in reaction to the senator’s announcement last week that he opposes the land-swap proposal and will work to prevent the use of federal funds for the land transfer. Federal money is needed to fund an environmental review of the land swap.

Under the land swap proposal, the National Park Service would give up 59 acres in Cheeseboro Canyon needed for an access road to a planned golf course and a 750-house subdivision on property now owned by entertainer Bob Hope. In return, the park service would receive 1,100 acres of Hope’s 2,308-acre Jordan Ranch.

If the land swap is approved, Hope would sell 5,700 acres in the Santa Susana and Santa Monica mountains to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy for $20 million, an amount that is considered lower than Hope could get from developers.

Cranston, in his announcement last week, said that rather than permit the land deal to take place, the Park Service should work to acquire the Jordan Ranch property to protect it from development.

However, Simi Valley Councilwoman Ann Rock, who urged the City Council earlier this week to send a letter to Cranston protesting his position, said the land swap proposal may be the state’s only chance to acquire the 5,700 acres in Cheeseboro Canyon for park use.

“I see no other way of acquiring that land,” Rock said. “With or without the land swap there is going to be a proposal for development” on the Jordan Ranch.

Bonnie Carpenter, a member of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, said the district supports Simi Valley’s action and will consider writing a similar letter to Cranston at its next meeting, onMay 17.

Murray Flander, a Cranston spokesman, said Thursday that the senator had not received the letter from Simi Valley officials, but that it would not have any bearing on his opposition to the land deal.

“These are irrelevancies to the main issue,” Murray said. “The major concern is that you’re going to have major development inside a national park on land that the Interior Department for years has cited as a parcel it wants to get for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.”

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