Scars in Laguna Canyon Land Enrage Environmentalists

Environmentalists said Saturday that they will ask the City Council to make sure that parts of Laguna Canyon, where bulldozers carved several roads late last week, are restored to their natural state.

The pathways were etched into the hillsides about a mile north of El Toro Road to allow drilling equipment to be transported up the hill so toll road-related tests can be conducted, Laguna Beach City Manager Kenneth C. Frank said.

The testing site, known as Sycamore Hills, marks the spot where the proposed San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor would cut through Laguna Canyon. According to Frank, the tests were ordered by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, which is charged with building three county toll roads.

Frank said he granted approval for the testing on the city-owned property but was unaware that roads were going to be cut in the area. He said no roads were cut when similar tests were conducted a year ago. Agency officials will replant the hillsides when testing is finished in about a week, he said.

“They have given me both written and oral assurances they will restore the area,” Frank said. “And, if necessary, they will bring in a separate landscaping contractor to do that.”

But environmentalists were still fuming Saturday over the disruption of what they say is a precious wildlife habitat. Some preservationists said they will stage a protest in front of the hillsides Monday morning.

“That’s the heart of the canyon and visually, it’s scarred,” said local conservationist Beth Leeds. “We want to know when it’s going to stop.”

Transportation Corridor Agencies officials could not be reached for comment.

Michael Phillips, Laguna Greenbelt executive director, said he hiked in the hills Friday and saw up to a mile of roads leading to at least seven graded pads.

“We’re very saddened and upset that this happened,” Phillips said. “It’s unnecessary from the point of view that I believe had the city known what they had planned, they wouldn’t have let it happen. But the city didn’t ask to see a plan.”

Phillips said Laguna Greenbelt members will ask the City Council to “review and approve” any restoration plan. Councilman Neil G. Fitzpatrick said such council involvement would be “appropriate.”

City officials are currently negotiating with the Irvine Co. to halt the 3,200-home Laguna Laurel development on property near Sycamore Hills. Laguna Beach also opposes construction of the toll road.

For now, environmentalists say they want the hills returned to their natural state, to whatever degree that is possible.

“As a practical matter, habitat is never quite the same after it’s been disturbed,” Phillips said. “But it’s happened. We just want to see it restored in the best way possible.”