State Now Owns 82-Acre Habitat

The state this week officially became the owner of an 82-acre parcel of prime wildlife habitat in Laguna Canyon.

Escrow on the long-awaited $4-million sale closed on Wednesday, which means the state’s Wildlife Conservation Board owns the land and can start work creating an ecological reserve for endangered species.

The city of Laguna Beach bought the parcel, just off Laguna Canyon Road near El Toro Road, from the Irvine Co. last spring as part of a 2,150-acre purchase in Laguna Canyon. But state wildlife officials threatened in October to scuttle the plan to purchase the 82 acres from the city because they feared that deed restrictions granted too many rights to outside parties, particularly the Irvine Co.

After two months of negotiations, the Irvine Co. agreed two weeks ago to eliminate nearly all of the 20 pages of conditions, including access to water rights.

The sale is the largest single purchase by the wildlife board. State wildlife officials say the land was well worth the cost because of its value to wildlife, including some endangered flowering plants, birds and lizards.

The money came from a $776-million fund created by Proposition 70, which California voters overwhelmingly approved in 1988.