Escondido Canyon Homeowners: Racists or Realists?

While making speeches at public hearings about “cooperating to solve our mutual problems to everyone’s benefit” and urging the neighborhood to form a “friends of Escondido Canyon” group, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has blithely ignored our concerns. An example of their rhetoric not being backed up is the fact that the proposed park, which is designed to expand public access to the Escondido Falls (which are not part of the park and are on private property), will include no provisions to prevent trespass on the falls. When questioned about conservancy measures to prevent this, Joe Edmiston responded, “The owners of the falls can post guards to keep out people just like any other property owner.” The conservancy appears to have the intention to “take” the falls from the Murphy family, who are willing sellers, having offered to sell the Escondido Falls property to the conservancy. The conservancy is even now contemplating the purchase of more parcels, contiguous to but not essential to the trails and park, while ignoring the availability of the falls, which are essential to the park and in many ways are the primary reason that the park is so desirable. Accordingly, we doubt their sincerity in wishing to cooperate.

ERIN MURPHY O’HARA

Malibu