Parks Measure Would Fund County Projects

Orange County would receive at least $118 million to buy open space, improve parks and fund cultural projects if voters on Tuesday pass Proposition 180, a statewide parks initiative.

The $2-billion California Parks and Wildlife Initiative, known as CALPAW, on the ballot would directly allocate funds to the county and 31 local cities for various projects.

Also, the county could compete for another $213 million in statewide grants made available under the proposition.

“This is the single most important environmental initiative in this decade for the state of California,” said Leslie Robinson of Newport Beach, the initiative’s county coordinator. “If we don’t get it, several projects that have been set aside for years as open space areas will be developed.”

Some of the major Orange County projects targeted for funding under Proposition 180 are:

* $25 million for the purchase of 2,150-acre Laguna Laurel in Laguna Canyon to complete a 15,000-acre greenbelt.

* $14 million to buy open space and natural lands in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, including property in the Silverado, Trabuco, Verdugo and Santiago canyons.

* $12 million for coastal ridgelines and hillsides that would be included in the Aliso/Wood Canyons Regional Park.

* $5 million to buy an undetermined portion of the 77-acre site next to the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve.

Proposition 180’s supporters include a coalition of environmental organizations from the heavyweight Audubon Society and Sierra Club, down to such local groups as the Laguna Canyon Foundation and the 12-member Friends of the Tecate Cypress.

Another supporter is the Irvine Co., the largest developer in Orange County, which contributed $60,000 toward the approximately $2 million raised statewide to support CALPAW.

Under the proposition, three pieces of property owned by the Irvine Co. would receive funding to turn it into open space. The properties include the Laguna Laurel and Upper Newport Bay sites and a site near Irvine Lake.

Of the three Irvine Co. parcels, however, only the Laguna Laurel site has been negotiated for sale, said Larry Thomas, an Irvine Co. spokesman. The other two sites were selected by environmentalists and haven’t been discussed with the company, he said.

“This is not our initiative and it wasn’t drawn by us,” said Thomas, although he added that the company is willing to discuss any of the land purchases.

The initiative’s opponents, including the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Cattlemens Assn. and the Farm Bureau Federation, say the proposition may be well-meaning but would be too costly for taxpayers.

“The bottom line is California cannot afford all the bonds on the June ballot,” said Cliff Moriyama, the director of agriculture and resources for the state Chamber of Commerce. “We must prioritize our expenditures and this is pretty much a luxury.”

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Moriyama listed other statewide problems such as traffic congestion, infrastructure and crime, as higher priorities for limited state funds.

“The parks may need the help, but we believe there are other areas where our funds should go,” he said.

But for environmentalists, the issue is critical.

Pete DeSimone, manager of the Audubon Society’s Starr Ranch preserve near Coto de Caza, said it would help preserve county habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals.

“This would be a tremendous boost for us,” DeSimone said. “Any money we can pull together to buy important habitat will just add to our cause of protecting the county’s shrinking wilderness.”

The land proposed for funding in Orange County was selected by the statewide Planning and Conservation League based on location, potential as natural habitat, and the threat of imminent development.

Connie Spenger of Fullerton, a member of the Friends of the Tecate Cypress, said the areas in Coal Canyon that would benefit are “crucial properties” because they are connected to the Cleveland National Forest and help maintain large, contiguous areas of habitat.

“These areas are part of a large picture,” Spenger said. “We are finding that even our national parks are losing species because they are isolated from other large blocks of wild lands. When you fragment, you lose important pieces of the picture.”