Council OKs $4.5 Million for Park, 3 Valley Youth Projects

The Los Angeles City Council approved spending $4.5 million Tuesday for three San Fernando Valley youth projects and the purchase of 80 acres of undeveloped land in Sherman Oaks for a new park.

The bulk of the money was earmarked for buying a rocky, tree-lined area in the Santa Monica Mountains near Mulholland Drive known as the Deervale-Stone Canyon land.

The council moved to free up funds for a senior citizen/youth center in North Hollywood and a youth arts center in Canoga Park and decided to scale back a project at the Studio City Recreation Center.

The money comes from proceeds of Proposition K, approved by voters in 1996 to fund $25 million for youth programs each year for the next 30 years.

The Deervale-Stone Canyon site topped Councilman Michael Feuer’s wish list. Since 1978, developers have tried to develop the site, which is appraised at $4 million. Each attempt has been met with intense opposition from nearby homeowners and conservancy groups determined to preserve the land and make it a park.

“We’re very excited about the possibility of the city taking charge and preserving this precious land,” said Joseph Edmiston, a vocal opponent of development and executive director of the Malibu-based Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, said last week when the council first announced its intentions.

Kenneth Kai Chang, the landowner, could not be reached for comment. Chang has said in the past that he would consider selling the land.

The other Valley projects approved by the council are:

* $300,000 to fund a senior citizen/youth center in North Hollywood. The project calls for the renovation of the old North Hollywood police station at 11480 Tiara St. into a center capable of housing arts and mentoring programs for seniors and youth.

In 1996, the Recreation and Parks Department traded a parcel at 11640 Burbank Blvd. to the Los Angeles Police Department in exchange for the old station.

Work was set to begin earlier this fiscal year, but the discovery of asbestos slowed the process.

“Our wheels have been turning a while,” said David Gonzalez of the parks department. “Hopefully we can get things started soon.”

The project was originally budgeted at almost $2 million. Under Proposition K guidelines, all the money allotted must be spent during the fiscal year. In this case, it was not possible to budget more, said Arline DeSanctis, chief field deputy for Councilman Joel Wachs.

* $235,000 to purchase a site for the Canoga Park Arts Center. The center will provide arts education and training in after-school programs for students. Currently, the city Cultural Affairs Department is researching the possibility of purchasing a site on Remmet Avenue.

* $30,000, reduced from $75,000, for work on the Studio City Recreation Center. The council decided to scale back work at the center after Feuer eliminated the plans to construct a roller-hockey rink there last year. The $30,000 will fund the repaving of an existing practice area at the center.

The $25 million in Proposition K funding supplements city spending on parks and recreation out of its regular budget.

Correspondent Sylvia Oliande contributed to this story.