Bernson Calls Reservoir Plan a Good 1st Step

The long face-off between Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson and DWP board chairman Rick Caruso over the future of the Chatsworth Reservoir is officially over.

Caruso submitted to the Board of Water and Power Commissioners on Tuesday a proposal to preserve the area as open space.

Bernson called the draft plan for the future of the 1,300-acre site a good first step.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” he said. “I’m glad the commission has seen fit to listen to the request of the City Council.”

Caruso was not available for comment Tuesday. Bernson has lobbied for two decades to preserve the DWP-owned tract he says should stand as a legacy of the San Fernando Valley’s past for future generations.

The DWP has estimated the land’s value at as much as $50 million. Caruso had previously advocated some form of property development.

The two-page plan stated the DWP “has not and is not now considering any development plans for the Chatsworth Reservoir site. No areas are slated for sale or any change in current usage.”

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“What still needs to be addressed is the long-term future of the nature preserve,” Bernson said.

The department currently spends $250,000 per year for maintenance, and, according to the plan, will seek to offset that amount with state and federal funds from sources the plan doesn’t specify.

The plan pledges to seek a management partner such as the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or Los Angeles Zoo to help improve community access and increase the number of children visiting the site.

The department proposes to form an advisory committee, including representatives from the fields of education, environment, historical societies and the 12th City Council District to oversee the department’s management.