Clinton Proposes $5 Million for Land Preservation

In a reflection of his recently announced commitment to preserving open space, President Clinton’s proposed budget contains $5 million to buy land in the Santa Monica Mountains, it was announced Friday.

The amount is the highest Clinton has ever proposed for preserving land in the Santa Monicas, according to Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), whose office has repeatedly pushed for more funding for the beleaguered area.

The administration “is very well aware of how important this is to the entire community,” Sherman said. “We want to buy the property before it’s developed.”

The new proposal comes after The Times found that nearly 40% of subdivisions built in the western Santa Monica mountains during the past 20 years exceeded growth limits.

Despite criticism from state and federal authorities seeking to buy up mountain land, county supervisors, in particular Mike Antonovich, repeatedly approved density increases in the mountains for developers who had contributed to his campaigns.

Clinton’s proposal, to be formally announced Monday, represents only the start of a long process, one that has frequently failed to deliver the full amount of money requested. For instance, Sherman announced the acquisition of $5.5 million early last year to buy land to finish the long-incomplete Backbone Trail, which would traverse the region. Instead, only $1 million has been appropriated.

Still, those who have long fought to preserve the area said the new proposal is the best sign in years.

Joseph T. Edmiston, head of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the state agency charged with buying land for preservation, said the federal budget surplus forecast for this year may result in full funding of the president’s request, which must be approved by Congress.

“We may have a better shot this year than previous years,” Edmiston said.

If approved, Sherman said the money could be used to target high-priority land purchases in Upper Ramirez Canyon and along Piuma Road.

He said the mountains money ranked fifth on the list of preservation efforts nationwide, coming after such well-known projects as the effort to restore the Florida Everglades and the bid to save old-growth redwoods in the Headwaters Forest in Northern California.