Natural Habitat Sacrificed for Bar

* Your Aug. 22 piece on Cook’s Corner bar, “It Meets Canyon Code,” is wrongly headlined, light on facts and riddled with omission.

When Frank de Luna took over the bar in the late ‘80s, one of his first actions was to take a bulldozer down the creek, referred to as a “drainage ditch,” which is the result of his bulldozer forays.

He removed decades-old native riparian habitat including huge sycamore trees, now plowed under and replaced by dying palm trees, mule fat and some willow. I have dated slides of damage.

Over the last 11 years, parking areas were created without permits and were repeatedly expanded, again removing native habitat.

Some were paved and the hills to the rear and side of the building were graded in violation of a host of codes which require environmental review under the Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan.

De Luna contends he moved the creek due to drainage problems. Interestingly, it is now smaller and less straight, making it less capable of speeding water by. With native vegetation removed, the creek sides are more unstable and more susceptible to erosion. Furthermore, and importantly, these alterations allowed for more parking. Hardly coincidental.

De Luna’s grading is best described as draconian. The unnecessary slaughter of native riparian habitat--a habitat of serious concern--was deliberate and shameful.

De Luna attended many of the Planning Commission hearings on the Foothill Trabuco Specific Plan during its formation. Reasonably, he should have been clearly aware of grading standards.

SHERRY LEE MEDDICK

Silverado