Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1994 1102 CC REG ITEM 08NA G E N D A R E P O R T C I T Y O F M O O R P A TO: The Honorable City Council i,1,100(6 ITEM W. R K [;ON: FROM: Jaime Aguilera, Director of Community Development Deborah S. Traffenstedt, Senior Planner DATE: October 24, 1994 (CC Meeting of 11 -2 -94) SUBJECT: CONSIDER PRELIMINARY PLANS FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES ECOLOGICAL PARR PROPOSED TO BE LOCATED WITHIN OAK PARK IN THE CITIES OF MOORPARK AND SIMI VALLEY BACKGROUND The Endangered Species Zoological Society has been negotiating with the Ventura County General Services Agency (GSA) to obtain a lease option for Oak Park to allow them to proceed with the planning of an Endangered Species Ecological Park. Although Oak Park is a County owned and maintained park, it is located within both the Cities of Moorpark and Simi Valley. If a lease option is approved by the County Board of Supervisors, the Endangered Species Zoological Society would then need to apply for a County conditional use permit. The County would make its determination regarding the appropriate environmental clearance document after receipt of a complete project application for the conditional use permit. Staff met with representatives from the Endangered Species Zoological Society on October 17, 1994, and following is a discussion of the available project information. DISCUSSION Oak Park is approximately 115 acres in size, and the proposed Endangered Species Ecological Park would initially occupy approximately 40 acres at the eastern end of the park (in Simi Valley) with later expansion into the western end of the park (in Moorpark). A conceptual master plan and summary project description information are attached. To summarize, the park is intended to include four major ecological zones: forest, grassland, desert, and aquatic, in which compatible habitat and wildlife would be located. Each of those zones would have a conservation action center building, to enable park visitors to participate in an interactive learning process. In other words, environmental education would be provided in a wildlife preserve setting. The conservation goal of the Ecological Park is to breed critically endangered species and to reintroduce those animals into protected areas in the wild. dst- 10- 18- 941 9z07emC :\WP5I\STPRPT\CC11- 10R.PRR The Honorable City Council October 24, 1994 Page 2 Staff's initial concerns regarding the proposed Ecological Park include those related to potential traffic, noise, and police service impacts as well as concerns related to whether or not any sales tax or lease revenues would be shared. The County GSA has drafted a five -year lease option agreement, and the County Parks and Harbors Commission is tentatively scheduled to consider the lease option at its November 16, 1994, meeting. If that Commission recommends approval of the lease option, a hearing before the Board of Supervisors would then be scheduled (possibly in December) for consideration of the lease option. A representative from the Endangered Species Zoological Society has informed staff that after fulfillment of the lease option obligations, they would seek a 50 -year lease. Staff will continue to keep the Council informed regarding the status of the proposed Ecological Park. Staff has requested that a representative from the Endangered Species Zoological Society attend the Council's November 2 meeting, and make a short presentation. RECOMMENDATION Direct staff to report back to the Council concerning any proposed action by the County Board of Supervisors to approve a lease option with the Endangered Species Zoological Society for use of Oak Park, as well as any land use entitlement or environmental review action. Attachments: 1. Draft Master Plan 2. Summary Project Description Information dst- 10- 18- 941 9: 07&mC:\WPSI\STPRPT\CCI1- 20X.PRR 00149 O O CTi C l- I'.rrAinq I al I1. I od'arA " F uu.ulrr • %dndniarr :lli.m • Ih�Arl Il�.,d 11 •Lill ab,g1 • Hr.I...m,o. I aA, I ih al.lhuu \nivad \Llu :,�rmrni \Ir.l ' lelrrural, Il�,.l.il.�l • ( �illll 111...,1', I {Illldln� • \%mule..:lhrr Farilil, r• Hunnia_ af....uu II 1.nnq. ,uul hub,idu:,l l'uLln I'r, nh 1rra. I a., 1111 \ LLr l'ulill I IIIAuIC Il.ul h. H,Irum�n I',md I. F nra•al l lrnwn alion \cliNm l•enler \I. IAUmniral harden \. Ha•almm I :unl Sculpture l:anla•n fl. fram:uuI l'rdcafri: %rccaa P, lgaafir l mnaa•n alien %, limn I7•nlrr 1), 6rn1'arA Fail H. Iram Storuy;r and Maimem mrr \na 1 1:...�rrrd St.•,i— Ihdanical -I rail I . 1'nlemial I .wre I),-, elmpmcul 11111111111,(•x(•1!(1 �+ 1,luulldl (naul.l n, nl armed 11'aln (Irl'111 :,I1U11 ����� Pedoalri•1❑ (ircul.11i�nl - -- - Itmmdara I iur ••• •. I rail \rafrrn i rh,, Ivalurr, .till%' lliltlt.lta itllla )"Ind ♦10• %rr:C 11' lcma irS \ali+rlLdrilat l'n.or, afi�m \r(• :I: 57 . \Crca 1'flf(YI 1(1.11 /1111 l' °• �.�r© �/ �llllalll' ('.l'llLllll l' ,. Prelimif :ll.%'Sift. �n.11 %si.s Endangered Species Ecological Park m . •• �'cnlura (uunl%. l alil�lrnia IvAd PHASE 1 \. I nln H•r,al br I .,�I'.IrA .uIJ I'r• eel, \�,.� ' II. Lalci.n li br��l'.uA.. l . 1'arAinl; I .n II. I nri'arA rilr.il.r • \rllllllll.l l'.III��II • Ii. {.x116 r.nh •l. dl �hnp • Hr.Inuiu. I �A. I i0 �Lnl.0 I In r r.d \IanaL. norll \n.l • r\ rn -I nan Ilu.pil.rl • 1 mnwi.•:Ir, thlildinl; • 1la.uanfill, L:u'ilih • \I.linlree.lnr..I:n ills. I. Hunmul; ,br.uu II LunycaulI I., nlu.d l'ubllr I'luw l'olnl I Ihkmg hail A R,1, nnr 1'�aul 1 urr.I l uu.r 1:r1iuu \clime ( rnlrr 11w I \. Hr�l:lnr:lnl and ,rnlpinrr /.nrdrll II. I. .nu and l'rd. -.I ri:m \r cr.. I'. \gllalh (- uMrl'. alien \rliurl l -rulrr 1). Fr��l'.rrA I -ail H. I ram �lur.lar arul \hriuiruanrr \rra �. I nd:wprrd,l-ir. IBrl.mind Irail I. \laiww:nlrr S-4, Hr,:ul I IN l rrr I. lH•.c•rl l bnvr%ulinu %cllun l'rlllrr \ , I rum 5lilum aid \ kilir \mcnilir. \1. \ngrhilhralrr I el —,paee \ . 1'rrinu•Irr %\ all .. it li IManl ing ,crrrn /. ii—f"l \ninul.. \I; a4rnu•nl \rra \ \. 11- i-land l'un.r —slum \ctpm (Tnlcr ti\ nthlll I c�cnd M OMMM \ chil ular l ircula Gnn ..awft= N-Ilt-mri:ul l in'ulaliui --• Itiundan I feet. .. Trail Sl.lcnl •P he\ Pcalirc Site Dimensions lilal,ilc \rca: 112 \crc. ia. �ali�c Ila bilal I'rc�cn.11ini \rra::7 ® Forest I•:cntunc © aquatic 1•.CII /fmc L I)cscrl F:cutonc 0 O CA f Prelimillal silt.. \11;11.% %is Endan Fred Species Ecological Park PHASE 2 = ' ENDANGERED SPECIES ZOOLOGICAL. SOCIETY 1546 South Bedford Street Suite #6 Los Angeles, CA 90035 (310) 27 +}1}J �►��j�►• /)[� J. 1�� y94 Endangered Species EcoParks" Project Executive Summary Today's public is increasingly aware of the need to redefine the role of zoological parks. The Endangered Species Zoological Society was formed in 1991 to build a premier wildlife preserve in Southern California in a manner that is fundamentally different from traditional zoos. Unlike traditional zoos where animals live in cages, the animals at the EcoParks" will roam freely in spacious habitats that simulate entire ecosystems. "These ecosystems or "Ekozones "'" will provide a thorough exploration of four types of habitat: Forest, Grassland, Desert and Aquatic. By exhibiting compatible species with their native vegetation, the EcoParks" will do more than just display animals — it will give visitors a rare glimpse of life in the wild. The EcoPark"' will take a totally new approach to visitor education in a wildlife preserve setting. Traditional zoos offer visitors an opportunity to see animals and raise awareness and concern for the environment, but they do little to provide visitors with opportunities to act on their concerns. The EcoParks" will transform the typically passive zoo experience into a dynamic and innovative call to action through the development of four Conservation Action Centers. At one Action Center trained volunteers will teach visitors about current environmental issues and legislation. Computer technology and interactive programming will enable visitors to create customized letters to send to their local and national representatives directly from the Action Center. Another Action ('enter will give visitors an opportunity to experience the adventure of wildlife from the aninnal's perspective. Virtual Reality technology will send visitors into a computer- generated, three - dimensional world where the limitations are only defined by their imagination. Here they will be able to soar like a California condor, hop like a kangaroo or run 70 miles per hour as a cheetah across the 3 -1) African plains. The Ecol'ark"" will take a leading role in the international zoo community to protect and breed critically endangered species, devoting its resources to wildlife with the Greatest need for conservation. The F,col ark's"„ ultimate conservation goal is to coordinate efforts worldwide to preserve crucial ecosystems and their Iloru and fauna. By preserving both species and habitat, the Fcol' ark'" \\ ill ensure the successful reintroduction of animals into the wild. The Zoological Society has already teamed up with the Sierra ('luh, national .:\Liduhon Society and the World Wildlife Fund as part of the 1 ndangcred Species Coalition in an effort to preserve endangered species for future generations. 00152 -��:A .1L��:I • � ��li�l'I�.III� III • � -� �C.U� �I • � \���'IlClll��ll • �1Cllull IC�'���r ;�'•( J'N���7