By Jason KUROSU

In 2004, the bond measure known as Proposition O was resoundingly voted in by residents of the city of Los Angeles. Its purpose is to allow L.A. to issue general obligation bonds for projects to clean up pollution in the city’s watercourses, beaches and the ocean. Some projects include the restoration of Echo Park Lake’s water quality and the utilization of the lake as a flood control basin, the improvements made to the L.A. Zoo parking lot to reduce stormwater runoff and trash flowing into the L.A. River and an ongoing Temescal Canyon Project intended to remove bacteria and other pollutants from reaching coastal waters.

Two new projects have recently been proposed by Councilmember Paul Krekorian involving the Verdugo Hills Golf Course and the Studio City Golf and Tennis Center. Both sites are in danger of development – the Studio City Golf Course by a plan to build around 200 four-story condominiums for senior citizens and the Verdugo Hills course by a 2004 plan to replace the course with 229 homes. Krekorian’s plan is to preserve these two sites with Proposition O bond money, along with enhancing the courses with catch basins for storm water retention and groundwater recharge.

Krekorian proposed these projects at a recent meeting of the Proposition O Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee, saying “These projects have a lot in common. Both involve beautiful open space properties that have been treasured for decades in our communities; both are threatened with development projects that would forever change their natural character, destroy the open space and negatively impact the waterways on which they lie.

“Most importantly, both have the potential to capture and clean runoff from hundreds of acres of land – runoff that flows directly into the Verdugo Wash, the L.A. River and out to the sea.”

The Oversight Advisory Committee will hold another meeting to discuss technical issues and the overall feasibility of the project. Once a report by the committee is completed, the city council will look into and vote on the proposed projects.

For more information on Proposition O and any past, current and future projects, visit http://www.lapropo.org/

  Jason Kurosu, JUNE 02, News, PROP O