The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Public Works Plan for Escondido Canyon, which has received minimal public attention, is the opposite of conservancy. They propose a 15,000-foot parking lot and toilets in the meadow at the entry to Escondido Canyon, with six canyon campsites. They call Malibu elitists opposed to public access. Name-calling distracts from facts. A public pedestrian/equestrian trail to Escondido Canyon was established in 1998 with parking on Winding Way. Another 15,000 feet for parking replaces habitat with noise, light, and litter, which negatively impacts wildlife.
Escondido Creek outlet recently had the worst water quality along the California coastline. Campers will not walk from canyon campsites to use the toilets, and will add litter, water contamination, and noise pollution. It is appalling that the SMMC refused an Environmental Impact Report, especially since Prop 50 funds (a clean water initiative) support this project.
Escondido Canyon would require paving to make its creeks and terrain handicapped accessible. The existing trail along Winding Way could be accessible but is not maintained, as agreed in the easement grant. The SMMC does not pay for road upkeep, or assume liability for hikers on Winding Way. Local homeowners fund trail signage and garbage pick-up. SMMC promises to manage additional development lack credibility.
Fire danger from camping in this narrow box canyon is considerable without on-site rangers. A 1998 letter from the SMMC’s director, Mr. Edmiston, to Winding Way homeowners, promised no overnight use of Escondido Canyon. It appears “promise” is another word to look up.
Only one public meeting was held within Malibu regarding this plan, with a newspaper notice listing only the date, without time or place. The SMMC operates without oversight from state agencies. Their avoidance of compliance with Malibu’s Local Coastal Plan imposes their tunnel vision without public input. Is this public access?
SMMC funds should be spent on an environmental impact report and cleaning up the Escondido watershed, and not in courtrooms. Native wildlife deserves a clean and protected ecosystem. Let’s leave name calling aside and work together to preserve our natural areas.
Judy Villablanca