Our View: Many interests complicate Hahamongna Park plans

This is all so true. I would just add, however, that the complications are increased in the instances where the Master Plan is not being implemented as adopted by the City Council. The most obvious example is the Sunset Overlook Project - under the adopted Plan all the parking was to have been eliminated to be replaced by the quarter of the JPL east lot that was to remain. This would have given the neighborhood a break from the many cars that overrun it each weekend. In the new plan, not only is the existing parking to remain but an additional 10 -15 parking spaces are proposed!
Another change which may seem minor (unless you really despise asphalt) the perimeter trail was supposed to have been made of "all weather, permeable surface" material. Now the approaches to the handsome new Flint Wash Bridge are covered with asphalt. During the master planning process, one of the goals was said to be to remove as much asphalt as possible from the basin. So sad to see new asphalt being laid down instead ....
There apparently will be changes made to the location of the frisbee golf course so that it will be different from what was agreed upon in the Master Plan although this has not come before the Hahamongna Advisory Committee.
All of which, and more which is not so clear yet, make it very difficult for the public, even the public paying close attention, to follow the process and understand what is going on in Hahamongna.
If in the future the Hahamongna Master Plan is implemented as adopted by the City Council, this will go a long way to lessening the complications and the controversies!

I manage large water dropping helicopters for the U.S. government and there are very few places to operate 10 or more large fire fighting helicopter during wild land fires.
One must always plan for the future and should think of an area large enough to land large several Large Fire Fighting Helicopters! It should be an area clear of power lines, trees and other aerial hazards. there should be an area where the large helicopters can get water, from a lake or a place where a portable water tank can be placed.
Think of the Station fire that burned 160 acres and took the lives of two fire fighters, it started 2 air miles from Hahamongna Park. It would have been nice to have set up a Helibase for the helicopter operations there.
there will be wild fires here in southern cal and we just need to plan for the f

Hernan,
There is an existing Los Angeles County Fire Camp in Hahamongna - how that was involved in fighting the Station Fire I don't know. It isn't big enough for 10 helicopters I wouldn't think but I've seen several there at one time in the past. There is also a large parking lot not too far away at La Canada High School. The city of Pasadena plans to expand the parking lot at the sports fields on the west side of Hahamongna and 200 or so spaces are to be retained on the east side of the park so there is a fair amount of flat open space in the vicinity.

Plus, according to the HWP Master Plan, there will be water storage behind the dam.

All in all, it seems like Hahamongna could play a role in fighting wildland fires as well as its many other roles!

More nonense supporting the special interests who want no change in their private equestrian reserve on City owned park land? Does this editorial really oppose or support a responsible planned effort to restore the native vegetation over a five to ten year period at the Arroyo Annex? I can't really tell, with this ridiculous mugwump rhetoric, where you actually stand? What editorial twaddle and gutlessness!

A small elitist group is vehemently opposed to the removal of any of the non native trees, and are effectively opposed to any changes at the Annex. This clique has come up with ludicrous arguments to support their intransigence. What would really make them happy, is the City just deeded the land to them, and went away.

I have a certain hope that this winter we may expect to see the elimination of some of the JPL parking isse and the elimination of some significant non native vegetation, through an act of nature, when the rains come.

JPLers should park on Lincoln Blvd & Woodbury ... a parking structure should be built there, and shuttle buses can drive them in ...

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Geff P wrote:

JPLers should park on Lincoln Blvd & Woodbury ... a parking structure should be built there, and shuttle buses can drive them in ...
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Geff,
there may be locations even closer. There has to be a way to meet JPL's needs and still protect the park.

Protect the park? Give all of us a break? Don't you mean to protect the spoiled little special interest group that you represent?

And I have a pretty good idea which special interest that you represent, WOW!