City of los angeles general plan

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION ELEMENT

Adopted September 2001

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establishment and retention of rural uses. For example, small parcels

of public land have been formally or informally opened for neighborhood

gardens tended by local residents; special overlay districts and equine

oriented parks and trails have been established to encourage equine

uses; and power system rights-of-way and other public lands have been

leased for nurseries.

Continuing issue: loss of the last remaining animal keeping, nursery

and crop gardening uses.

Animal keeping, nurseries, crop gardens objective, policy and program:

Objective: retain, to the extent feasible, the last remaining

agricultural features of the city as part of the city's heritage and

economy.

Policy: continue to encourage the retention of parcels in agricultural

and low density land use and zoning categories that will encourage

their retention in agricultural and related uses.

Program: community plan review and revision.

Responsibility: *Department of City Planning.

For related information see:

N

 Agricultural Lands Section and

N

 Equine Areas Section.

SECTION 3: ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL 

Archaeological. Pre-historic and historic archaeological sites exist

throughout the city. Hunter-gatherer Indians inhabited the Los Angeles

region long before Europeans arrived. Remnants of their various

cultures continue to be unearthed and documented. The oldest find is

the partial skeleton of La Brea Woman, among the oldest human bones

ever found in California. She is believed to have been buried

approximately 9,000 years ago. Her grave became engulfed in tar and was

discovered in 1914, during an excavation for tar ("brea") in what is

now called La Brea Tar Pits in the Wilshire community.

Site protection. Various federal, state and local regulations have been

promulgated to protect archaeological sites and resources. Although the

state general plan law calls for mapping of the sites, all mapping of

pre-historic sites is confidential, pursuant to California Government

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION ELEMENT

Adopted September 2001

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Code Section 6254.10. This is to protect sites from disturbance,

scavenging and vandalism. 

The federal Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (Public Law

96-95) protects archaeological resources and sites on federal and

Indian lands, including requirements for issuance of permits by federal

land managers to excavate or remove archaeological resources. The

Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (1990) and the Native

American Heritage Act (1984 and 1992) provide guidelines for protection

of Native American remains and artifacts.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) provides guidelines for

identification and protection of archaeological sites and artifacts as

a part of local development permit processing. CEQA guidelines define

an archaeological resource as "significant," i.e., to be protected if:

(1) it is associated with an event or person of recognized significance

to California or American history or of recognized scientific

importance in pre-history, including culturally significant Native

American sites; (2) it can provide information that is of demonstrable

public interest and is useful in addressing scientifically

consequential and reasonable archaeological research questions; (3) it

has a special or particular quality, such as the oldest, best, largest

or last surviving example of its kind; (4) it is at least one hundred

years old and possesses substantial stratigraphic integrity; or (5) it

involves important research questions that historical research has

shown can be answered only with archaeological methods. 

If it is determined that a development project may disrupt or damage

such a site, the project is required to provide mitigation measures to

protect the site or enable study and documentation of the site,

including funding of the study by the applicant. The city's

environmental guidelines require the applicant to secure services of a

bona fide archaeologist to monitor excavations or other subsurface

activities associated with a development project in which all or a

portion is deemed to be of archaeological significance. Discovery of

archaeological materials may temporarily halt the project until the

site has been assessed, potential impacts evaluated and, if deemed

appropriate, the resources protected, documented and/or removed.

Under CEQA, discovery of human remains requires evaluation by the

county coroner of the nature of the remains and cause of death. If the

remains are determined to be of Native American origin, the Native

American Heritage Commission is asked to determine the descendants who

are to be notified or, if unidentifiable, to establish procedures for

burial.

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION ELEMENT

Adopted September 2001

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The state-designated repository in the Los Angeles area for

archaeological data is the South Central Coastal Information Center.

Reports concerning archaeological investigations are to be filed with

the center. Other academic institutions, research facilities and

museums in the area also have archaeological resource information and

expertise.

Paleontological. Los Angeles is rich in paleontological sites. Fossils

have been found mostly in sedimentary rock that has been uplifted,

eroded or otherwise exposed. Most of the sites are in local mountains.

However, the best known and most abundant fossil resource are La Brea

Tar Pits, which are owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles.

They are within and surround the 23-acre Hancock Park, which includes

an art museum and the Page Museum (tar pit related displays and

activities). The tar pits have provided an abundance of animal and

plant fossils. Most are from the Pleistocene epoch (Ice Age) and date

as far back as 40,000 years. Finds include mammoths, saber-tooth cats,

insects and birds. 

Site protection. Pursuant to CEQA, if a land development project is

within a potentially significant paleontological area, the developer is

required to contact a bona fide paleontologist to arrange for

assessment of the potential impact and mitigation of potential

disruption of or damage to the site. If significant paleontological

resources are uncovered during project execution, authorities are to be

notified and the designated paleontologist may order excavations

stopped, within reasonable time limits, to enable assessment, removal

or protection of the resources. For Los Angeles city and county, the

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, including the George C.

Page Museum, provides advice concerning paleontological resources.

Conclusion. The city has a primary responsibility in protecting

significant archaeological and paleontological resources.

Continuing issues: loss of or damage to archaeological and

paleontological sites due to development, unauthorized removal and

vandalism.

Archaeological and paleontological objective, policy and program:

Objective: protect the city's archaeological and paleontological

resources for historical, cultural, research and/or educational

purposes.

Policy: continue to identify and protect significant archaeological and

paleontological sites and/or resources known to exist or that are

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