City of los angeles general plan

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION ELEMENT

Adopted September 2001

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responsible for management of tanker spills, other spills and ocean

vessel discharge incidents within the harbors.

Conclusion. Although the city does not have primary authority over

ocean waters, it has a major responsibility in protecting the ocean

from water borne contamination from land-based sources.

Continuing issues:

N

 Contamination of the Santa Monica and San Pedro bays.

N

 Restoration of the bays.

Ocean objective, policies and programs.

Objective: protect and enhance the diversity and sustainability of the

natural ecologies of the Santa Monica and San Pedro bays, including the

bay fishery populations.

Policy 1: continue to reduce pollutant discharge into the bays from

both natural and human sources.

Program 1: National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

permit implementation.

Coordinating agency: *Bureau of Sanitation, with the

assistance of all other city agencies.

Program 2: compliance with laws prohibiting discharge of

contaminants into the bays and their tributaries. 

Responsibility: *Bureau of Sanitation.

Program 3: research and experimentation with methods to upgrade

and improve the efficiency of wastewater processing facilities in

maintaining high water quality standards.

Responsibility: *Bureau of Sanitation.

Program 4: management of the Los Angeles Harbor in an ecologically

sensitive manner.

Responsibility: *Harbor Department.

Policy 2: continue to support legislation and to seek funding and

legislation intended for bay and coastal protection, enhancement and

habitat restoration.

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION ELEMENT

Adopted September 2001

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Program: City legislative program.

Responsibility: *Mayor and *City Council (and City

Legislative Analyst).

Policy 3: continue to support and/or participate in programs to clean

bay sediments and/or mitigate potentially harmful effects of

contaminants in the sediments and waters of the bays.

Program: Palos Verdes shelf cleanup and other programs.

Responsibility: *As appropriate to or designated by the

program.

For related information see:

N

 Erosion Section (beaches);

N

 Fisheries Section;

N

 Habitats Section (wetlands);

N

 "Infrastructure Systems Element" (wastewater discharge into the

ocean), Los Angeles City General Plan (under preparation);

N

 "Port of Los Angeles Plan, an Element of the Los Angeles City General

Plan," Los Angeles Department of City Planning, 1982;

N

 Resource Management Section: Oil; and

 

N

 Safety Element (harbor spillage management, hazardous materials,

flooding, drainage) of the General Plan, Los Angeles Department of City

Planning, 1996.

SECTION 17: OPEN SPACE/PARKS 

It is important to conserve natural open space lands and enhance urban

open spaces. "Open space" is a broad term that can include virtually

anything from a sidewalk or lawn to the mountains and ocean. It is

defined by the California general plan law (Government Code Section

65560) as "any parcel or area of land or water that essentially is

unimproved and devoted to an open-space use," whether for preservation

and protection of natural resources or for human activity. Virtually

every section of this element includes some aspect of open space

protection, conservation or enhancement. The general plan Open Space

Element will discuss the open space aspects of the city, including park

sites and urbanized spaces, e.g., streets. The Public Facilities

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CITY OF LOS ANGELES CONSERVATION ELEMENT

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Element will address the human use aspects of city park sites. The

Conservation Element primarily addresses conservation aspects of the

natural open spaces that are addressed by the various subjects

contained in this element.

SECTION 18: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: MINERAL RESOURCES (SAND AND GRAVEL)

Natural mineral deposits are nonrenewable resources that cannot be

replaced once they are depleted. The primary mineral resources within

the city are rock, gravel and sand deposits. Sand and gravel deposits

follow the Los Angeles River flood plain, coastal plain and other water

bodies and courses. Significant potential deposit sites have been

identified by the state geologist. They lie along the flood plain from

the San Fernando Valley through the downtown (Exhibit A). Much of the

area identified has been developed with structures and is inaccessible

for mining extraction.

Mining of sand and gravel began in Los Angeles around 1900 when

concrete became popular as a building material. Extraction began in the

Arroyo Seco and the Big Tujunga Wash. From 1920 to the present, the

demand for sand and gravel has been spurred by construction associated

with growth in California and the southwestern United States. The only

currently available deposit site in the city is the Tujunga alluvial

fan, which is rich in accumulations of high quality sand and gravel

washed from the adjacent mountains.

No on- or off-shore mining of beach or ocean sand is permitted by the

State of California within the coastal zone or adjoining ocean of the

southern California area. This is to protect the beaches and coastline

within the region.

Resource protection/extraction regulation. Authority over mining is

divided between state and local jurisdictions. The California Lands

Commission has permitting authority over mining relative to off-shore

lands and inland lands associated with navigable bodies of water. The

California Coastal Commission has permitting authority relative to on-

and off-shore lands within the coastal zone (extending inland 1,000

yards from the mean high tide line of the Pacific Ocean). The federal

Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 is less

comprehensive and less restrictive than the state act. Therefore, the

California act is the primary regulator of surface mining within the

state. However, mine operators must comply with federal, state and

local regulations. 

California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA). SMARA

(Public Resources Code Section 2710 et seq.; subsequently amended) is

the primary regulator of on-shore surface mining in the state. It

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