Hahamongna

A local wildlife refuge and natural wilderness area is once again threatened with development and the destruction of habitat. This has caused a great hue and cry by a community that values its parks and wilderness, and now everyone also knows how to spell Hahamongna, even if the City map does not. Every remnant of natural terrain seems to be under threat of development, it's a fight over and over and over again, spanning years. It's time for people to push back before we lose it all.

Previous posts have covered the issues of the entire natural system that drains water through the arroyo as a watershed to the Los Angeles River. I've talked about the proposed roads and development before, as they were presented in public hearing, which I participated in.These hearings ultimately took those issues off the table. Now it's proposed soccer fields and high auto traffic usage in an area that's relatively remote and currently inundated with periodic water flows and is used as as a spreading basin for aquifer replenishment. It's becoming very curious that constant encroachment and development is proposed again and again by City staff for no apparent reason, in the face of public outrage over this. These issues come up repeatedly even as the Recreation and Parks Commission recommendations are against further development. Good subject for investigation, start with the City Manager and the Head of Public Works, which seems bent on wasting time and public money on these repeated attempts at development.

Having worked on the original Hahamongna Master Plan with Adolfo Miralles for Bob Takata, I did extensive photo surveys and studies of the necessary improvements to existing recreation facilities. We found that further development was not workable due to the natural conditions on the site. Public comment at that time was also overwhelmingly against further development in this area, and it has only intensified at this point. It's gotten so intense that the Friends of Hahamongna was awarded the Thorny Rose at this years' Doo-Dah Parade!

Essentially, it makes no sense to destroy what little natural habitat remains in our area. In fact, I would UNpave a lot more of it. More folks chime in; a report from the Altadena Headlines Examiner, the Arroyo Seco Foundation, the SFV Audubon Society, and finally, Save Hahamongna!