Proposed LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK (Cornfield Site) Preliminary General Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report March 2005 Department Mission “To provide for the health, inspiration, and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.” The Mission sets the fundamental parameters within which the California Department of Parks and Recreation acquires, plans, and manages its more than 270 park units. For general information regarding this document, or to request additional copies, please contact: California State Parks Acquisition and Development Division P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 Copyright 2005 California State Parks This publication, including all of the text and photographs, is the intellectual property of California State Parks and is protected by copyright. Proposed LOS ANGELES STATE HISTORIC PARK (Cornfield Site) Preliminary General Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report State Clearinghouse #2003031096 March 2005 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER RUTH COLEMAN MIKE CHRISMAN Governor Director Secretary for Resources Department of Parks and Recreation P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 The Committee saw the Cornfield as a place to engage both nature and culture, to create a regional gathering space around the theme of a larger, more diverse L.A. history, which re-connected the city to the river. -- Cornfield State Park Advisory Committee Recommendations Report Sense of Place Who are Angelenos? What is Los Angeles? As noted historian Dr. Leonard Pitt stated, “No other available 32 acres holds as much opportunity to enlighten us about the history and culture of Los Angeles and this region…” The Park site and its surroundings have a sense of place rooted in a long history of settlement. There are opportunities for discovery and revelation based on the untold stories, some contained in the remnant material culture of the site. The tangible resources today appear to be few, but we can still hear the whispers of the past resonating in the voices of the present, proclaiming the future of the area. Looking more closely, or through different filters, other features can be seen or sensed, contributing to the uniqueness of the site. These features include the nearby rolling hills, the more distant mountains, and the relative proximity to the Los Angeles River; the industrial and commercial tradition of the site; nearby 19th Century architecture; and the surrounding cityscape. The success of the Park will be the physical manifestation of the site based on the memories and stories of the people and their cultural heritage, which will make the Park a vital component of the city, region, and state. The site has been the crossroads and hub for many peoples in the past and is still in a transportation corridor that is connected to the larger region by rail, the nearby river, and major thoroughfares. It has been the scene of discovery, adventure, and tragedy. Struggles and triumphs were part of the changing landscape of the people passing through, moving in, moving out, forced out, and returning. It is the core of a town that grew to a megalopolis with global influence that was, and still is, often veiled in myth and controversy. On the other hand, the Park is nestled into the heart of Los Angeles’ urban core surrounded by clusters or pockets of identifiable neighborhoods and communities that have long rooted connections to the history of the city. While intimately connected to the surrounding dense urban development, the open space of the 32 acres of this site will be able to provide escape from the structure and pace of urban life. The people and stories have changed over time. How the people lived on and used the land changed, but the stories remained - stories whispered, stories shouted, stories remembered, and stories forgotten. Now the stories will be shared and heard by many – the flow of history will continue. Southwest view of the Cornfield Site, bordered by North Broadway on the right and North Spring Street on the left, with the City of Los Angeles in the background. Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Site Overview 3 1.2 Park Acquisition 4 1.3 Community Involvement 6 1.4 Park Unit Classification 8 1.5 Park Name 9 1.6 General Plan Purpose 10 2. EXISTING CONDITIONS 13 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Cultural Resources 14 2.3 Recreation Resources 29 2.4 Natural Resources 33 2.5 Aesthetic Resources 38 2.6 Educational and Interpretive Resources 40 2.7 Existing Facilities 46 2.8 Planning and Environmental Influences 49 3. ISSUES AND ANALYSIS 55 3.1 Advisory Committee Recommendations Report 56 3.2 Cultural History and Historic Significance 57 3.3 Education and Interpretation 58 3.4 Visitor Needs 59 3.5 Connectivity 59 3.6 Recreation Activities and Open Space Protection 61 3.7 Transportation, Parking, and Accessibility 63 3.8 Operational Facilities and Public Safety 64 3.9 Multiple Plans, Studies, Expectations, and Perceptions 65 3.10 Fiscal Challenges 66 4. THE PLAN 67 4.1 Declaration of Purpose 68 4.2 Vision Statement 69 4.3 Park Principles 70 4.4 Preferred Park Concept 70 4.5 Goals and Guidelines 76 4.6 Managing Visitor Capacity 104 4.7 Future Studies 107 LOS ANGELES SHP i March 2005 Preliminary General Plan/Draft EIR Table of Contents 5. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS 109 5.1 Introduction 110 5.2 Summary 112 5.3 Project Description 117 5.4 Environmental Setting 118 5.5 Environmental Issues to be Resolved 118 5.6 Significant Environmental Effects and Mitigation 119 5.7 Unavoidable Significant Environmental Effects 167 5.8 Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes 167 5.9 Growth-Inducing Impacts 168 5.10 Alternatives to the Proposed Action 168 5.11 Cumulative Impacts 174 5.12 Effects Not Found to be Significant 175 6. REFERENCES 189 7. APPENDICES 205 Appendix A Acronyms and Abbreviations 206 Appendix B Glossary 208 Appendix C Listed Properties Within One Half Mile of the Park 216 Appendix D Species Observed and Expected to Occur on The Park Site 218 Appendix E Plant Community Descriptions 219 Appendix F Los Angeles River Beneficial Uses 221 Appendix G Participant Hours in All Programs Compared To Satisfaction with Opportunity 223 Appendix H California State Parks Angeles District, Five Year Summary of Attendance to Parks and to Programs 224 Appendix I Planning Influences 225 Appendix J Location of EIR Required Content 234 8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 235 9. REPORT CONTRIBUTORS 237 LOS ANGELES SHP ii March 2005 Preliminary General Plan/Draft EIR Table of Contents FIGURES and TABLES LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1 Base Map 2 Figure 1-2 Regional State Parks 5 Figure 2-1 Regional Map 32 Figure 2-2 Topographic Map 35 Figure 2-3 Watershed Map 36 Figure 4-1 Park Concept Plan 73 Figure 4-2 Regional Connectivity Map 74 Figure 5-1 Community Involvement – Park Concept A 171 (Minimum Build-out Alternative) Figure 5-2 Community Involvement – Park Concept C 173 (Maximum Build-out Alternative) LIST OF TABLES Table 5-1 Public Meetings 112 Table 5-2 California State and National Ambient Air Quality 125 Standards and Air Quality as Measured at SCAQMD’s Central L.A. Monitoring Station, 2002 Table 5-3 South Coast Air Basin Air Quality Designations 126 Table 5-4 SCAQMD Air Pollution Significance Criteria 128 Table 5-5 Active Area Faults 136 Table 5-6 Typical Commercial Construction Noise Levels 156 by Phase Table 5-7 Typical Commercial Construction Noise Levels 156 by Equipment Type Table 5-8 Bus Routes in the Vicinity of the Park 163 LOS ANGELES SHP iii March 2005 Preliminary General Plan/Draft EIR Table of Contents This page intentionally blank. LOS ANGELES SHP iv March 2005 Preliminary General Plan/Draft EIR Chapter 1. Introduction 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Site Overview 1.2 Park Acquisition 1.3 Community Involvement 1.4 Park Unit Classification 1.5 Park Name 1.6 General Plan Purpose LOS ANGELES SHP 1 March 2005 Preliminary General Plan/Draft EIR Chapter 1. Introduction This page intentionally blank for insertion of Figure 1-1, Base Map. LOS ANGELES SHP 2 March 2005 Preliminary General Plan/Draft EIR Chapter 1. Introduction 1. INTRODUCTION The proposed Los Angeles State Historic Park (Cornfield Site), most recently known as the Cornfield or Chinatown Yard property, is a 32-acre site linked to the long and varied history of the city and its diverse people. The site has historical significance and associations at many levels to the Los Angeles story, including its very existence as a State Park, due to the efforts of one of the most diverse coalitions of local citizens, activists, and environmental justice advocates ever assembled. The story of this community effort to protect the land from industrial development and save it as a public park reflects not only the statewide significance of the site, but its opportunity to become a venue for study, celebration, civic engagement, and recreation for the residents and guests of the City of Los Angeles. 1.1 Site Overview The Park is located within half a mile from El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, on what has been recorded as communal agricultural land during the pueblo’s early years. At its northern end, the site is about 150 feet from the Los Angeles River. Within one mile of this once fertile property is the last recorded location of Yang-na, one of the largest Tongva villages in the area. Surrounding the Park are the historic and ethnically diverse communities of Lincoln Heights, Elysian Park, Solano Canyon, Chinatown, Chavez Ravine, and William Mead Homes.