BALDWIN HILLS PARK MASTER PLAN MAY 2002 STATE OF CALIFORNIA The Resources Agency Department of Parks and Recreation Baldwin Hills Conservancy BALDWIN HILLS PARK Master Plan May 2 0 0 2 Prepared by Community Conservancy International For California Department of Parks and Recreation RUTH COLEMAN Acting Director and Baldwin Hills Conservancy DAVID McNEILL Director GRAY DAVIS MARY D NICHOLS Governor Secretary for Resources Landscape Architecture by Mia Lehrer + Associates and Hood Design ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES, MAPS AND GRAPHICS .....................................................................................................VI LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................ VII DEFINITIONS OF KEY TERMS........................................................................................................................VIII INTRODUCTION TO THE BALDWIN HILLS..................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE BALDWIN HILLS..................................................................................................... 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................................................. 2 Purpose of the Baldwin Hills Park Master Plan .................................................................................................. 2 Location............................................................................................................................................................... 3 Community and the Planning Process ................................................................................................................. 4 Partnerships ......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Sense of Place...................................................................................................................................................... 5 History of the Baldwin Hills Park Master Plan ................................................................................................... 8 BALDWIN HILLS PARK SITE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................. 11 Existing Land Uses............................................................................................................................................ 11 Passive Recreation...........................................................................................................................................................11 Active Recreation............................................................................................................................................................11 Adjacent Land Uses.........................................................................................................................................................12 Significant Resource Values.............................................................................................................................. 12 Physical Resources ..........................................................................................................................................................13 Topography ................................................................................................................................................................13 Meteorology...............................................................................................................................................................13 Hydrology ..................................................................................................................................................................13 Geology......................................................................................................................................................................14 Oil and Gas ................................................................................................................................................................14 Seismicity...................................................................................................................................................................15 Erosion and Soils .......................................................................................................................................................15 Natural Resources............................................................................................................................................................15 Overview....................................................................................................................................................................15 Need for Connecting Habitat Areas ...........................................................................................................................21 Vegetation Types .......................................................................................................................................................21 Coastal Scrub........................................................................................................................................................21 Grasslands.............................................................................................................................................................22 Riparian Woodlands .............................................................................................................................................22 Sensitive and Special Interest Plant Populations...................................................................................................22 Exotic Flora and Potential for Restoration of Native Species ...............................................................................22 Animal Life................................................................................................................................................................25 Arthropods of the Baldwin Hills...........................................................................................................................25 Exotic Species .................................................................................................................................................25 Reptiles and Amphibians of the Baldwin Hills.....................................................................................................26 Species of Concern ..........................................................................................................................................26 Exotic Species and Potential for Restoration of Native Species ......................................................................26 Bird Species of the Baldwin Hills.........................................................................................................................26 Species of Special Interest ....................................................................................................................................27 Exotic Species and Potential for Restoration of Native Species ...........................................................................27 Mammal Species of the Baldwin Hills..................................................................................................................27 Species of Concern ..........................................................................................................................................28 Exotic Species and Potential for Restoration of Native Species ......................................................................28 Restoring Natural Habitat and Establishing Habitat Corridors (see figure 10) ...................................................28 Paleontology ..............................................................................................................................................................29 Cultural Resources and History (see Appendix E) ..........................................................................................................29 EXISTING COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE .............................................................................................................. 32 iii OPEN SPACE DEFICIT AND EXISTING PARK AND RECREATION RESOURCES ............................................................ 32 Open Space Deficit............................................................................................................................................ 32 Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area................................................................................................................ 33 Ballona Creek Trail & Bikeway ........................................................................................................................ 34 AESTHETIC VALUES OF THE BALDWIN HILLS PLANNING AREA.............................................................................. 34 Viewsheds ......................................................................................................................................................... 34 Natural Habitat .................................................................................................................................................