Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Where are the Significant Ecological Areas of the Antelope Valley in Los Angeles County, Ca?

We get a number of inquiries regarding the location of these plant and animal wild life areas. We have looked at specific areas of the Antelope Valley which harbor most of the Significant Ecological Areas (SEA) that encompasses stricter land uses. These areas are essentially protected natural locations and by definition a protected area would be a “clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means to achieve long-term conservation of nature, the ecosystem, and cultural values”.
The stricter land use primarily means less development would be allowed, but development is not prohibited. For example a small portion of AVSolarRanchOne’s property is within a SEA Zone.
There is a map supplied by the Los Angeles County Regional Planning department, but as far as we can tell a detailed version is not online, but you can purchase one from the Planning Department. The SEA zone areas that involve the Antelope Valley are mostly on the far west side. Most of these but not all of theses area involve the Joshua Tree Woodlands. Approximately (2) 640 acres parcel areas between 180th West to 190th West Ave C-8 to Ave E-8, Also a large 640 acre Park at 200th West to 210th at Ave E to Ave F, Most of Fairmount Butte south of Ave D (Hwy 138) through the Butte mountains to the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It also encompasses most of the area from 200th to 210th West from Ave. C-8 to Ave F which includes the Park. Another area is a backward L shaped area from 190th West to 200th West Ave B-8 to Ave D. In addition, there are two large areas which are irregularly shaped from Ave A to A-12 200th West to 220th West. This particular area was owned by Red Dawn SunTower LLC (E-Solar) which they now appear to be selling. It may be because they ran across environmental issues with the Joshua Tree Woodlands. There is another large area which spans the breadth and width of AV SolarRanchOne now owned by First Solar Inc.
This SEA Zone area is generally north of the developing Solar Ranch running 140th West to 180th West from Ave B to Ave D. The SEA zone doesn’t cover all of this area but most of it.
On Antelope Valley’s East Side there are three main Significant Ecological Areas one is the Llano wash where the SEA zone runs the length and width of this along a narrow stream corridor from Ave Z north to Ave M 110th East to 150th East at its widest span. The second area surrounds and encompasses Saddle Butte Park which is 160th East to 200th East Ave J to Ave M. This SEA zone is almost a circle around the Park. The third area is 230th Street East to 260th Street East (San Bernardino County line) from Ave R south to the mountains. Theses three East side areas involve water areas and washes which provide nutrients and protection to small plants and animal life.
There is sparse development in these SEA zones, but large development would most likely be prohibited. Two cases in point are the Fairmount Butte Motor Sports park was within a SEA zone and that project is now cancelled, and also E-Solar is selling most of the land it recently acquired we think primarily because of the Joshua Tree Woodlands. But custom homes have been built and continually are built in these areas, and as we mention part of AV Solar Ranch One’s property is within a SEA Zone.

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