One Santa Clarita City Council member may soon join the San Gabriel Mountains Collaborative to contribute to efforts to improve open space and recreational opportunities in the area.
The City Council on Tuesday evening is scheduled to consider designating one of their own to be the delegate for the collaborative, as well as Masis Hagobian, a city administrative analyst, as the alternate delegate.
By becoming a part of the collaborative, the city hopes to “expand the city’s efforts to enhance open space and recreational opportunities in the Upper Santa Clara River area,” according to a city staff report.
The collaborative, which was established in 2015, is a nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service that aims to promote the health and enjoyment of the new monument after the San Gabriel Mountains, which stretch from Santa Clarita to San Bernardino County, were declared a national monument on Oct. 14, 2014, by former President Barack Obama.
Goals the group strives to achieve include maintaining an open line of communication with the Forest Service, engaging the broader community, providing a forum for diverse communities to express their views and identify and prioritize sustainable opportunities such as public safety, watershed, recreation and visitor services.
The Angeles National Forest, part of the San Gabriel Mountains, attracts more than 3.5 million visitors annually alone.
Prior to the monument’s designation, the city has been interacting with the National Park Service, Forest Service and members of Congress regarding issues such as the San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Resource Study. This study “complemented a number of other federal studies and recognitions of important resources within the watershed, as well as long-standing efforts by the city to preserve and enhance open space and facilitate recreational opportunities in the area,” according to the city staff report.
Current collaborative membership includes representatives from the First and Fifth Los Angeles County Supervisorial Districts, conservation groups and various cities that are near the Angeles National Forest or the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, the report reads.
