Draft environmental impact statement for the development concept plan : Decker Canyon : Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area : Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, California

National Park Service

The development concept plan for the Decker Canyon property in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area will guide the management and development of this property for the next 10-15 years. Development is proposed within the Mulholland Scenic Parkway corridor, an area designated in the establishing legislation for protection of the scenic resources, which provides a unique framework for developing an environmentally and aesthetically compatible activity site within the corridor through sensitive resource management and facility design. The plan also presents goals and objectives for site management of Decker Canyon to include protection, preservation, and interpretation of natural, cultural, and scenic resources for public recreation and enjoyment. The property is currently undeveloped and subject to indiscriminate recreational use. This document discusses four alternatives: no action (alternative I), partial disposal of the property (through exchange) (alternative II), day use development (alternative III), and the development of a day use and overnight, barrier-free , environmental education facility (alternative IV). Under alternatives III and IV, the site receives active management for recreational use and interpretation, providing facilities that would be accessible to and usable by all segments of the visitor population, regardless of physical or mental ability. In alternative IV, the alternative preferred by the National Park Service, the overnight camp and facilities are open to the public and targeted toward the full population of disabled rather than a specific age group or disability. The document describes the physical, biological, and cultural environment and discusses the environmental and socioeconomic consequences of the alternatives. The preferred action would be implemented at relatively little cost to the federal government, with the major costs of design, construction, and operation of the facility obligations of a concessioner. Facilities in alternatives III and IV are designed to limit impacts, and measures are proposed to mitigate effects on archeological sites and a small wetland area. Generally, the consequences of the preferred action are positive, enhancing the preservation of natural and cultural resources and providing the opportunity for public recreation and education. No threatened or endangered species have been observed at the site