The Los Angeles County Regional Parks and Open Space Area awards the Montecito Heights historic top park, further greening at Baldwin Park, and approximately 456 acres of Santa Clarita Ranch.
The area is tasked with allocating more than $100 million to measure the annual tax revenue collected for parcels and granting $17 million in efforts to enhance green spaces, revitalize and expand parks, recreational facilities and trails.
The grant will be announced at a press conference Tuesday at Los Angeles City Hall, where 623 acres of new parks and natural space will be created or renovated.
“Through technical assistance, community-driven solutions and a commitment to equity, we ensure that the hardest to reach (families can’t walk to the park) finally get the green space they deserve, Director of the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department, Norma E. García-González, director of regional parks and open spaces, said in a statement.
Cities and communities awarded grants include Altadena, Artesia, Baldwin Park, Carson, Covina, El Serena, Montecito Heights, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica Mountains, South Los Angeles, Sylmar, Sylmar and Walnut Park.
In terms of land size, Santa Clarita aims to buy the most with its grants. The city will use nearly $1.5 million to purchase 456 acres of wild land, called Vasquez Ranch, to protect the open space.
The territory accounts for approximately 73% of all green space added through this grant cycle.
“Whether it’s hundreds of acres of open space or small neighborhood parks, investment in regional parks and open space areas serves residents across the county directly,” Supervisory Board Chairman Kathryn Barger said in a statement.
In terms of money, Baldwin Park, Palmadale, Sylma and Walnut Park received the largest grants for $2 million.
Baldwin Park is using the money to convert a 0.55-acre parcel into a mini park on Puente Avenue.
By comparison, Palmdale purchased 125 acres of land in the Barrel Springs and Tejon Park areas. The land will be redesigned as critical habitats and recreational areas.
Sylmar's grant will be used to acquire Strathern Park West with six aces on Route 170.
Grant winners hold checks from Los Angeles County Regional Parks and Open Space Areas. The region awarded $17 million for the Parkland acquisition.
(Provided by Los Angeles County Regional Parks and Open Space Areas)
The iconic flat-plane park, through the Montecito Heights and Lincoln Heights and filmed in several films, including “Blood in the Blood”, on 0.61 acres of land due to a $500,000 grant allocated to Northeast Trees Growing 0.61 acres.
Nearby Elephant Hill will add 0.78 acres of conservation, remedial and educational purposes, thanks to a $1 million grant from preservation group Coyotl + Macehualli.
Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy raised a $1.2 million grant to purchase 22.68 acres of fire damage to Altadena for open space protection.
The smallest purchase is Artesia, which received a $585,000 grant to purchase a 0.06 acre parcel to add to the size of AJ Padelford Park.
Carson will add 0.44 acres of land and purchase it with a $1.43 billion grant to expand the Friendship Mini Park.
Covina is almost similar in size, and Covina also purchased a 0.42-acre parcel on East Street with a $840,000 grant for the new public recreation, library and Civic Center Park, which will be named Covina Recreation Village.
On the smaller side, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust will provide a $777,000 grant to South Los Angeles to become a 0.13-acre urban farm.
The Mountains Restoration Trust uses a $1 million grant to purchase approximately 8.77 acres of land in the future to expand and preserve recreation opportunities.
Measure A (73% of voters supported in 2016) authorized a tax of 1.5 cents per square foot of structural improvement.
County officials said parcel tax generated $117 million in property taxes for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
Since 2017, there has been approximately $52.2 million in competition funding.
