Councilman Seeks to Halt Project

The Valley’s newest Los Angeles City Council representative has put the brakes on Hidden Creeks Estates and Preserve, a proposed housing development near Porter Ranch. “Preserving the Hidden Creeks property as open space has been a priority for both the county and city for years,” Councilman John Lee said in an interview with Los Angeles Daily News. Starwood Land Advisors, the developer behind the project, had proposed Hidden Creeks Estates and Preserve for the land between Porter Ranch and Chatsworth that abuts the Aliso Canyon natural gas facility. As described on its official website, Hidden Creeks Estates and Preserve, an equestrian-themed community of luxury homes, promises to feature “gracious living in a natural setting.” Situated on a 285-acre site between Browns and Mormon creeks, the site will devote half of its acreage to open space and parks. Additional public benefits are to include a youth sports field for community use, an enhanced and expanded equestrian center, public access to equestrian trails and new regional firefighting capabilities. The twin concerns, according to Lee and other officials, regards preserving the wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities at the site, and avoiding the establishment of residential homes near Southern California Gas Co.’s Aliso Canyon gas storage plant that instigated the largest natural gas leak in history in 2015. Lee represents District 12, which includes the northwest San Fernando Valley. He has introduced a motion instructing the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks to join Los Angeles County and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy in actively pursuing preservation of the property. Upon his appointment in August, Lee began discussions with L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “The Hidden Creeks property is a vital connector for equestrian and recreational users,” Lee told the Business Journal in an email. “I am pleased that Supervisor Barger and I have been able to work together to find a way to maintain this area as open space.” The property sits just outside of Lee’s jurisdiction, which explains why he sought an ally in Barger, who introduced a similar measure calling for the land’s preservation with the county Board of Supervisors. Barger said she has been seeking to preserve the property since 2016.