Posted: February 3rd, 2006

Pasadena Star News

February 3, 2006

Geez, I went for a return trip to gorgeous Lower Millard Canyon above Altadena, and I plumb forgot to “trespass!”

That’s because I was at the start of a long mountain run in the happy company of a La Vina resident who wholly disagrees with the absurd, costly and legally baseless position taken by his homeowner association board. He and many other residents find it crazy that because of what amounts to a typo by omission, the board refuses to comply with agreements that took years to hammer out before the hillside development could be built.

More and more La Vinians are writing to invite me back to the streamside trail behind their homes that a few zealots have marred with ugly and baseless “No Trespassing” signs bolted to trees.

Knowing that the more people who can be prevented from freely hiking where we always have hiked, the better for its picayune side in the several lawsuits against it, the association hired its law firm to write a nasty letter to me and all my bosses about “tortious activities” while it decides whether to “proceed” against me.

But it’s not me, see. It’s Los Angeles County and Supervisor Mike Antonovich suing La Vina. Here’s what Mike says: “The La Vina project entitlements specifically require the dedication of the equestrian and hiking trail easements and the constructions of the trails on open space lots which form a ring around the developed area of the project. To date, these easements have not been granted nor have the trails been built despite the best efforts of County staff and other interested parties.”

More on what La Vinians and other Altadenans who stand with Mike and me say next time.