| Description |
The Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve (Reserve) is the largest coastal wetland complex
in Los Angeles County. The Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project (“Project”) will enhance
and establish native coastal wetlands and upland habitat on 566 of the Reserve’s 577 acres
south of Marina del Rey and east of Playa del Rey, restoring ecological function to currently
degraded wetlands and providing a critical buffer against the effects of sea-level rise. The
Project's objectives focus on restoring wetland and other ecological functions within the
Reserve, maintaining existing levels of flood risk management provided by the Ballona
Creek channel and levee system and restoring and improving public access for compatible
recreational and educational opportunities within the Reserve. The Project is led by the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and supported by the Conservancy
(collectively the “Project Team”). More information about the Project, including the
certified EIR, can be found at this website: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/5/Ballona-EIR.
The final EIR for the project was certified on December 30, 2020, and now DFW is
beginning work on the final design, engineering, and permitting phase of the Project. The
Conservancy approved funding for final design and engineering on May 27, 2021 (see link
below). The final design and engineering phase includes new studies, modeling,
engineering, design, and permit applications. The level of design contained in the EIR is
considered “30% design” and during the final design and engineering phase DFW will refine
the designs to a level of “90% design”.
Through this RFS, the Conservancy is seeking input on the Project design so that the
concerns, perspectives, and priorities of community members who have historically lacked
access to the Ballona Wetlands and/or the planning and decision-making process for the
Project can be considered in the final design and permit applications along with the input
of stakeholders who have been involved throughout the early planning process. |
