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none, "For grading and ""as-built"" , Correspondence• C1t olielli..g May 25, 2010 Dr. James Black 36 Saddleback Road Rolling Hills, CA 90274 Subject: 2 Appaloosa Lane Dear Council Member Black, • INCORPORATED JANUARY 24, 1957 NO. 2 PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD ROLLING HILLS, CALIF 90274 (310) 377.1521 FAX: (310) 377-7288 Last month, the Los Angeles County Building and Safety Department observed the unauthorized fill dirt and grading on the lower part of your property at 2 Appaloosa Lane. In bringing this situation to the City's attention, the inspectors expressed concern that the project area might be within the jurisdiction of State Fish and Game Department as a natural drainage course. In addition, any grading to create a pad requires Site Plan approval by the City's Planning Commission. As such, a stop work order was issued. If you intend to build a pad at this site, it is necessary that you submit an application and plans for the Planning Commission's consideration. Alternatively, you must restore the site to its original condition. To do so, it will be necessary that you submit a drainage and restoration plan to the Building and Safety Department for approval. For all work, permits are necessary. Furthermore, in our conversation on May 19, 2010, you stated your intent to build a soccer field with the new pad. For a sports field, if that is the plan being developed, and if additional dirt would be required, please be aware that Planning Commission approval of a Variance for import of dirt is necessary. It is requested that you submit a new grading and drainage plan and application to the City, or if you plan to restore the area a grading and drainage plan for restoration to the Building and Safety Department by July 15, 2010. In addition, should you decide to built a sports field you would be responsible for all appropriate application and permitting fees including $1,000 as the penalty for unauthorized grading. If you have any questions, please call me at 310.377.1521. Printed on Recycled Paper • • Sincerely 1 f Yollinta Schwartz Planning Director cc: Anton Dahlerbruch, City Manager Wayne Chatman, Inspector, L.A. County Building and Safety GERALD T. RAYDON 2 Appaloosa Lane Rolling Hills, CA 90274 (310) 541-2508 May 26, 1992 Ms. Lola Unger City Rolling Hills Portuguese Bend Road Rolling Hills, CA 90274 Dear Ms. Unger, ggl.)1Wkij MAY 2 71992 CITY OF HILLS Rn�/'j�-/1LIIIN`�/IG • By This letter is to correct various statements made by Mr. Robert Sollima in his letter to you dated May 18, 1992, setting forth his attempted justification of grading an unpermitted road through his property to, on, and along our property. The fact remains that the extensive erosion and drainage problems referred to in my letter do exist. If the "sawtooth cuts" were ever made, they certainly were not in place through last winter when water from the hillside drained directly off the hill onto and then down.the road, cutting the road deeper and then discharging onto our property and onto Appaloosa Lane. Note also that the fire department report, which cannot be used as the justification for making a non -permitted road, refers only to buildings at #4 Appaloosa Lane, which is not our property. It was unnecessary to build such a road in any case as Mr. Sollima would have been readily granted permission for temporary access across our properties to clear any brush that he was ordered to remove. With respect to the large amount of fill dumped in the canyon adjacent to the Glory Trail, an inspection of the site will clearly show that there has been no slide or slumping of debris into the canyon. It will also reveal that Mr. Sollima has cut a road through brush for over 150 yards from his stables to the Glory Trail. He removed an extensive area of the hillside and large amounts of brush, which have been pushed into the canyon, filling it up to the trail level. You will note that both above and below this fill point, the stream bed lies 15-25 feet or more below the level of the trail. Some recent grading by the party working on the trail has added to the amount of loose dirt filling the canyon which will be eroded and washed down the canyon and then deposited onto Appaloosa Lane. It would appear that the grading done on the trail will have to be corrected in order to avoid the dumping of loose dirt into places where it can be readily eroded and washed away. Ms. Lola Unger May 26, 1992 Page Two Mr. Sollima may have re -graded the area to remove any evidence of overflow and erosion of the dirt piled there, but the fact remains that we saw the large area of erosion and suffered the deposition of the mud carried down the canyon onto Appaloosa Lane. The erosion caused by Dr. Jin's grading caused an erosion problem in previous years, but the area has since stabilized and is covered with vegetation. I am not claiming an easement on any area in fact dedicated to the Community Association, but am on the area of Mr. Sollima's property to the south and west of the easement. The sketch as submitted by him with his letter purports to show the outline of our fence but is quite inaccurate. I again request that the City and County take appropriate steps to remove the illegal cuts, fills and roadway constructed by him which are causing damage to our property and a public nuisance. Very truly yours, Gerald T. Rayclon c: Robert Sollima George Schaffenberger �E�KE LLY & GRAHAM Rvrtncr9//i c/-u &Swrafony PHILLIP KELLY' LOWELL GRAHAM' 'A LAW CORPORATION May 20,.1992 Mr. Gerald Raydon #2 Appaloosa Lane Rolling Hills, CA 90274 117 SUIT£'1130 JtI1oJ BANK TOWER DEL AMC FINANCIAL CENTER 21515 HAWTHORNE 8O'LJL VARD TORRANCE, C`A'i1FOaN1. 90503 TEL,EFHONE (310) 371-35 _5.„._.,_- 'FF.X"r310) 53-2305 Dear Mr. Raydon: This office has been retained by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sollima in connection with the apparent property dispute regarding an alleged prescriptive easement. I have reviewed the correspondence that the two of you have directed to each other and to the City of Rolling Hills. I have also reviewed an engineering schematic setting forth the property lines, the 25-foot dedicated easement, and the proposed or alleged prescriptive easement which you claim. It is apparent from the engineering schematic that 95 percent or more of the claimed or alleged prescriptive easement lies on the surface of the dedicated easement, which is held by the Homeowners' Association for the City of Rolling Hills. I am sure that you are aware that a prescriptive right cannot be acquired on real property in which a city, county, irrigation district, or public or municipal corporation owns an interest. I would invite your attention to Civil Code §1007, and more particularly to the case of People vs.'Shirokow (1980) 26 Cal. 3d 301, 162 Cal. Rptr. 30, 605 P.2d 859. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is my client's position and my opinion that in no event have you acquired an easement by prescription or by adverse possession. Having reviewed the facts of this matter, it is my opinion that my client was well within his rights to remove the fence and provide access to his subdivided lot, which is adjacent to your property. I would further add that I have spoken to Ms. Ungar of the Planning Department of the City of Rolling Hills, who joins in my opinion that you cannot acquire a prescriptive right over a dedicated easement in which the city or public or municipal corporation owns an interest. Upon your review of this matter, I trust that either you or your attorney will contact me at your earliest convenience. I remain, Very truly yours, PHILLIP KELLY PK: acr cc: Robert Sollima