By Adam GRIFFIN

On Aug. 1, California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) issued a notice of preparation (NOP), and called for public statements regarding the Canyon Hills luxury housing project, prospectively located on the north side of the I-210 Freeway in Tujunga.

  The statement period remains open until Sept. 2 and requests public input regarding mitigation measures and conservation alternatives, as CDFW acts as a responsible agency under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15041 (b), advising LA City Council over the issuance of an incidental take permit (ITP) for developers Whitebird, Inc.

This second report was issued in response to the activist efforts of the No Canyon Hills collective, founded in spring 2023 with the support of over 178,000 petition signatures – enough to trigger an intervention by CDFW – a legitimizing act over local concerns and one that spells uncertainty for Whitebird, Inc. 

While an incidental take permit can still be issued by LA City Council, environmental attorney Doug Carstens points out in a statement given to LAist on Aug. 18, “The Subsequent Environment Impact Report (SEIR) process could take months or even a year,” placing pressure on Whitebird, Inc., as the October 2026 deadline looms nearer to begin construction. 

According to CDFW’s notice of preparation, the original Canyon Hills housing project spanned approximately 900 acres, across both sides of the I-210 Freeway at 7000 La Tuna Canyon Road, with space for 280 single-family homes. A revised plan was approved by the LA City Council and included 300 acres of land with 221 single-family homes on the north side of the I-210 Freeway. Additionally, approximately 600 acres of public open space on both the northern and southern sides of the freeway – home to approximately 350 species of endangered plant and wildlife, such as the Crotch’s bumble bee, or Bombus crotchii, the target species under evaluation by CDFW – remains listed as public open space according to current project site projections. 

Although Whitebird, Inc. appears to have complied so far with the revised plans and conservation measures approved by the LA City Council, the public remains vigilant in pointing out the potential environmental damage posed by current site projections. 

According to the No Canyon Hills website and maps provided by CDFW, the approved 300 acres would block a critical access point through the Verdugo mountains where wildlife, including cougars, roam throughout the Crescenta Valley range from the Sunland-Tujunga area to the Hahamongna Watershed Park near JPL. 

In light of Whitebird, Inc.’s accusations of alleged trespassing and aiding and abetting trespassing in December 2024, Emma Kemp, co-founder of No Canyon Hills, issued a statement to CV Weekly claiming to have come across many hikers along the area in question but had not seen a No Trespassing sign. 

“I have never seen a single No Trespassing sign,” she said. “And there’s no fencing – not even a wire that states it is private property.”

The language of the CDFW’s notice of preparation supports the notion of public property – even LA City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez echoed this sentiment in her statement provided to LAist in the previously mentioned article. Rodriguez maintains that, although Whitebird, Inc. remains at liberty until October 2026 to begin construction, “Anything beyond that would require a discretionary action for an extension, which I am not supportive of.”

To submit a public comment by mail: California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife,  Attention: Canyon Hills ITP – NOP Scoping Comments, 3883 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA 92123 or by email: R5CEQA@wildlife.ca.gov (please include in the subject line Canyon Hills ITP – NOP Scoping Comments).