The Draft Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan was developed under the leadership of the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering, in partnership with the Office of Mayor Karen Bass, Council Districts 2, 3, 4, and 6, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC), the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA), and multiple federal, state and local partners.
The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is the largest open space in the San Fernando Valley within the approximately 2,000-acre flood management basin owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Sepulveda Basin is home to a variety of recreational spaces, an unpaved, soft-bottomed stretch of the LA River, and important natural habitat areas. Although the Basin is an important hub for passive and active recreation, much of the space is currently difficult to access. It is located directly adjacent to two communities defined as being in a high or very high need of park space, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation’s “Parks Needs Assessment” and the Trust for Public Land, this Vision Plan presents an opportunity to connect these communities to existing and future open space amenities.
The full Draft Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan, with visions and ideas on how to update the space, can be downloaded on the website at https://eng.lacity.org/sepulveda-basin-vision-plan and comments can be added using the website comment form.
Community meetings to share the Draft Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan were held on October 17 and 18, with an additional meeting planned for Thursday, December 7, from 6 to 8 pm at the Encino Community Center.
The goal of the plan is to create a collaborative and historic Vision Plan to reimagine the future of the 2,000-acre Sepulveda Basin, focusing on LA River restoration, nature-based strategies, resilience, natural habitat, climate resiliency, mobility, and recreation and cultural spaces.
“I am proud of the work the Bureau of Engineering has done as the lead agency in this process,” said Ted Allen, City Engineer. “As the city’s leader in the revitalization of the Los Angeles river, it has been an important and natural extension of our commitment to developing a Vision Plan that truly considers the River, and reimagines this vital environmental, cultural and recreational resource for generations to come. It has been an honor to work with our many local, state and federal partners to ensure a safe and healthy river basin.”
The Draft Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan proposes designs that utilize nature-based strategies and can be implemented in phases, enhancing opportunities for recreational uses, improving access throughout the basin for multiple modes of travel, enhancing natural functions of the LA River and its tributaries, improving habitat and wildlife areas, improving water quality, and strengthening the flood capacity of the basin to manage future risks.
“Council District 4 surrounds the Sepulveda Basin on three sides,” said Councilmember Nithya Raman, Council District 4. “As the representative for the neighboring communities of Reseda, Encino, and Sherman Oaks, our office has been impressed with the level of community engagement to date. We look forward to the comment period for the Draft Vision Plan, and a final plan that builds on the Sepulveda Basin being one of our crown jewel regional parks and a space that offers wilderness exploration, active recreation, and community gathering.”
The city team has held and attended more than 120 community meetings, workshops, small and individual interest group meetings, presentations to community organizations, pop-up booths at community events, and walk shops, and has performed community canvassing, community surveys, informational banners, social media, and more.
After comments are closed on the public draft on December 18, there will be work on developing a final Sepulveda Basin Vision Plan, with an expected publication date of April 2024.
