Griffith Park as Historic-Cultural Monument

Dear Friends, Currently, the City's Cultural Heritage Commission has taken under consideration an application to declare all of Griffith Park a historic-cultural monument of the City of Los Angeles. They will be making a recommendation that, once approved, will be forwarded to the City Council for deliberation.
All of us share a great love for what I consider this city's most treasured and greatest gift, Griffith Park. I have always been a proponent of preservation. It was my idea to apply for historic designation for the Griffith Observatory in 1976. I want to make sure other buildings, like the Greek Theater, get their designation to add to the nine existing historic sites in the park.
I have encouraged the Commission staff to have a thoughtful discussion with Department of Recreation and Parks staff to interpret exactly what a historic designation would mean to the park and its operation. Additionally, the second and most current draft of the updated Griffith Park Master Plan will be reviewed soon. I want to make sure that historic designation would not conflict with the Master Plan when it's adopted.
Griffith Park is currently more than 4,218 acres: One of my major goals is to expand the park to the west, especially the area near Cahuenga Peak and the Hollywood sign. Additionally, I want to connect the park to the Los Angeles River and its revitalization.
There's a lot of misinformation out there on this topic. I hike to Mount Hollywood every morning and there have been fliers stapled to trees accusing me of supporting development in the park. I do not endorse any development plans in the park. I have received emails about items that I rejected years ago when I opposed the first draft of the Master Plan. That is why I formed the working group to create the second draft.
I am honored to serve this City and protect and enhance Griffith Park. My primary objective is to do what Colonel Griffith Jenkins Griffith wanted: to keep Griffith Park a park for the people.

Tom LaBonge