STATE LESS THAN EAGER TO TAKE OVER CASTAIC, PLACERITA CENTER COUNTY PARKS OFFICIALS SEES PROPOSAL AS A COST-SAVER.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Cash-strapped California is crying ``no take backs,'' as the Los Angeles County Parks Department finds that returning the state-owned Placerita Canyon Park and Castaic Lake to their owner is anything but child's play.

In a proposal to the county Board of Supervisors submitted April 15, parks officials suggested that $3.1 million could be saved by turning operation of Placerita and Castaic over to the state, which owns the properties.

But the state is ill-prepared to deal with this, as it is trying to cover its own shortfall, estimated at nearly $35 billion.

Castaic Lake State Recreation Area is one of the largest recreation lakes in the state water system and used by more than 800,000 people a year. Placerita Nature Center has the largest list of programs for any natural area in the county system and hosts more than 40,000 visitors and 16,000 schoolchildren a year.

``It's questionable at this point if we can handle them,'' said Roy Stearns, deputy director of the state Parks and Recreation Department. ``At this point in time we don't have money in the existing budget and we had no reason to, because L.A. County was handling those parks.''

The county has a 50-year contract with the state to manage Castaic Lake, with 17 years left to go. A different situation exists between the state and county at Placerita Canyon, where the county has been on a month-to-month maintenance agreement since 1986. A draft of a long-term agreement was approved in 1991 but never finalized with the county. State parks attorneys are now looking into the matter.

Stearns said that state and county officials have met since the takeover was proposed and are trying to work out a solution.

``We're being proactive,'' he said. ``They have the same problem we have, we just have a much bigger problem.''

He said his department needs to cut $35 million from its budget: ``We will recoup $20 million by raising campground, day use and annual pass fees, but we still have a $15 million hole.''

Brian Roney, a former superintendent at Castaic Lake who is now park services manager at Lake Casitas, feels that the lake could be run on an enterprise fund similar to Casitas or Lake Piru, with all fees supporting lake operations. He predicts that the transition might take up to a year if the county wanted to get out of the lake business.

``I think the time is right to re-evaluate the situation so (the lake) isn't a drain on the county,'' he said, referring to the long-term state contract. ``Anything can be renegotiated.''

If control of Castaic returns to the state parks, Roney fears that grass areas will disappear and special events will go away, replaced by day use and campgrounds. Because Castaic Lake is a reservoir of the state water project, there is a mandate to keep the lake open for recreational purposes, but that requirement could be met by reducing staff and cutting back on hours of operation.

Roney is also involved with Friends of Castaic Lake, the nonprofit organization that provides volunteers for special events and cleanups, as well as raising money for park programs and equipment. He said the group is precluded from engaging in any political activity, but has taken measures to confine their financial support to Castaic Lake, regardless of which governing body is in charge of operations.

The Friends sponsor special events such as Fourth of July fireworks and the holiday lighted boat parade in December as well as purchasing equipment and supplies for the lake. They also support the Junior Lifeguard program, which will continue to operate until a budget decision is made.

Volunteers already answer the phone and handle the information counter and gift shop at Placerita Canyon Nature Center as well as lead hikes and conduct special events such as the holiday boutique and reptile festival. They pay for the needs of the center's animals, which include several raptors, reptiles and small mammals.

The county's problems started earlier this year when funding for part-time staff ran out, according to Mickey Long, Natural Area Administrator for the county. Volunteers at Placerita stepped up to help with paid and free programs, but it is unknown how long that will continue.

Gordon Uppman, a vice president of Placerita Canyon Nature Center Associates, said that taking volunteers from a commitment of two days a week to seven days would take a lot of work - and a lot more volunteers.

``What we are doing now is working on a baseline with two full-time staffers; a maintenance worker and a park superintendent. Recreation leader hours have been cut way back and we've been asking docents to come in and help,'' he said, noting that volunteer docents were on the trail as he was being interviewed.

``As a voter, a citizen and a taxpayer, I feel this park belongs in the county. Ninety-nine percent of the kids who come to visit come from the county, from places in the county. Wilmington, Palmdale and Chatsworth. We're not like a beach, where you get people from all over the state coming on vacation.''

Darrell Wanner, recreation services supervisor in charge of Placerita Canyon, said that they are operating as if the word ``closure'' was not hanging in the air.

``We're looking on the bright side,'' he said. ``We've suspended taking new reservations for programs, and our volunteers are writing letters to county and state representatives every time they get a chance.''

Wanner said one of the most critical problems is finding a suitable home for the park's animals if the facilities were to be closed by the county, even for a short interim during a transition to the state.

Some of the animals in question have been at the park for nearly their entire lives. Owl Jr. and Spook, two great horned owls, and Rufus, a red-tailed hawk, each have special needs, having each lost a wing in their fledgling days. In addition, the birds cannot be moved because of the exotic Newcastle disease quarantine.

Operating as if nothing were changing, Placerita held what might have facilities,'' Stearns said. ``We want to keep parks open. Can we guarantee been its last open house Saturday, where children practiced gold panning, watched animal shows and went on nature hikes.

``The bottom line is that we are desperately trying to seek solutions between the county and us. If we don't have to, we don't want to close facilities,'' Stearns said. ``We want to keep parks open. Can we guarantee that? No. But we're trying.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) Placerita Canyon Nature Center's exhibits are among the reasons the facility hosts more than 40,000 visitors and 16,000 schoolchildren a year. Volunteers here already answer phones, handle the information counter and lead hikes.

(2 -- ran in SAC edition only) Since 1986, Los Angeles County has had a month-to-month maintenance agreement with the state for Placerita Canyon Nature Center.

(3) Volunteers have stepped up their efforts at Placerita Canyon Nature Center since money for part-time staff ran out earlier this year.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer