Planned Updates
In February 2019, Brookview Ranch filed an application for a Significant Ecological Area Conditional Use Permit (SEA CUP) with the County of Los Angeles to allow us to build an indoor, sound-insulated event facility to replace our existing outdoor dance pavilion. By building this new facility, future events will have dramatically less noise when compared to events in our dance pavilion. As part of our planned upgrades, we are working with the County of Los Angeles Fire Department to construct a new bridge over Triunfo Creek to provide “all-weather” access to Brookview Ranch (along with other properties on that side of the creek). We also are proposing to rebuild a dressing room and equestrian facilities damaged by the Woolsey Fire. These updates represent a multi-million dollar commitment on behalf of our family to work collaboratively with our neighbors and the County to address noise concerns. For more information, please see our frequently asked questions list below or email Tina Vartanian at tina@afriat.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who are the owners of Brookview Ranch?
A: Brookview Ranch is owned by the Knapp family through Brookview Ranch LLC. Tom Knapp, Cheryl Knapp, and their son Tommy Knapp own and operate the Ranch. Tommy and his wife live at the ranch with their two-year-old daughter and their newborn son.
Q: What is Brookview Ranch proposing?
A: In February 2019, Brookview Ranch filed an application for a Significant Ecological Area Conditional Use Permit (SEA CUP) so that we could build an indoor, sound-insulated event facility to replace the existing outdoor dance pavilion. Amplified music will primarily occur inside this indoor event facility to dramatically decrease noise in the surrounding area.
As part of this project, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department is requiring construction of a bridge over Triunfo Creek to provide “all-weather” access to Brookview Ranch (along with other properties on that side of the creek). We also are proposing to rebuild a dressing room and an equestrian barn damaged by the Woolsey Fire. These changes represent a multi-million dollar commitment on behalf of our family to work collaboratively with our neighbors and the County to address noise concerns.
Q: Will Brookview Ranch’s proposal comply with the Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan regulations?
A: Yes! The proposed upgrades as well as all outdoor ceremony and background music will comply with the new stringent noise standards in the recently updated Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan and Community Standards District. The project also will install a bridge over Triunfo Creek to provide access to Brookview Ranch and the neighboring properties on the northeast side of the creek.
Q: Are there going to be limits on the days and times that events can occur and where they can occur on the property?
A: Yes. The project would not increase the capacity of special events (i.e., the number of guests), the operating hours of the special events, or the number of special events held per year.
Q: Will Brookview Ranch’s upgrades make it harder to fight fires in the neighborhood?
A: No, just the opposite. Brookview is installing two new fire hydrants for the County Fire Department to use in the event of a future fire. During the 2018 Woolsey Fire, Brookview Ranch implemented its evacuation plans with 100 percent life-saving success.
Brookview Ranch's equestrian and event facility land uses are existing uses, and the project will not change the capacity of these uses. In addition, Brookview Ranch maintains a Traffic Management Plan for events, with Brookview staff directing guests to the appropriate parking area before the start of an event and limiting the number of guests exiting the site at one time after the event, and also maintains evacuation plans for special events and for the equestrian facility, both of which are based on a fire/wildfire incident and include provisions for early detection, noticing (receipt and dissemination of emergency notifications from both Los Angeles [Alert LA] and Ventura [VC Alerts] Counties), and route selection (depending on the location of the fire/wildfire).
Q: How can we be sure that Brookview Ranch does the things they're promising to do and that they won't have impacts on our community?
A: The SEA CUP will contain numerous conditions enforceable by the County of Los Angeles and with which Brookview Ranch will agree to comply. While not anticipated, if there were a prolonged pattern of violations of the conditions of approval, the County would have the ability to even revoke the CUP.
Q: Where is Brookview Ranch in the process?
A: As part of the CEQA process, a Notice of Preparation (NOP) Public Scoping Meeting was held on 6/10/21. Currently, we are in the 60-day comment period which will end on 8/10/21. To review the NOP and Initial Study please visit the Department of Regional Planning’s website at:
https://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/case/2019-000358_nop.pdf
https://planning.lacounty.gov/assets/upl/case/2019-000358_initial-study.pdf.
Following the comment period, there are multiple steps/phases to the process, including the County preparing and publishing the Draft EIR, the comment period during which the public may comment on the Draft EIR, and the preparing and publishing the Final EIR.
Q: Will there be new equestrian facilities?
A: As part of the proposed improvements, Brookview Ranch will rebuild an equestrian barn that was damaged in the Woolsey fire, however, no new equestrian facilities are proposed.
The Woolsey Fire damaged two existing horse barns at Brookview Ranch, which housed 22 horse stalls each. Fortunately, none of the animals were harmed, thanks in large part to Brookview Ranch’s effective evacuation plan that continues to remain in place.
Q: Is Brookview Ranch allowed to go through this process at this location?
A: Yes, the recently updated Santa Monica Mountains North Area Plan and Community Standards District specifically allow Brookview Ranch’s use with approval of a conditional use permit.
Q: Who can we contact to discuss this project?
A: Our team would like your feedback on the proposed improvements at Brookview Ranch. If you are interested in learning more or have questions or comments, please e-mail Mike Ai at mike@afriat.com to set up a virtual meeting/call. We are committed to being good neighbors and look forward to working cooperatively with you during this public process and long into the future.