‘Adverse Impacts’ in Hope Land Deal Cited by Report

A long-awaited federal report released Monday says the proposed exchange of national parkland in Agoura for adjacent land owned by entertainer Bob Hope would cause “direct unavoidable adverse . . . impacts” to the 59 acres of parkland, but preserve a much bigger swath of private land for public recreational use.

The draft environmental impact statement by the National Park Service neither endorses nor opposes the swap, which would provide road access to the sprawling housing and golf course project planned for Hope’s Jordan Ranch property in eastern Ventura County. The agency will take a position on the exchange in its final report.

Park officials acknowledged that a federal decision could be rendered moot by political developments in Ventura County, which has authority over the Jordan Ranch proposal. A majority of county supervisors are against development of Jordan Ranch, which Potomac Investment Associates has taken an option on from Hope.