Bernson Gains Backing in Fight to Preserve Area : Environment: Two potentially key allies accompany the councilman on a tour of Chatsworth Reservoir.

CHATSWORTH —  City Councilman Hal Bernson gained two potentially key allies Wednesday in an effort to preserve Chatsworth Reservoir as a wildlife area, perhaps through a land swap that would involve state or federal agencies and the Department of Water and Power.

Bernson was accompanied on a tour of the reservoir by Rep. Anthony Beilenson (D-Los Angeles) and the chief of staff for Assemblywoman Paula L. Boland (R-Granada Hills), who could not attend because of illness.

“The purpose of this tour was to get the attention of the elected officials and to do everything in our power to protect this wild game and bird preserve,” Bernson said. “I’ve been bringing up legislation on this since I was elected,” said the councilman, who has held office since 1979.

During the 90-minute tour, the group walked up a steep hillside to the site of a Chumash settlement and enjoyed a scenic view of the Santa Susana Mountains on one side and the San Fernando Valley on the other.

The reservoir is a favorite spot for bird watchers and school-sponsored nature hikes. Canada geese also have made the 560-acre reservoir an annual stop during their winter migration south.

The visit impressed Scott Wilk, Boland’s chief of staff, who said the assemblywoman would “throw the full weight of her office behind preserving the area.”

“It was absolutely pristine. You can see what the Valley actually looked like at one time,” he said.

Beilenson, who has been to the reservoir before, said he would support any effort to preserve the area, including helping broker a federal land swap with the public utility company.

Beilenson said he would push for a lease agreement between the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the DWP, a move that would save the utility company an estimated $500,000 in annual operations costs.

Under state law, the conservancy has the right of first refusal if the utility company ever decides to sell it, Beilenson said. It was purchased in the 1920s for about $255,000, he said.

“Our job at the moment is to help persuade the DWP to offer it to the conservancy,” Beilenson said.

“As far as the federal government appropriating funds to purchase it, that’s not in the cards,” he warned. “It would be hard to convince members of Congress to get involved with what is a local land decision.”

Bernson’s office began the first stage of the process with a draft letter sent to DWP General Manager Bill McCarley, said Francine Oschin, Bernson’s legislative aide.

Through spokesman Dorothy Jensen, DWP General Manager Bill McCarley said he has not seen a formal proposal from the councilman, but said he was willing to cooperate and discuss any proposal Bernson has in mind.

Throughout his career, Bernson has fended off all kinds of ideas for the property, from turning it into a recreation area that included batting cages to golf courses to low-cost housing for schoolteachers.

“They will never be able to develop it as long as I’m around, and I know I won’t be here forever. But I’d like to see it either traded to the federal government or leased to the conservancy,” Bernson said.