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As part of the permitting process, the California Coastal Commission issued a special condition that called for on-site archaeological monitoring during the grading phases of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Village of the Emma Stern Senior Adult Camp at Camp JCA Sholom in the Malibu area of Los Angeles County. To comply with this requirement, the services of Pacific Archaeological Sciences Team (PAST), Encino, were retained by the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Los Angeles. Archaeological monitoring was deemed necessary because cultural resources are known to exist in the area. More specifically, a Phase I survey conducted in 1991 resulted in the discovery of three locations which contained evidence of use of the area by prehistoric people. Additionally, local folklore indicates that a bedrock mortar was buried somewhere on the camp property by the previous owner to protect the site and discourage trespassers. In summary, the project involved the grading of approximately 1.83 acres of land and the development of a Senior camp area, septic and drainage systems, access roads, and other amenities. Archaeologists from PAST examined the project area for the exposure of cultural resources over a six month period. More specifically, the fieldwork was performed on February 24, 26, 27, and 28; March 3, 4, 5, 10, and 20; June 4; and July 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, 1997. In general, the cultural resources monitoring involved two operations; namely, the grading of the proposed village site area and the excavation of the septic system for the project. The regrading of an existing access road that was paved for use as a fire road was also monitored. During the project, observations made in the field were written down as field notes and photographs were taken. The archaeological monitoring failed to reveal any materials or features associated with prehistoric or early historic use of the area. Overall, the subject area was found to be severely altered by the previous grading and development. Since no prehistoric or early historic cultural resources could be identified, no further archaeological studies for the development of the village project were recommended at that time. However, because archaeological resources are known or suspected to be in the immediate area, it is recommended that any future developmental projects on the Camp JCA Sholom property be evaluated by a qualified archaeologist. The archaeologist should examine the specific project location and determine the appropriate level of investigation prior to any work being performed on the property. Additionally, it is recommended that a qualified archaeologist be contacted if any prehistoric or early historic materials are discovered during the normal operation of the camp. The archaeologist can then identify, evaluate, and properly record the find. A determination can be made as to the importance of the archaeological resource as defined by Appendix K of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), as amended. Depending upon the specific circumstances, the appropriate protective or data recovery measures can then be enacted. |
