Please share ideas how to restore and dismiss unauthorized viewing paths and platforms that have trampled the native brush and habitat in the HGP areas bordering Mulholland Hwy from Durand to Canyon Lake Drive. Some suggestions have been non-native plants and shrubs, metal bollards, chain link fences and even nothing at all! What do you feel is appropriate? What will make the area safer for the property owners and the park’s environment? How would you be willing to help? Monetary donations, hiring a landscape architect, assisting in lobbying the city? Please share your thoughts here.
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MEETING WITH THE PAYNE FOUDATION
Next week we meet with the Payne Foundation. We will discuss appropriate parcels to cast the wildflower seeds planted in Hollywoodland and HGP through the Sherman Company in 1925. Several property owners have offered their lots for these plantings. Some lots offer more favorable conditions to create a hillside bloom. If you are interested in being a part of the seed planting program please submit a photo of your lot, the address, the legal description or the square footage of the land and the percentage of grade for the parcel before September 21.
During the 2015 council election we had a professional, well designed presentation created by one of the candidates. The purpose was to plant over the unauthorized vista site and restore the native plants. The submission designed by a licensed landscape architect, reflected the historical plantings implemented by the Sherman developers while also dismissing the sightline view.
If you forgot what this area off Mulholland Hwy and Canyon Lake Drive looked like before the unauthorized alterations and illegal pathways (trampled by the many visitors) go to google earth and compare 2010 to today!
INDIVIDUAL DEFECATES ON HGP LAND! OH My goodness! WHAT NEXT?
More disrespect for the land, the environment and other humans and animals living in the adjacent park space.
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This is what one of the HGP neighbor’s living adjacent to HGP observed: “This doesn’t even deserve words . We saw two women peeing back there today and when I had a closer look a few minutes ago this is what I found.←↑
Meanwhile these men were scaling the hillside clearly marked that the hillside is protected. I nicely asked him if he saw the sign. And after a nasty exchanged he threw a rock at me and also used vulgar language.
REPLANTING OF THE ORIGINAL, NATIVE CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWERS
In conjunction with the Theodore Payne Foundation the replanting of the original Hollywoodland Gifted Park native California wildflowers currently will be scheduled for some time in November, 2015.
Please check back for additional details.
Unauthorized access: legal action. Larchmont Ledger, July 29,2015
Lingering Lawsuits
BEACHWOOD CANYON—A group of home and business owners operating under the name Homeowners on Beachwood Drive United (HBDU) have filed a lawsuit against the city over tourists using Beachwood Drive to access a popular view of the Hollywood Sign within Griffith Park.
John Schwartz, an individual who owns a home on Beachwood Drive, is also listed as a petitioner in the suit, which alleges the “enjoyment and safety of his home…has been severely compromised by the large numbers of people who use his street to gain access to [the sign].”
Beachwood Drive, which has no sidewalks and is only 30 feet wide at some points, is the main—and in many cases, the only—access point to more than 500 Beachwood Canyon homes, and the influx of tourists on the street has caused several safety issues, alleges the suit.
The lawsuit was filed in response to former Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge opening a new entrance to Griffith Park at the top of Beachwood Drive in January.
According to the suit, LaBonge specifically promoted the new entrance as an access point for tourists and residents to view the Hollywood Sign.
This resulted in “a steady flow of people, sometimes as many as thousands per day…creating a series of dangerous conditions for the homeowners,” according to the lawsuit.
Although parking restrictions were put in place earlier this year following a problematic increase in traffic on Beachwood Drive, the suit alleges that hundreds of pedestrians use the narrow street to access the sign daily, which also causes safety issues.
This suit against the city is one of many that David Ryu, newly elected representative for Council District 4 (CD4), has inherited. Others include disputes over the Hyperion Bridge redesign in Atwater Village, a proposed performance stage in Griffith Park and two proposed baseball fields, also in Griffith Park.
Additionally, a lawsuit was also filed against the city by Sunset Ranch Hollywood Stables, Inc. regarding the city’s contruction of a gate on the ranch’s property to discourage visitors from using No. Beachwood Drive to take photos of the Hollywood Sign, and two other possible lawsuits are being considered in reference to the Academy Museum project on Wilshire Boulevard at Fairfax Avenue and the city’s Mobility Plan, which envisions the removal of lanes of some major streets in the area, as well as throughout the city, for to make way for bicycle lanes and more sidewalks.
Sarah Dusseault, Ryu’s chief of staff said that the councilmember hopes to be more proactive going forward and that he hopes by reaching out to neighborhoods “early and often” for their opinions, he can prevent future lawsuits.
“Communities and neighborhoods felt like they weren’t being heard. When that process breaks down, that’s when litigation happens,” Dusseault said.
According to Dusseault, the council office is currently talking with advocates concerned about the Academy Museum project, which has not yet reached the point of litigation despite threats from groups who oppose the project.
“When a community member speaks, we need to listen,” she said. “They live in the community, they’re the ones experiencing it.”
According to a spokesperson with the City Attorney’s office, there have been 10 land-use lawsuits filed against CD4 over the last few years and five filed in the last six months.
Currently, there are 141 active land-use lawsuits filed against the city, according to Rob Wilcox, spokesperson for the City Attorney.
Of those, Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell’s District 14, has the most, with 14 lawsuits pending.
City encouraging people to park, hike and traverse!
There is only one official, safe public opening into the Hollywoodland Gifted Park. That opening is off Canyon Drive in Bronson Canyon. This opening offers pedestrian access with sidewalks on each side of the street, the incline is a gentler grade, the street less curving, there are public bathrooms, drinking water sources and two large official gravel parking lots holding 150 cars.
So why does the city continue to encourage people to park, hike and traverse into Hollywoodland proper with all its unsafe infrastructure? Boggles a logical mind!
Think about this: Within a six day period of time three search and rescue operations took place within the Hollywoodland gifted park area:
* May 31, Illegal vista site phase 2, 4 passenger vehicle rolled over the west side of the ravine missing the playground section of the Lake Hollywood Park 
* June 3, rescue near the Girl’s Camp adjacent to the illegal Hollyridge/Beachwood hiking trail.
* June 5, rescue from the illegal entrance at Beachwood Drive passed the Sunset Ranch
Guess who is underwriting the costs of these irresponsible hikers? The property tax payers of the City of Los Angeles