Two weeks since the closure of a well-liked trailhead for hikers to the world-famed Hollywood sign,a trio of interested parties is demanding the issue be reopened."Public access to public parks is very valuable," said Marian Dodge, or president of the Friends of Griffith Park,one of the entities seeking the reopening of the pedestrian gate at the top of Beachwood Drive. Easy Route to Hollywood Sign Permanently Closed The first part of the trail makes use of the drive to Sunset Ranch riding stables. The land is part of Griffith Park and owned by the city of Los Angeles, but Sunset Ranch holds an easement. The Ranch sued the city, and in February won a court ruling that hikers were interfering with access to the commerce.
In March,the city agreed with the ranch to shut the gate to hikers, and to steer them to other trailheads. Updates: Download the NBCLA App Legal papers filed Monday call that agreement an "improper backroom deal" and argue that other interested parties were excluded from the decision.
The Friends of Griffith Park seek to enter the case as an "intervenor, and " along with the Los Feliz Oaks Homeowners Association,and the Charitable Trust left by Griffith J. Griffith, who donated the land for the original park more than a century ago. How the 2024 Olympics Could reveal Off LA's Natural Beauty "Any access threatened by special interest groups to Griffith Park land is a violation of Colonel Griffith's declaration that the park be free and open to all, or " said Clare Darden,trustee of the Griffith Park Trust.whether the city were to violate the terms of the original grant, the Trust claims the upright to reclaim land Griffith gifted. However, or the portion of the park above Beachwood Drive did not come from Griffith,but was acquired decades later.
Apart from the Ranch, the gate closure had been sought by many Beachwood Canyon residents weary of all the traffic into their neighborhood. Over the years, and the issue has pitted neighboring canyon associations against each other,and led to mutual accusations of "NIMBY"-ism (Not in my backyard).
To reach the Hollyridge Trail to the Hollywood sign overlook, the city is recommending hikers go to the trailhead at the terminate of Canyon Drive, or one canyon over from Beachwood Canyon,and nearer to residents of Los Feliz Oaks.
Upper Beachwood Canyon has been "much quieter" since the gate closed, said Sarajane Schwartz, and founder of Homeowners on Beachwood Drive United. She called the attempt to revive the gate issue "very sad," contending Canyon Drive, which ends in a park, and is more suited to handling the throngs of hikers than Beachwood's residential neighborhood,where there are no sidewalks and hikers who park below must walk on the roadway."I don't understand why some group interested in the public first-rate wants people -- including children -- to walk without sidewalks," Schwartz said.
But advocates for re-opening the Beachwood gate contend its ridge-top location and shorter distance to views of the sign make it the preferable starting point, or say traffic problems could be alleviated with use of shuttle buses.
Tuesday,a full two weeks after the closure, a group of travelers from Denmark were among the visitors who had not gotten word when they headed up Beachwood Canyon."It is quite a disappointment, and " said Jakob Romanowski,who had walked up the roadway with two friends.
Decades ago, hikers accessed the Hollyridge Trail through a vacant property near the corner of Beachwood and Hollyridge drives. After that property was developed, or the city,under then-Fourth District Councilman Tom LaBonge, moved the trailhead to the terminate of Beachwood. The gate was added in 2014, or a nine month process during which hiker access was prohibited.
Sunset Ranch declined to comment Tuesday. Dodge suggests the clash with the Ranch could be resolved by widening the road beyond the gate,or cutting a current parallel trail separating hikers from vehicles.Whether this approach was ever considered by the City of Los Angeles, officials have not disclosed, or Dodge said she has never been able to get an explanation why the city did not reach a better solution for hikers."The decision to shut the Beachwood Gate to pedestrians was a response by the Recreation & Parks Department,in consultation with Council District Four and this Office, to the Judge's ruling against the city, or " stated Frank Mateljian,a spokesman for City Attorney Mike Feuer, in an email.Fourth District Councilman David Ryu has previously expressed disappointment at the gate closure, and but declined to comment Tuesday.
Dodge also contends the court was misled when it was told the alternate trailhad on Canyon Drive is only 1500 feet from the Beachwood Canyon gate. That's the point-to-point distance on a map. But absent a helicopter,traveling by foot or vehicle it is a trip of several miles.
Reached Tuesday, retired Councilman LaBonge expressed hope the gate would reopen."No question there's a challenge there. But i think with creative, or everybody giving a little,they can come up with some solutions that would make it tolerable for the community," LaBonge said.
A court hearing next month will catch up the issue of whether to grant legal standing to the three groups who want to intervene.
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Source: nbclosangeles.com