Neighbors -
As many of you may know, the slide has created a flurry of media attention – particularly following the incident on Sunday, which essentially created an island, with part of Paseo and the lone, symbolic Palm tree on it. Having been interviewed by multiple networks, I have tried to remain optimistic about the future of the slide, that is, it has “defined” itself further following this major, shocking incident and that it has provided a sense of relief.
These comments are not meant to be construed that any of this is over, as the ground / land will continue to move and there will be more sliding, crumbling, etc. Importantly, PRA will try to keep you updated on the extent of this – through the coordinated means of the Coastal Neighborhood Council, City and County reports. There are plenty of considerations and outcomes as to the cause of this tragedy, as the City’s new geo-tech consultant gets busy in their work.
I’m pleased with the progress we have made in organizing and making sure those that should take ownership, do, and be held accountable to the extent of the progress, via their designated roles and our taxpayer dollars, and those we can trust to carry the coastal soul forward.
Most of all – trust yourself in making the smart, right decisions and participating in this process that, while the initial slide may have happened “quickly”, no matter the reason, we’re in for a quite a process to restore our coastline and its access. As residents, let’s not be divided, let’s stay glued and tuned in.
Most of all, stay positive and hopeful in the spirit of local volunteerism collaborating with many, many levels of government. There is a lot at stake and I appreciate your participation in the PRA and the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council to help foster positive outcomes for all of us.
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Here’s a message from Andrea Vona – Executive Director PVPLC / White Point Nature Preserve:
The landslide at Paseo del Mar has been the focus of our community energy and engagement for the past two months. It is gratifying to see how we have come together with energy, engagement, organization and information sharing over the past two months during this difficult and stressful time. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you at recent community meetings.
Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is proud to be part of this community. We are coordinating with our project partner for the White Point Nature Preserve, the City of LA Department of Recreation and Parks and also the 15th District Council office, the Mayor’s office and the Department of Water and Power (DWP).
I wanted to update you briefly about a few topics with regard to the White Point Nature Preserve:
- Sewer Connection- In late September the sewer line under Paseo del Mar was capped and the Preserve lost the sewer tie in for the restrooms in the Nature Education Center. We are working with the Department of Rec and Parks to determine an appropriate new connection point. Recreation and Parks has provided temporary restrooms on the site.
- Power Poles-Nine power poles were installed through the middle of the Preserve in order to maintain power to the sanitation pump station on the corner of Paseo del Mar and Western. At a coordination meeting we received a commitment from the DWP that the installation was temporary and that they would explore appropriate alternatives for the permanent routing of these poles once the slide had stabilized.
- Chain Link Fence- Due to safety concerns about people entering the slide, the City of Los Angeles met on November 10th and decided to install chain link fencing along the southern trail in the Preserve that runs north of the most active slide area. It has been confirmed by the City that this is a temporary fence and that the fence will be removed when it is once again safe for the public to enter that area.
- Irrigation- Any concern about the use of landscaping irrigation is unfounded. The only irrigation has been surface irrigation for limited periods to establish native drought tolerant habitat and small native plant demonstration gardens. The native plant demonstration garden has been irrigated following the City of Los Angeles’ water conservation measures.
- Mayor’s Office- To provide better access for concerned residents to stay informed about the slide, I requested that Mr. Ricardo Hong from the Mayor’s office meet with June Burlingame Smith, the President of the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council. June toured the slide area with Ricardo last week, to offer her a firsthand look and an opportunity for information exchange. I also requested that a mayor’s representative attend the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council meeting this evening, which they have confirmed.
With the closure and loss of a portion of the sidewalk on Paseo del Mar, many people are exploring White Point Nature Preserve for the first time. We welcome you all and hope your experience through the Preserve is an enjoyable one.
The Conservancy is dedicated to maintaining access for the public to the Preserve throughout this evolving landslide and its aftermath. The Nature Center is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10am – 4pm. The Ranger Walks are the second Saturday of each month from 10am – 12 noon (Free – provided by City of LA Dept. of Recreation & Parks).
We look forward to working creatively with the community for long term solutions to many of the temporary features that the Preserve has inherited due to this most unfortunate event.
We invite you to find out more about White Point and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy by visiting the Nature Center and our website at www.PVPLC.org. info@pvplc.org or call our office at 310-541-7613.
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