Scarce LAPD resources gathered to quell loose dogs and protect Westchester Bluff concrete devices
After months of persistant complaints from a single Westchester resident, Councilman Rosendahl, Playa Vista officials and LAPD announced a collaborative effort to protect the bluffs and concrete drainage devices from loose pets.
Taking a hardline against resident pet owners, canines and collaterally, responsible residents and kids who simply would like to be able to hike through the area, the city and Playa Vista installed 6 foot tall chain link fence along the entire eastern portion of Cabora Road to keep these pesky little pets and people from potentially trampling over monarch milkweed, sweet clover, buckwheat flower, pickleweed and other native plants.
Ironically this comes only months after the council office found itself at odds with Santa Monica officials when Mar Vista residents were not allowed to use a new dog park that the City of Santa Monica had built.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Kristen Coco
(310) 689-7539CITY TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE PROTECTION OF WESTCHESTER BLUFFS; ENFORCEMENT OF DOG LEASH LAWS TO BE STEPPED UP ON CABORA ROAD
Joint enforcement effort to begin November 21, 2007
PLAYA VISTA, Calif. (November 20, 2007)-In cooperation with Westchester community leaders and City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl’s office, Playa Capital Company, LLC and the Los Angeles Police Department are redoubling efforts to enforce existing city laws prohibiting access onto the Westchester Bluffs from Cabora Road. The program includes increased enforcement of the City’s dog leash law for any people walking dogs on Cabora Road.
Pedestrians are welcome to walk along Cabora Road, but they may not trespass onto the bluffs. Dogs may also be walked on Cabora Road, but must remain on-leash at all times and are also strictly prohibited from entering the bluff areas.
Private security officers will patrol the area daily from dawn to dusk, and will work in conjunction with the LAPD to enforce the trespassing and dog-leash laws, and, if violations occur, issue citations.
To assist in the protection of the bluff area, a new six-foot chain link fence is now in place along the southern side of Cabora Road. The fence includes signage encouraging visitors to adhere to the city municipal codes related to trespassing and dog leash requirements. The fence will also help to prevent damage to the concrete drainage devices along the bluffs, which have recently been vandalized and marked by graffiti.
“Playa Capital Company has provided two dog parks in the community and has worked with the neighborhood to protect the bluffs area along Cabora Road,” Councilmember Bill Rosendahl said. “I would like to thank Playa Capital Company for listening to community members and creating a win-win solution for residents and visitors.”
“The Los Angeles Police Department is committed to working with Playa Capital Company, Councilmember Rosendahl and the local community to ensure the protection of the Westchester Bluffs and to promote safety for all people who walk along Cabora Road with or without their dogs. We ask that all visitors respectfully abide by the City’s clear requirements,” said LAPD Senior Lead Officer Heidi Llanes.
In recent months, a number of trespassers have been accessing the bluffs and have damaged some of the plants and brush, increasing the potential for erosion to occur. In addition, people have violated city regulations by allowing their dogs to run off-leash on Cabora Road and, in some instances, letting dogs run off-leash in the bluff areas. Restricting access will maintain the vegetation that helps to anchor the hillside during the rainy season and protect native plant habitat. Visitors are also advised to obey city law and properly dispose of their pet waste while visiting Cabora Road.
Well, as a person that enjoys running on Cabora Road, I welcome the attention to leash laws. Many people seemingly use the place as a dog park. Sorry, but I believe my safety from potential dog bites is more important than dogs running free. There are some very arrogant dog people and have encountered my fair share on Cabora Road.
I’d agree with that. When your walking with your kids and a loose dog runs up to them it is a bit un-nerving and there is always that potential for being bit.
However, there are a couple of things at play here that I find very disconcerting. Personally I believe the unleashed dog issue was simply a vehicle used to restrict access to the area. The fence is a sledge hammer approach to addressing the problem. How about a 3 foot high fence instead? A fence with spring loaded gates allowing people inside but with a sign on it saying no dogs allowed inside? The solution could simply have been to keep your dog on a leash and cite those who don’t.
So ignoring dogs for now, this is what I am most concerned about:
The news release says this is a ” win-win solution for residents and visitors”. No it’s not
Thanks for posting this, Westchester Dad. I’m so hot about this… and was looking for somewhere to vent. This gave me more info than I had.
I just got back from a walk, and laid eyes on this fence for the first time. I nearly gagged. I had to temper my reaction because my kids were there… but this is COMPLETELY outrageous. I may have taken it out a little on the visible security guard (and I realize it wasn’t her fault). But I have lived here for many years, and have been all over these hills with my kids. They will NOT take that away. The off-leash issue is one thing (and, for gods sake, is there NOWHERE people and dogs aren’t regulated within an inch of their lives?) but cutting off access to these ravines is simply CRAP.
I just wrote the following letter to Councilman Rosendahl… only the start of what we can do. I want to fight this…. any idea of who the “one complaining resident” is?
Councilman Rosendahl…
I just took my kids & dog for a walk down the bluffs into Carbora Road, and I was incredibly shocked and dismayed at the new fencing put up on the south side of the road. To say I was outraged is kind of an understatement.
I own a bluff house with a gate down into the ravine. Are you, the city, and Playa Vista telling me that my access that I have enjoyed for the four years I’ve owned my bluff house and the 15+ years as a Westchester resident is now prohibited? I and my kids (and dog) have been all over these ravines safely for years. We’ve hiked the trails and played on the hillsides with no issues… ever.
The “safety” issue is questionable, as there really are no safety issues that I can see…. as is the “protection of native plants” issue, since twice a year, the grass and plants are cut off by weed-whacking workers all up and down the ravine, presumably for fire protection.
According to the press release, you had a big hand in this fencing. I am EXTREMELY disappointed and angry about this development. I have been under the impression that Playa Vista has been a reasonably good neighbor, considering how large a development it is. But this is an incredible slap in the face for the neighbors.
Please reconsider this. I ask the fencing be removed, and the status quo be restored.
I do know who the person is but it was private correspondence I had at the time I was amending the Westchesterkids.org page for them by adding a set of trail rules. Because it was private of that I cannot release the name.
However, this person has a series of complaints with the council office and that is public record so you should be able to find out from them.
Try contacting jim.kennedy@lacity.org
You make good points about the weed wacking which legitimately questions their claims about protecting native vegetation. Really they’re weeds and they’re being wacked down for fire control.
Also bluff residents have had access to the ravines and Cabora Road since Howard Hughes built the aircraft plant. As I noted in a previous posting, workers from Kentwood used walk to work using trails down through the ravines.
I have asked several of my cycling friends about the road above Playa Visa’s south end and have been told that it’s a nice place to ride but watch out for the dog crap! This is not first place that has had to be fenced off because some (certainly not all) people do not understand that owning a dog is a privelege and not a right. One of the responsibilities that goes with that privelage is to pick up after the animal. I see each and every day where dog owners watch their dog do it’s business and leave it for others to pick up. Blame the dog owners and not the people who are trying to keep places free for other to eventually use again. I don’t even want to get into parents who let their kids matress down hillsides full of vegitation. Come on, a little bit of responsible parenting, PLEASE!
Somehow I don’t think that parents are dragging mattresses up to the bluffs for their kids to slide down on. Anyone ever try moving a mattress just 50 feet? I also doubt that they slide very well over rocks and weeds.
If you find mattresses up there then they were dumped by somebody who didn’t want to make an effort to dispose of it legitmately.
As for the poop.. they are correct. There is poop all over the road. There are also these little plastic bag stations all over the place and so there is no excuse for dog owners not pick up after their dogs.
PV has a couple of really nice dog parks but because there is a man-made creek between them and Cabora, they are not at all accessible to Westchester residents unless they want to get in the car and drive up Lincoln and Jefferson. May PV should add a nice foot bridge feature to their backyard.
The bottom line folks is that there are opportunities for the city to procure open space areas and put in trails that everyone can use. However, our city leaders have not been actively trying to identify these areas much less procure them.
Since the area is not suitable for development, I think Playa Vista should gift the property over to the city and the city in turn should construct a composite dirt path from Centinela to Lincoln. Along the way there could be vantage points for people to sit and view the area.
Oh, I get it. The people of PV, who pay a special tax to develope special places within PV as well as re-doing Jeffersion Blvd, building a public library, and a fire station should NOW turn over a pathway to the city who is unable to build anything that their people will take the time to keep up. YES, we build dog parks for our aninals and their owners to enjoy and keep clean. Share them with Westchester people????? Which part of dumb can’t be understood.
Let’s do this again, if you have a beautiful front yard and the neighbors let their dogs crap on it, what do YOU do; maybe build a fence???
As much as they would like you to think so, this really is not about dogs or front yards. The bluffs are not a on anyones front yard.
Secondly, the pathway, i.e.Cabora Road, already belongs to the city.
Sorry, but I’m unclear to what the point is.
Tom Kravitz obviously doesn’t know the area or the issue. (“…the road above the south end of Playa Vista…”? “…front yards…”?) The worst that could happen (and I live there, so I know) is that a homeowner might have to look over their back fence and see a hiker or a dog on the hillside. Now, worst case, if the dog is pooping and the owner doesn’t clean it up, not good, but no big deal: you would have to make a special visit to SEE that dog poop outside on the hillside. And since the complainers are not interested in access to the hillside, it’s a non-issue. The issue just ISN’T dogs…
Neither is it preserving the environment, since, as I mentioned above, the ravines are weed-whacked yearly for fire prevention.
So what IS the issue?