Corralitas Drive: "When I Sit On The Planning Commission..."

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 24, 2013.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

When I sit on the Planning Commission, no discretionary action will be approved without undergrounding utility lines & providing ample space designed to contain trashcans off the street and out of the driveway (among many other mitigations).  But that's just another reason why I'll never be named to the Planning Commission.  

NOTE: The log cabins were built prior to the Hillside Ordinance, the advent of curbside recycling and the giant 3 trash bins per dwelling unit.  I just get pissed off when power lines and trashcans ruin a lovely photograph.

LA River: Recreational Zone Update

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  Under the proposed recreational zone between North Atwater Park and the Confluence, even on-leash dogs would be banned from walking in the river channel.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

The LA City Council Ad Hoc LA River Committee continued discussion on the proposed recreational zone for non-motorized boating on our section of the LA River until February 28, 2013.  City Council File: 11-1403 

 

Neighbors in Atwater and Elysian Valley are very worried by the rush to open the recreation zone by this summer.  They have legitimate concern their neighborhoods will be overrun by urban kayakers looking for parking on neighborhood streets.  Kayakers won't just stick to the assigned parking lots.   

 

A whole lot of changes are coming to the LA River.  If you're concerned you should probably hear what the CD13 City Council Candidates have to say:

Atwater Chamber of Commerce

City Council CD13 Candidate Forum

TONIGHT

January 30, 2013

6-9PM

Atwater Ave Elementary School Auditorium

3271 Silver Lake Blvd

Atwater 90039

 



Fletcher Drive & Glendale Blvd: 1927

Photo: Los Angeles City Engineering Notebook V28-209, AAA of Southern California Archive, USC Digital Archive.  1928.  Looking down Fletcher toward Riverside Drive.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

In order for the City to pave Fletcher in 1927, they had to lower the roadbed and replace the center section of the all wood trestle Pacific Electric Red Car Trolley Viaduct with steel. 

 

The vacant lot just behind the car on the right is the site where Astro Family Restaurant has been since 1960.  Read more about the history of Astro: The Eastsider

Silver Lake: How Do You Hold A Silver Lake City Council Candidate Forum & NOT Ask A Single Question About The Reservoir?



Photo: Shawnda Thomas Faveau, March 2, 2008.  Silver Lake Reservoir.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council held a CD13 City Council Candidate Forum last night.  It was the first time all 12 candidates showed up.  However the format precluded fair & open participation by the audience (in which campaign staff and supporters seemed to outnumber actual audience members).   

 

Audience members were asked to submit questions written on forms at the door.  The moderator edited and chose which questions to ask - which seemed to mostly be about neighborhood councils rather than actual issues pressing in Silver Lake.

 

Although the moderator admitted several questions about the Silver Lake Reservoir were submitted, he chose not to read any.  I submitted a very good question about Small Lot Subdivision.  It too was ignored. 

 

As expected, there was no in-depth discussion about any of the big development issues pending in Silver Lake (300 units coming to Sunset Junction, around 100 units in different projects at the 2 Freeway Terminus), or Elysian Park (888 units proposed at Barlow Hospital.)

 

Most of the candidates who haven't spent as much time in the district as others seemed to embrace the murals throughout the community and all eat at the same restaurants. 

 

The election is March 5.  Early voting starts next week. 

 

Keep up with all the latest on The Eastsider's LA City Voter Guide

 

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Community Residents' Association for Parks cannot endorse a candidate. 

 



LA River: Proposed Recreation Zone Will Ban Even On-Leash Dogs From River "Channel"

Photo: D. Hibbs..  Walking in the riverbed near Sunnynook Bridge.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

 

All dogs will be banned from the LA River channel as a part of the LA River Recreational Zone Pilot Program set for a public hearing Monday.  The LA City Council Ad Hoc River Committee is looking to open the Glendale Narrows to recreational, non-motorized boating this summer. 

 

Buried deep in the rules that will be posted in the river channel (year round) is the ban on dogs, even on-leash dogs.  People will be allowed in the channel (no swimming, skateboarding or biking in the channel), but not dogs or other pets.  The LA River channel is defined as the slopes below the bike path, going down to the river, the flat part in the riverbed and the river itself. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson. Near Atwater Creek aka North Atwater Park.

 

North of Fletcher, there is ample room to walk down in the riverbed.  It's quieter to walk in the riverbed because you're below the freeway noise.  It's also a lot more interesting.  It offers a view on wildlife that most people never realized is in their backyard. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson.  Near Newell Street, Elysian Valley, don't try this in the rain.

 

While the flat parts of the channel in Elysian Valley are not as wide, there are places to explore too. Require a maximum 6' leash (no expandable 20' leashes - to protect wildlife) and require picking up after your dogs.  (I've encountered more human feces piles in the river than dog feces piles.  The homeless still use the river storm drain outlets as a bathrooms.) 

Photo: Diane Edwardson. The bike path in Elysian Valley is very narrow and soon will be your only option when you take your dog to the river.

 

Under the proposed soon-to-be-posted rules, on-leash dogs will only be allowed on the bike path between North Atwater Park and The Confluence. The bike path is not easy to walk with a dog.  You're constantly looking over your shoulder because you can't hear bikes coming up from behind due to the noise of the 2 & 5 Freeways and the idling trains at the Metrolink Maintenance Yard.  (If you think it's loud, imagine how loud it is for dogs - their hearing is way more sensitive than ours.)  It's stressful for all parties involved. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson.  North of the Hyperion Bridge.

 

Walking the slopes in the river channel on a dry day provides a good core workout and a bike-free place to walk with a dog.  You don't have to worry about getting tangled up with a passing bicyclist. 

 

I've often seen women walking the river alone with their dogs. Dogs give them a sense of safety they would not have if they left their dogs at home.

 

With two pedestrian/bike bridges planned (North Atwater & Taylor Yard) pedestrians with on-leash dogs won't even be able to escape the bikes on the east side of the river.  Our only choice is walking in the river channel if we want to enjoy the LA River with our dogs.  Yet the City is failing to consider this option in their rush to make the summer boating program happen by this summer.

Photo: Diane Edwardson.  Hyperion Bridge. 

 

We support the Recreational Boating Program in the Glendale Narrows portion of the LA River between North Atwater Park and The Confluence.  However we urge the City to reconsider the rule to ban dogs in the LA River channel in the policies & regulations set forth by the MRCA.  The policy should be to restrict dogs to on-leash only and owners must pick up and properly dispose of dog waste.

 

The recreation zone report is expected to be voted on by LA City Council Ad-Hoc River Committee, Monday January 28, 2013.

 

Links: City Council File 11-1403 

Draft River Access Report

Kayaking Glendale Narrows: The Patch

The Patch 1-28-13

The Eastsider 1-28-13



Corralitas Drive: Rainfall Totals

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 26, 2013.  Clouds were dramatic over the Eastside this morning.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Despite a day of rain yesterday, we had little to speak of in the Corralitas Drive rain gauge:

 

January 25-25, 2013: 0.25"

 

Season to date: 5.57"

Red Car Canyon: Mudwatch, Rainfall Totals

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 24, 2013.  Red Car Canyon Lake is walkable if you step carefully.  Not a park, it just looks like one.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

We're tracking rainfall totals in our Corralitas Drive rain gauge:

 

January 24, 2013: 0.9"

 

Season to date: 5.22"

 

Red Car Canyon: Lost Kitty From Riverside Place

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 23, 2013.  Hitch's owner made sure you couldn't miss the flyers in the canyon area.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Coyote Alert:  A neighbor from Riverside Terrace told me of his recent coyote encounter in Red Car Canyon.  He was walking his two big dogs on leash around 9PM when 3 coyotes started circling and stalking him, attempting to lure the "smaller" of the two dogs away. 

This is not the first time he's run into the 3 coyotes after dark.  There always seem to be 3 and they definitely work in a pack.  He yelled at them and threw rocks to try to chase them off.  He was surprised at how bold they are. 

Neighbors have seen coyotes day and night in the neighborhood.  If you feed your pets outdoors, pic up the food bowls immediately after they eat.  Do not leave trash & recycle bins open (even when empty - the smell attracts rats, raccoons & coyotes).  If your trash bins are damaged or broken call 311 and get them replaced. 

Silver Lake Neighborhood Council: City Council Candidate Forum, Monday, January 28, 2013

Photo: Alissa Walker, May 19, 2012.  Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract was the wake up call of the decade for hillside residents who thought the impossibly steep and park-like urban forest would never get developed.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

 

With 12 men vying to replace the termed out (& mayoral candidate) Eric Garcetti in CD13, don't expect a lot of in-depth discussion about hillside development.

 

Silver Lake Neighborhood Council

CD13 Candidate Forum

 

Monday, January 28, 2013

5:45 - 9 PM

 

Holy Virgin Mary Church

650 Micheltorena

Silver Lake 90026



Corralitas Drive: What Are These Bees Doing?

Photos: Diane Edwardson, September 18, 2013.  Since the weather warmed up Friday, bees have been digging intently in the potted chives for the past few days.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

 

Dozens of bees at a time have been excitedly flying in and digging in the dirt, then flying back out in the same direction.  They are ignoring the the dirt in the adjacent potted basil and parsley.  They are just going nuts in the chives. 

So I emailed Red Car Property neighbor, blog contributor and Backwards Beekeeper Russell Bates.  He responded,

"That's pretty cool! I would guess that either:
--there's something sweet in that soil that they want, or

--they're collecting water from the soil because they don't have another nearby source for it."

 

I'm guessing they're finding something sweet in the soil, since they're not in any of the nearby pots.  A couple of their comrades drowned in the nearby dog bowl.  

LA River: Boating Coming This Summer To Elysian Valley & Atwater? Community Meeting Thursday, January 24, 2013

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 27, 2010.  Elysian Valley is one of the most scenic stretches of the LA River and it's walking distance from the Red Car Property.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

 

The summer boating program is coming to the Glendale Narrows section of the LA River -this summer - only this time it's free if you bring your own boat.   However, the big issue in both Atwater and Elysian Valley will be parking. 

 

In my head, I keep hearing the voice of my old friend Rey Dominguez (rest in peace), "Where are you going park all those cars?  On narrow neighborhood streets where families live and children play?  People aren't going to walk to the river with their kayaks!"

 

GO TO THE COMMUNITY MEETING:

 

Thursday, January 24, 2013

5 - 6:30 PM

 

LA River Center

570 W. Ave 26

Los Angeles, CA 90065

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 28, 2010.  LA River at Atwater Creek.

 

They also want to ban dogs from the riverbed. Again, I have not had a chance to review the report - so go to the meeting. The only place I can escape the bikes whizzing by at high speed on the narrow & crowded path, is to walk in the riverbed with my dog on a leash. But then, I also pick up after my dog. 

 

Read the full story: Silver Lake Echo Park Patch

 

You can also read the "Draft River Access Report" pdf on the Patch.  I could not pull it up on the City's LA River Committee website.

Corralitas Drive: Wild Parrots Enjoying Warm Weather After Cold Snap

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 18, 2013.  I finally managed to capture a photo of one of the many wild parrots I regularly hear flying through the neighborhood.  I literally just pointed in the direction of the really loud squawking and got lucky.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Two or three parrots were squawking up a storm Friday chasing each other through the trees atop Corralitas Drive.  Each time they'd land in one, I strained to see them, only catching a flash of green as they sped off to another tree.  They stopped for quite some time screaming at each other in one of our palm trees.  Then I got lucky with the one photo above.  I was surprised at the length of their tails when they flew off. 

 

I've seen stories and photos through the years on The Eastsider and most recently, in the Eagle Rock Patch about the non-native wild parrots.  For years I've seen and heard them flying & squawking over the neighborhood.  They sometimes loudly flock in our rubber trees, eating the fruit, making a mess, but I never manage to get a photo.  

 

According to the California Parrot Project, this might be either a Yellow-chevroned Parakeet or a White-winged Parakeet.  Unfortunately, this was the only shot I got.

 

The California Parrot Project was set up by Kimball Garrett of the LA County Natural History Museum to track the distribution of parrots in California.  They invite the public to participate by reporting parrot sightings on their website. 

 

Allesandro Way & Lake View Ave: 2009

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 1, 2009.  Photo matches one of the corner of Allesandro Way & Lake View Ave from 1962.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Trees filled in on the narrow 2 Freeway parkway to help clean the air from the daily standstill traffic on the freeway.  If CalTrans removes the trees and puts in sound walls as planned, sound walls will not clean the air, they will only create a prison like atmosphere and reduce the quality of life for those nearby. 

 

Click here for all our sound wall related posts.

Allesandro Way & Lake View Ave: 1962

Photo: Antonio F. Futterer, Holyland Exhibition, 1962.  The 2 Freeway sliced into that hillside where Corralitas Walk runs down the chain link fence to Corralitas Drive and the Red Car Property.  (The 2 Freeway is about 20' below the chain link fence on the right.)  Unfortunately, we don't have a good "before" shot to compare it to.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Also worth noting, CalTrans never saw fit to give us real sidewalks adjacent to the freeways.  It's just asphalt with a curb, blocked with telephone poles so you can't even walk down the "sidewalk" without stepping off the curb.

 

Click here for all our 2 Freeway history related posts.

Lake View Ave Near India St: ICY!

 

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, January 15, 2013, 7:45 AM.  Vandiveer was out for an early morning run; discovered ice on the sidewalk in Lake View Ave near India St.  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

No word if ice was a factor in the early morning big rig crash that closed the 5 Freeway at the 2 Freeway from 3:30 AM for 5 hours.  (There's a reason Riverside Drive is a designated secondary highway.) 

Freezing temperatures in the early morning hours make for slick patches of sidewalks and roadways - so step carefully and slow down while driving!  This is not typical Los Angeles winter weather.  Can snow be far behind?

See also  Will Campbell's Silver Lake Skate Pond: The Eastsider

Corralitas Drive: Sunrise Hawkwatch

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 14, 2013.  At dawn, one of the big Red Tailed Hawks was scoping out the view from one of their favorite trees on the 2 & 5 Freeway Interchange (Glassell Park in background).  (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

LA River To Red Car Property Via Fletcher Drive: 2 Historic Landmarks

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  Last week, we walked down in the riverbed on the Atwater side of the LA River, from Glendale Blvd.  It's quieter and no bikes running down pedestrians.  That's the City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark Fletcher Bridge over the LA River. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  At the Fletcher Drive east entrance to the LA  River,  the Water with Rocks gate creates a dramatic entrance.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  The historic 1927 Fletcher Bridge is not exactly pedestrian friendly with traffic racing past at high speeds.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  Fletcher on the west side of the river is more pedestrian friendly than was 15 years ago.  Really, it's only 2 blocks to the Red Car Property from here.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  Between the 5 Freeway and Riverside Drive, Fletcher has a 20' wide sidewalk. with a variety of posts and poles and no trees. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  Cross Riverside Drive, pass the Arco Station and head up the hill at the City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark, Pacific Electric Red Car Trolley Viaduct Footings, and you're back to trespassing on the relative quiet of the Red Car Property.

 

LA River: Odd Duck, Posing Cormorants, Little Dinosaur

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013. If the duck has fleshy red welts on its face; it's a Muscovy Duck.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  A flock of Cormorants was taking the sun in the middle of the river.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  They basked near the remnants of the sad clown girl graffiti on the west river bank, below the Sam Menlo-owned RiverGlen Apartments.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  If you're lucky, you can see a Great Blue Heron take off in their ungainly way.



Photo: Diane Edwardson. It appears to take great effort for these large birds to get airborne. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  Even flying low over the reeds, Great Blue Heron just seem like Pterodactyls. 

 

Earlier this week, we took a walk from Atwater to the Red Car Property via the LA River.  We've been publishing photos that caught our eye en route.



LA River: Ambush Predator

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  If you watch the Great Blue Heron hunting in the LA River, you'll notice they stalk slowly through the reeds, craning and curving their neck forward, blending in with the shape of the reeds, standing motionless for quite some time as they await unsuspecting prey. They strike quickly with their sharp beak, eating all fish and small aquatic creatures.  (Click on photo to enlarge)

 

Learn more about Great Blue Heron: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 

The other day we walked from Atwater to the Red Car Property via the LA River.  We're reviewing the stuff we saw along the way.

 

Allesandro Street: Truck Flies Off 2 Freeway, Five Injured

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 1, 2009.  (Stock photo.)  If the sound wall had already been constructed, it might have been 5 dead today.

 

A truck crashed through the trees and chain link fence from the 2 Freeway onto Allesandro near Whitmore this afternoon.  Got an email from a neighbor wondering what was happening since there were 10 police cars and a fire engine there. 

 

Read the story with photo: The Eastsider

LA River: Sunnynook Footbridge Seen Through Hyperion Bridge

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  The Sunnynook Footbridge, just north of the Hyperion Bridge, is sturdier than it looks.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

 

There was a lot of email discussion in the activist circles last week about the "North Atwater Multi-Modal Bridge over the Los Angeles River."  All I can say is, do we really need a high profile, monumental suspension bridge on this part of the river for non-motorized transportation?  The main mast will be as tall as those power line towers.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 9, 2013.  The Hyperion Bridge manages to be monumental, yet low profile, not detracting from the hillsides of Griffith Park.



Corralitas Drive: Red Tailed Hawk Has A Taste For Gophers; Not Yet Adept At Catching Them

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 8, 2013.  I heard an odd hawk call, with rustling in the tree near my back door, so grabbed my camera.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

This appears to be the same very large, young Red Tailed Hawk that several neighbors and I have seen engaging in the same types of hunting behavior lately.  It doesn't have the patience to wait out the prey as long as the more experienced hunters do. 

 

I watched as it made several ungainly, flappy attempts to catch something on the ground in the neighboring yard. Each time, it either took off from, or flew through a densely branched tree - not typical Red Tail behavior in this neighborhood. Unfortunately, the trees also obscured my view and I couldn't get clear photos of the action either.  After several failures it flew off to the low branches of a Eucalyptus in the middle of the 2 Freeway.

Corralitas Drive: Last Hawk Photo Of 2012

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 30, 2012.  The Red Tails were soaring the Santa Anas in last week.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Drive: Rainfall Totals

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 1, 2012.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

We're tracking rainfall in the Corralitas Drive rain gauge:

 

January 6, 2013: 0.3"

Season to date: 4.32"

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Stuff You Missed Last Year Because We're Trying Not To Look Across The 2 Freeway

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 24, 2012.  Some neighbors are reminded every day how great the loss of 4 acres of urban forest and a complete regrading of the slope in the controversial Semi Tropical Spiritualists' Tract 16-lot subdivision has been for the neighborhood.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

Gee, once Cal Trans cuts down the trees on the opposite side of the 2 Freeway and builds sound walls, it will certainly improve the neighborhood!

Red Car Property: New Year, Same Old Problems

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 1, 2013.  In April 2012, someone cut down this 16' Eucalyptus on the Red Car Property, off Adelbert. It's still a fire hazard today because Eucalyptus are oily trees. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

 

The tree was cut down last April.  We reported it to CD13 with photos promptly; got no response.  In June we posted it to the blog along with all the other fire hazards on the Red Car Property. For 9 months we repeatedly sent photos and details of all problem lots' APNs to CD13.

 

In September, we walked two CD13 deputies through the property and pointed out the tree again.  The City was even out doing brush clearance on (the recently listed for sale) private property that day.  One of the deputies spoke to a supervisor on site.  And yet the tree remained.  We followed up to no avail.

 

The tree may actually be in the 30' wide Adelbert street right-of way, which should make it the responsibility of the Dept of Street Trees - maybe. Now those adjacent Eucalyptus are looking pretty dry too. 

 

I guess we're supposed to be grateful it's not as bad as it was 13 years ago.  At some point, you just have to give up and hope no one discards a cigarette into the tree.  It should not be this difficult to get rid of a well documented fire hazard.

 

Corralitas Drive: New Year's Hawk

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 1, 2013, 12:05 PM.  A large Red Tailed Hawk was staring intently at the ground below one of their favorite telephone poles on Corralitas Drive.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, January 1, 2013.  What was it hunting?  Gopher.  Sadly, it did not catch one this time.  I wish the hawk would come hang out in our yard, we've got plenty of gophers to go around.