Red Car Property Lot C: More Uncovered Truckloads Of Dirt, Bulldozer Delivery

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 22, 2017.  At 7 AM yesterday, more uncovered truckloads of dirt began arriving for the Riverside Drive construction site, using the Red Car Property north of India Street.  

The motorhome, parked on the Red Car Property with someone living in it, has become a permanent feature of the site since October.

The Red Car Property is not a park, nor is it a city street right of way.  Silver Lake Court is west of the Red Car Property.  This is Lot C north of India Street.  

More than a year ago the architect for the adjacent Riverside Drive 13-unit development told me they would not be using the Red Car Property for deliveries, hauling nor storage of vehicles or equipment or for access to their site. 

They fail to make any attempt to control fugitive dust while driving on the Red Car Property.  That shouldn't be surprising since they also make no attempt at covering the dirt in the truck beds as required by state and city codes.  No haul route was established for the site. The route to this part of the Red Car Property involves hairpin turns on Substandard Hillside Streets that go past the driveways for Allesandro Elementary School. 

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 22, 2017.  A mini bulldozer arrived early Friday morning too.

Red Car Property, Lot C: Choking On Dirt From Riverside Drive Construction

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 21, 2017.  Dump trucks hauled loads of dirt to and from the Riverside Drive construction site using the dirt roadway of Red Car Property north of India Street today.  The fugitive dust is out of control.  A neighbor reports at least six truck trips before 11 AM today.  They are not supposed to be using the Red Car Property for access, hauling or storing of equipment.  They've been doing all three.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, December 21, 2017. They are not keeping the dirt roadway sufficiently dampened to control fugitive dust.  In fact, they are not wetting the dirt road at all. They are not covering the truck loads of dirt, nor did they give notice to neighbors for hauling activity.  All of these things are boilerplate requirements by Building & Safety under the Los Angeles Municipal Code.  But then so is having a phone number posted on the construction fence.  It's not posted up here where people live.

Photo: December 21, 2017.  The motorhome (on the other side of the dump truck) has been parked behind the locked fence across the Red Car Property since October.  

The developer has an agreement with the Red Car Property owner to fence off a portion of the Red Car Property during construction of Riverside Drive lots.  The Riverside Drive development supposedly does not include the Red Car Property.

Since the motorhome arrived in October, neighbors report increased vehicle traffic at all hours, to and from the construction site.  The guy who lives in the motorhome uses a car to drive to and from his motorhome, as do his friends.  

According to neighbors, since the motorhome arrived, there's also been an increase of suspicious activity and dumping, north from India Street, on the Red Car Property.  There are also people living in sheds on a historically problematic, Red Car Property adjacent, Riverside Drive property.  

Motorhome usually parked on Allesandro, now behind locked gate above Riverside Dr construction site on Red Car Property @MitchOFarrell pic.twitter.com/HW9uMdLxiV

— Corralitas (@RedCarProperty) October 15, 2017

The Red Car Property is a lawless place.

Red Car Creek: Flowing From The Red Car Property To Riverside Drive

Photos: Jonathan Vandiveer, January 5, 2016, all before 10:15 AM.  Red Car Creek flowed north from runoff of the hills above (Lake View and Silver Ridge) toward India Street.  "The heavy rain had stopped about 15 minutes before I took these pictures, just some light rain at the moment," Vandiveer wrote in an email.  "Not as dramatic as it could have been."

If you think there is not a lot of water in the next few photos, skip down to the last one -  Riverside Drive at Allesandro Elementary School.

From the Red Car Property, the stormwater flows from the Red Car Property onto India Street.

India Street is lucky to have sidewalks on both sides of the street, as it is much steeper than it photographs.  India Street is only a block long, east of the Red Car Property, where it ends at Riverside Terrace.  There are no storm drains on India or Riverside Terrace.

From Glen Eden the stormwater continues downhill taking a quick left from Riverside Terrace onto Glen Eden.  Glen Eden is a very steep street that is the only way to reach not only a large number of homes in the neighborhood, it is also the only way to drive into both parking lots at Allesandro Elementary School.

Every time it rains, water and mud collect at Riverside Drive and Glen Eden.  The storm drains are not well placed for moving the water off the street.  The mud usually doesn't get cleaned up quickly either, creating a dangerous situation when cars try to drive up hill even once the rain stops.  

If you see blocked stormdrains, call 311.  According to the mayor, in a press conference today, they will be answering 24/7 this week, for storm drain emergencies, if you listen to the prompts.  You can also try this link on the City's website.

It's going to be a long El Niño year.  Send us your rain related photos from the Red Car Property neighborhood: redcarproperty@gmail.com
 

Regional El NiñoTown Hall, Thurs, Nov 5, 2015

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 15, 2015.  India Street entrance to the Red Car Property is a perennial problem spot in even a normal rainy season, as nothing stops the mud from flowing onto India Street other than the vernal pools.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

From the Red Car Property,  water and mud flows down the deceptively steep India Street, takes a right at Riverside Terrace, left onto the steep street of Glen Eden, past the parking lot entrance to Allesandro Elementary School and out onto Riverside Drive. 

A host of City departments will host four Regional El Niño Town Halls to help residents prepare for the "Godzilla El Niño" by learning about their community's risks.  Thursday's meeting is the only meeting in out area.

City of LA El Niño Town Hall

Thursday, November 5, 2015 

6:30 - 8:30 PM

Glassell Senior Center 

3750 Verdugo Road 

Los Angeles, CA 90065 

Ever Wonder Why There Is Always So Much Mud On Riverside At Allesandro Elementary School When It Rains?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 15, 2015.  Mud and debris are washed down from the Red Car Property at India Street  they take the path of least resistance - Riverside Terrace to Glen Eden to Riverside Drive just north of Allesandro Elementary School.  Click on photo to enlarge.)

Riverside & Fletcher: Clean Up Day, Saturday, February 21, 2015

Info: outreach@silverlakenc.org

Allesandro Elementary School Lockdown: Joys Of Hillside Living

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 13, 2014.  LAPD closed area streets around Allesandro Elementary School which was locked down for several hours this morning while they searched for a suspicious person on campus.  Read more: The Eastsider. 

Neighbors on Riverside Place, Riverside Terrace, India & those who park illegally on the Red Car Property were unable to drive out of the neighborhood during the lockdown as there is only one means of access to their streets behind Allesandro Elementary School.  At least one Riverside Place neighbor called his assistant to pick him up at Ralph's; he took the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase out the back way.  (Photo above shot from Silver Lake Ave stairs at the Red Car Property.)  

Other neighbors were scrambling to reschedule clients & explain to their bosses why they would be late to work since there was not a lot of news coverage, despite 3 news helicopters hovering nearby.  Once again, The Eastsider was first with the important local news.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 13, 2014.  LAPD helicopter circled aggressively for a couple of hours, here seen over Red Car Canyon - not a park, it just looks like one.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 13, 2014.  Neighbors atop Corralitas Drive felt their homes shaking from the low altitude circling by the LAPD.  At times, it seemed as if they were definitely lower than the 300' altitude above homes they are supposed to maintain.  Early in the lockdown, they seemed to be barely above the tree line atop our hill.  

We're glad the LAPD puts on a good show of force to prevent a school shooting tragedy.  It's just another joy of hillside living. 

Riverside Drive: Man Dies After Hit & Run In Front Of Allesandro Elementary

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 12, 2013. 

Thursday night, a 45 year old male pedestrian was hit by 2 cars that fled the scene in front of Allesandro Elementary School.

Read the full story: The Eastsider

Riverside Terrace & Silver Lake Ave: City Workers Removed "One Way" Street Sign

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, August 1, 2012.  A Red Car Property neighbor emailed me saying, this morning, they'd witnessed a City work crew removing the "One Way" street sign from the intersection of Riverside Terrace and Silver Lake Ave, behind Allesandro Elementary School.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, December 2, 2011.  The "One Way" sign is critical when school is in session. 

Riverside Terrace is about 14' wide at the intersection of Silver Lake Ave.  When school is in session parking is at a premium and mayhem ensues as parents drive around the back of the school to drop off kids in a very crowded residential neighborhood with limited street access.

Before receiving the email sent by the witness, I happened to be walking the neighborhood with two of CD13 City Councilmember Eric Garcetti's deputies (and another neighbor).  While I pointed out issues with this substandard intersection, Ryan Carpio, Silver Lake deputy, noticed the sign was missing.  I asked Carpio to please get it replaced ASAP.  I also forwarded to Carpio the email from the neighbor who witnessed the City crew removing the sign this morning.

Another neighbor emailed, "There is no room for two-way traffic on this street. It is bad enough in the morning with the traffic that is created due to children being dropped off at the school gate." 

Why would the City remove a sign critical to public safety, adjacent to a school?  Neighbors from Silver Lake Ave & Riverside Place will be following up.