Red Car Canyon: Swampy

Photos: Red Car Property Neighbor, January 12, 2023.  

Two days after a major storm dumped around 6” of rain on the neighborhood, Red Car Canyon was swampy but walkable.

Just stop driving through the canyon. The Red Car Property is not a park, but it still looks like one.

The pine tree leaning at a 45 degree angle has been been held up by another tree for decades.

Red Car Property: Iconic California Black Walnut Tree Crashed Down

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, December 31, 2021.

In a fitting end to 2021, a huge protected native California Black Walnut Tree, growing on the Lake View Ave side of the Red Car Property, fell victim to this week's deluge.  As the species evolved to do, it survived decades of the drought/deluge pattern of Southern California weather. It was likely too much rain, too fast, on a steep slope, combined with run-off from the built hillside environment, to keep the beloved tree upright.  

Photo: Stephanie Bartron, May 2020.  

Oddly, I have admired the tree for three decades, but have surprisingly few photos of just this large tree. The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2009.

The native tree was so large and  among a long row of large trees, it was often difficult to single out just one tree.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2010.  

The healthy Black Walnut thrived behind a home at one of the lowest points of elevation of Lake View Ave. It took advantage of significant hillside run-off. It was couple of houses north of Rose Scharlin Nursery School.

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, 2016. 

A previous owner of the Lake View Ave house told me, the tree was a big reason they bought the house.  Despite knowing the tree was on the Red Car Property, they took care of it. They even hired a certified arborist/tree trimmer to maintain it, because the tree brought value to not only their home, but their lives.

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, December 31, 2021. Same tree, reverse angle.

Upon seeing today's photos, several neighbors had the same reaction as I did, "Noooooo!"  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 10, 2016. 

The native Black Walnut towered over the trail on the Red Car Property.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2015.

The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.  We mourn the loss of another iconic native tree.

Riverside Place: Dangerous Dog Alert

Photos: Red Car Property Neighbors. June 24, 2021. One of the wounds requiring sutures.

Thursday evening, a neighbor and responsible Pit Bull owner was walking her dog, on-leash, accompanied by her 8 year old son.  As they approached the southern end of Riverside Place, 2 pit bulls broke out of their front gate and attacked the on-leash dog directly in front of the Pit Bulls' house. The street where the incident occurred is about 12-14’ wide with no sidewalks.

June 26, 2021.  The neighbor’s dog will recover from her wounds and is getting lots of love from her family.

Even after the owners came out of the house trying to restrain their dogs, one broke free and charged down the street after the woman walking briskly away with her still on-leash dog. With lightning speed, it attacked the dog a second time (verified on video from a neighbor). Neither the woman nor her son were bitten, but their dog required emergency surgery. She filed a report with the LA City Dept of Animal Services.

Similar Behavior Pattern

August 22, 2015.  The 2 Pit Bulls who attacked my dog just before they attacked a second dog in Red Car Canyon adjacent to Riverside Place.

Last week’s incident was so similar to the August 2015 attack, when 2 off-leash Pit Bulls, from the same house on Riverside Place, attacked my on-leash dog.  Once the owners “had a hold of their dogs,” they broke free and attacked another woman’s dog, 75' down the path in Red Car Canyon.  We both reported the incident to Animal Services, no action was taken.

Small Dog Killed in 2020 

After the neighbor in Thursday’s incident posted a warning to Next Door, she was contacted by a Red Car Property neighbor who’s Chihuahua was killed by one of the same Riverside Place owner's Pit Bulls in April 2020.   At the time, the dangerous Pit Bull was on-leash and dragged its owner across Lake View Ave, attacking the on-leash Chihuahua. The small dog died at the animal hospital as a result of the attack.  (Note: I’d heard this story last year, but could not verify it.) 

Again, a report was made to Animal Services and no action taken.  

I know there was another incident in the past few years on Riverside Place, where the same Pit Bulls broke out of their gate and attacked an on-leash small dog, walked by a woman pushing a baby stroller.  The neighbor who told me of the incident, also implored the woman to make a report to Animal Services because this is an unacceptable recurrence.  

In fact, all the nearby neighbors have multiple stories of the dangerous dogs from the same house on Riverside Place.  We've documented incidents with Animal Services.  Several Riverside Place neighbors have told me, "Those dogs have terrorized the neighborhood for years."

Make no mistake, it is terrifying to be on the receiving end of a Pit Bull attack. Most people  say, "I just won't walk there anymore."  This is not a practical solution.  It can happen anywhere to anyone.  These dogs have incredible speed and strength. I often witnessed the same 2 dogs racing down the Red Car Property, toward the 2 Freeway, frequently with no owner in sight (prior to, and after the attack on my dog).  

You are responsible for your dog at all times, both on and off your property.

Not all Pit Bulls are bad.  I know many well behaved pit bulls with responsible owners.  You need to do your homework before you adopt any dog, especially if you are adopting a dog built breed built like a tank. They are not suitable for everyone.

I wrote an extensive piece with lessons learned in the attack on my dog, with useful links to resources on preparing yourself as a Pit Bull owner and what to do to break up an attack: Corralitas Red Car Property: August 27, 2015

If you or your dog are attacked by another dog in the City of Los Angeles, report it to LA Department of Animal Services.

Red Car Property: Not A Park, Follow Us On Twitter

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 17,  2017.  Not a park, it just looks like one.

We apologize to our readers.  Due to other commitments, we're slow to publish to the blog lately.  We hope to be publishing regularly soon.  For timely updates, follow us on Twitter: @RedCarProperty

LAFD Declares Red Flag Parking Restrictions Will Be In Effect Again Thursday

Photo: Corralitas Neighbor, December 5, 2017.  Tuesday, neighbors who parked on the Freeway side of Corralitas Drive, in defiance of the Red Flag Day No Parking signs, got $68 tickets.  The point of the freeway side of the street being clear on Corralitas, where vehicle  access is extremely limited, is to have consistent access for emergency vehicles while leaving the street open for neighbors to escape safely.

After first lifting Red Flag parking restrictions 8 AM today, LAFD has called a Red Flag Day for tomorrow, Thursday December 7, 2017, beginning at 8AM.  Text of the message sent:

DATE/TIME: 12/06/2017 / 03:11:53PM

SUBJECT: RED FLAG PARKING RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT

The City of Los Angeles has declared that Red Flag No Parking Restrictions to be in effect starting 8:00 AM on 12/07/2017 and will remain in effect until further notice.

For additional information please visit our website at: http://notify.lafd.org/redflag OR call 3-1-1. Thank you for your cooperation.

Note: The Call Center's operating hours are from 08:00 AM to 4:45 PM daily including weekends and holidays.

Ref:notify.lafd.org-37005

LAFD Declared Red Flag Parking Restrictions In Effect Tues, Dec 5, 2017, Until Further Notice

Photo: Diane Edwardson September 9, 2009.  LAFD declared a Red Flag Day starting at 8AM, Tuesday, December 5, 2017.  LAFD's website has become difficult to sign up for, or change how you receive notices.  Some of us, who've been signed up for alerts since the program began, got notice; others did not.  Once again, I got a call and email but not a text.  I used to receive all three. I recommend following @LAFDtalk on Twitter.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor June 19, 2016.  The Silver Lake Fire illustrated why Corralitas Drive is a Red Flag Day No Parking street.  There is only one access road, Rosebud Ave, to about 52 homes on Corralitas Drive, a substandard Hillside Street with hairpin turns.  If you didn't drive out before the Fire Dept arrived, you could not drive off the hill.  June 19, 2017 was not a Red Flag Day.  Neighbors a half a mile away, reported 6" embers blowing past their homes.  

The recent fires in Orange County, Napa Valley and Santa Rosa were wind driven fires.

December 1, 2011, we had a major windstorm that knocked down trees, knocked out power and started a fire on Lake View Ave.  

Red Car Canyon: Not A Park, It Just Looks Like One

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 17, 2017.

Red Car Property: Marching Band

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 19, 2017.  Lake View Neighbors want to know, what's with the Fellini-esque marching band going up and down the Red Car Property late every Sunday afternoon?  Looks like they have drums, brass, at least one guitar and a flag girl or guy bringing up the rear.  

The neighbor who sent the photo says they're not really playing recognizable music, but they're a rag tag group, best described as "Fellini-ish."  Another neighbor speculated, "Maybe they're practicing for the Doo-Dah Parade."

Red Car Property: Sewer Maintenance

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, November 16, 2017.  The City contracts out routine sewer maintenance on the Red Car Property.  They were scoping the 8" sewer lines with a camera.  Workers explained, the City contracts out maintenance in areas where access is difficult and requires gaining access on multiple private properties.  They also said the City deferred maintenance for decades in difficult areas.

For reference, this post was actually published December 2, 2017 and backdated to when the photo was shot and first appeared on Twitter.

Red Car Canyon: Shredding Trees, Spreading Dust, But What About Insects & Pathogens?

Red Car Canyon: hope you closed your windows before you went to work today- they're heading toward Riverside Pl now pic.twitter.com/B7Hq5mjsKZ

— Corralitas (@RedCarProperty) September 14, 2017

Video: Red Car Property Neighbor, September 14, 2017.  While it's technically OK per LAFD to spread the tree shred/mulch around to help retain moisture on the slopes, it's not exactly the best thing for air quality during the chipping or shredding.  There's also the question of spreading pathogens of the dead trees.

After consulting a neighbor who is a landscape designer, and reading up on some of the local insects and pathogens, I can wholeheartedly say, if you have a sick, dead or dying tree, consult a certified arborist.  This issue is way beyond my skill set to simplify beyond the following advice.  There are too many ways to infest/infect other trees depending on the insect and or pathogen, and you may be able to save your trees.  Your mature trees are an investment in not only your home's resale value, but also the future of our neighborhood and local air quality.

We've lost a lot of large trees in the neighborhood in the past few years.  Take care of your large and native trees.  Every tree counts.

Red Car Canyon: More Trees Coming Down

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #1, September 14, 2017.  This morning, photos and videos came in from vigilant neighbors of more tree carnage in Red Car Canyon.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Neighbors report they seemed to be removing dead branches and trees.  Yet, photos appear to indicate smaller trees recovering from the 2016 fire appear cut down in recent weeks.  We'll run a comparison post soon.  (These things take time and are depressing as all hell to look at what we lost.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, September 14, 2017.  Enlarged from previous photo, you get a better idea of scale when you see the worker up on the tree trunk.

Red Car Canyon: TIMBER!!!! Eucalyptus on Lake View side pic.twitter.com/YDVui3KOhO

— Corralitas (@RedCarProperty) September 14, 2017

Video: Red Car Neighbor Property Neighbor #2, September 14, 2017.  Another neighbor captured the moment they felled the same Eucalyptus.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #2, September 14, 2017.  Photo confirmed the same contractor who's been doing brush clearance for the past few weeks, was chopping up trees in the canyon today.  

Looks like our heat island is expanding.
 

Red Car Property: Abandoned Squatters' Camp Used Again Last Night

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, August 13, 2017. Neighbors are fed up by the Red Car Property owner's failure to pick up the debris left behind after the squatters vacated their camp.  These photos and email (excerpted here) are from one of many concerned neighbors contacted CD13 and LAPD.  "Someone slept again last night on the old Red Car squatters encampment - I know because they left a new red blanket and new trash (see pics)."

The camp was established by a couple of squatters, mid-June.  Neighbors reported it immediately and constantly for the past few months to CD13 and LAPD.  A few weeks ago, neighbors reported the camp abandoned by the couple of squatters who had been driving a white car to and from their camp near Rose Scharlin Nursery School on a daily basis. 

Neighbors raised the concern that so much debris left behind will only attract new inhabitants.  "Does the owner really want to leave an open invitation for squatters to come live, sleep, and trash his property?"

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, August 13, 2017.  Pictured here: dry brush right next to the campsite.  Neighbors continue raising the alarm over brush clearance.  Out of self-interest, a few neighbors cleared some of the slopes near their own homes.  "I see the [brush] clearance is still not completed, or even started (Rose Scharlin did their own hill themselves rather than wait)."  

Considering the number of cigarette butts discarded in and around the camp, neighbors are justified in their alarm.  "This is a danger to the whole neighborhood, especially with smoking squatters sleeping there."  The neighbor continues, "Does our whole neighborhood have to go up in flames before someone enforces the Brush Clearance ordinance!?!  Has LAFD even inspected this negligent property that is putting our neighborhood at risk for a catastrophic fire?"  Yes, LAFD has cited the owner several times this year.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, August 13, 2017.  Adding insult to injury, last night's homeless left new bags of trash.

Click here for all our squatter related posts. 

Follow us on Twitter for more timely updates on the squatter camp and brush clearance.

Note: We're playing catch up for the month of August. This was post was actually published 8-26-17 and backdated to the date the photos were shot and originally published on Twitter.

Red Car Property: Abandoned Squatters' Camp In Use Again

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, August 11, 2017.  More than one neighbor reported someone slept in the recently vacated squatters' camp last night.  A CD13 representative and LAFD Brush Inspector told the property owner to remove the abandoned debris.  LAFD Senior Lead Officer Lenny Davis told the owner he would arrange for an officer to be on site when the owner removes the debris in case of any misunderstandings with squatters. 

Note: We're playing catch up for the month of August. This was post was actually published 8-24-17 and backdated to the date the photo was shot and originally published on Twitter.

Red Car Property: Not A Park, It Just Looks Like One

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, August 5, 2017.  Bounce house, parents, kids, cars, and amplified music between Lake View Ave and Riverside Place north of Rose Scharlin.  No brush clearance, but the protected native Black Walnut Trees are looking good.  The non-native invasive arundo is looking overgrown.

Note: We're playing catch up for the month of August. This was post was actually published 8-23-17 and backdated to the date the photo was shot and published on Twitter. 

Riverside Drive: Closed For Repaving This Weekend

Map from Dept of Public Works.  

I got a confusing Media Advisory from the Dept of Public Works this week re: repaving and road closure of Riverside Drive.  Their map and the text of the advisory did not match up.  

Hector Vega in CD13 contacted me to clarify: they're repaving Riverside Drive between Newell and Birkdale.  Birkdale is just north of Dorris Place Elementary in the southern part of Elysian Valley.  

Vega said Public Works will be working north to south, Saturday and south to north, Sunday.  They will be scraping then paving 6 AM to 6PM.

Neighbors who live on Riverside Drive, Riverside Terrace, Riverside Place, Silver Lake Ave and India Street who only have vehicle access via Riverside Drive, as well as Corralitas Drive residents should plan extra time into your driving this weekend.   Residents will be able to take Riverside Drive, but plan ahead.  

Do NOT use the Red Car Property as a short cut.  Brush clearance has NOT been done yet.  Please do NOT cut through residential streets in Elysian Valley.

The Dodgers are NOT at home this weekend.  The project was postponed once due to Dodgers' schedule.

Red Car Canyon: Neighbors Call Police On Suspicious Jaguar Convertible

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #1, August 1, 2017.  Neighbors called police upon finding an abandoned green Jaguar convertible.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Longtime neighbors recognize the signs of a suspected stolen car: serious front end damage, punched trunk lock (see last  photo), flat tire, car abandoned in a totally inappropriate place for cars to drive on the property.  However, according to LAPD Senior Lead Officer Lenny Davis, as of 8:30 AM the car was not reported stolen.  

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor #2, August 1, 2017.  Apparently the car was stuck on one of the many cut up logs surrounding the Charles Lacey Memorial.  On more than one occasion, Red Car Property neighbors reported an  abandoned car prior to the car owner learning his car was stolen.  Neighbors saw the driver of the Jaguar attempting to extricate the car from its sticky predicament around 6:30 PM last night.

In 2016, the Silver Lake Fire burned right up to homes in this canyon before a massive effort by LAFD and partner agencies stopped it. 

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, #3, August 1, 2017.  Neighbors are particularly nervous about vehicles driving on the Red Car Property since the dry brush has not yet been cleared from the property.  A hot engine parked on dry grass or a rock hitting metal under a car driving on the property can spark a fire. 

We have long advocated for installation of heavy steel gates (similar to gates at the entrance to every fire road in Griffith and Elysian Parks) blocking all vehicle access except for emergency vehicles.  LAFD has requirements for "security gates" posted on their website.

Link to video of Jaguar showing the extent of the dry brush in this location.

Click here for all our suspected stolen cars posts.

Red Car Property: Squatters' Camp Today

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 20, 2017.  Early this morning, the tent is gone, but the camp, still there.  It first appeared behind homes on Riverside Place and behind Rose Scharlin Co-op Nursery School more than a month ago.  

Since it first appeared, neighbors have been calling the police asking them to enforce the trespass order.  Unfortunately, the squatters never seem to be home when the LAPD drops by.  Silver Lake LAPD Senior Lead Officer Lenny Davis spoke to the property owner's son regarding removing the camp earlier this week.  CD13 notified the property owner of the camp last month.  It is the property owner's responsibility.  But then, it's also the property owner's responsibility to do brush clearance by May 1, every year.

Click here for all our squatter posts.

Red Car Property: Owner's No Trespassing Signs Not Deterring Squatters

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 11, 2017.  Neighbors are increasingly frustrated with the month-old campsite on the Red Car Property, near Rose Scharlin Nursery School.  The squatters go to great lengths to hide their camp with dry brush colored umbrella and dry bamboo screening.  They drive in and out of the property in a white 4-door car.  

Neighbors report cigarette butts strewn around perimeter of the camp as well.  With the rash of fires in Elysian Park in the past two weeks, is there any wonder why neighbors are nervous.  These squatters appear to be the same couple removed from the Red Car Property by the owner several years ago. They were also associated with an ongoing problem at, or around, the squatter camp in a house on Riverside Drive that backed into the Red Car Property.

The Red Car Property owner needs to take responsibility for this nuisance.  While there may be a trespass order on file with the LAPD, the property owner has to call the overworked LAPD while the squatters are present and wait for LAPD to arrive to remove them.  Or the property owner can take their own steps to remove the squatters, keeping in mind that could be a potentially dangerous thing to do without LAPD present.

Send your concerns questions and complaints regarding the Red Car Property to hector.vega@lacity.org.  Be sure to include your name, street address and phone number.  If you see fire or smoke rising from this site, or are physically threatened by these squatters, call 911 immediately and be prepared to give dispatch directions to the site from Riverside Drive to India Street (east of the Red Car Property) and south toward Rose Scharlin.

Riverside Place: Neighbors Defending Their Own Driveways From Short Term Rental Parking

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 2, 2017.  Neighbors put up no parking signs to deter party-goers and tourists from parking in their driveway.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)  

Neighbors on Riverside Place are fed up with a single family home recently sold and turned into a short term rental home (like Air B&B).  Neighbors report short term rental tenants are  there usually only for a few days at a time.  They also complain about large parties at least once a month at the home.  

Riverside Place is a substandard Hillside Street that narrows to a width of about 14'.  There is no City Standard turn-around nor cul-de-sac, nor are there sidewalks.  The southernmost portion of the street is owned by the surrounding neighbors with a public pedestrian easement to the Red Car Property.  Neighbors have limited street parking and things get chaotic when there is a party at the short term rental house.  Even just guests at the house bring parking problems as they are unaware of what is and is not a driveway on the street, often parking in neighbors' driveways.

City Council's Planning & Land Use (PLUM) Committee is supposed to hear fro the public again sometime in July or August.  Click here for City Council File 14-1635-S2.  

Red Car Property: "Today's Nature Walk, From Tinderbox To Rain Forest!"

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 2, 2017.  Another Red Car Property Neighbor had a prettier view of the depressingly dry conditions on the Corralitas end of the Red Car Property. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 2, 2017.  Who was guarding the trees in Red Car Canyon? Summer is a great time of year to watch lizards in Red Car Canyon. The dappled light and cooler temps in the canyon attract lizards  and their insect prey. 

The LA County Natural History Museum wants your neighborhood photos of Lizards taken June 1 through July 31, 2017.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 2, 2017.  Mourning Doves tend to be nervous visitors to the shade of Red Car Canyon.  Cooper's Hawks tend to hunt birds and likely nest in the canyon too.  We've witnessed a number of Cooper's Hawk vs Great Horned Owl smackdowns in the canyon through the years.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 2, 2017.  Cooper's Hawks prefer the dense trees in Red Car Canyon.  They have  keen eyesight good maneuvering ability to catch prey by surprise in the high contrast lighting conditions in the Canyon.  It's hard to believe this scene is a few 100' from the first photo in the series.

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, July 2, 2017.  And yes, the neighbor saw the No Trespassing signs on the ground.  

As always, we are grateful for the contributions of photos from our many Red Car Property neighbors.