Red Car Property: Peruvian Pepper Tree Cut Down

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, February 13, 2017.  Someone cut down a large Peruvian Pepper Tree (Schinus molle) between 3 PM Sunday and 10 AM Monday.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, January 24, 2017.  The pepper tree is the dark green tree on the left side of the above photo.  It was a large and healthy looking tree.  There is a difference between trimming a tree properly and destroying a tree.  This incident doesn't even qualify as tree topping.

At least they didn't cut down the protected native Black Walnut trees (the trees with no leaves - they drop their leaves for winter).  

The Red Car Property includes the slope up to the fence line on the Lake View side. The portion of the Red Car Property between Rose Scharlin Nursery School and the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase, abutting on Lake View Ave homes, does not have as egregious of encroachments as other sections of the Red Car Property.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 25, 2016.  The Peruvian Pepper Tree looked to be about 30' tall in 2016.  While it was not a protected native tree, it was a "significant tree," with a trunk diameter of at least 8". 

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, February 13, 2017.  The split in the trunk was below the cut, not above.  So a cut was made and the weight of the tree (on the downslope side), split the tree and it went down.  Look at the first photo again if there is any doubt about the cut.

Another neighbor commented, "What is with all the tree hate?!"  Indeed, the Red Car Property is a lawless place.

Silver Ridge Way: Defensive, Drought Tolerant & Fire Resistant

Photo: Joan Stevenson, April 21, 2016.  And beautiful too. 

Photo: Joan Stevenson, April 21, 2016. If you want to ignore the landscaping on your steep hillside lot, Opuntia cacti are a good choice for our dry hillsides. There's an impressive patch of this hardy cactus, on the Red Car Property, below a home on Lake View.  The cactus stores water in its large pads so it does not burn easily.  It's also an attractive cactus to plant near windows and fences to discourage criminals.

Click here for all our defensive landscaping posts. 
 

Red Car Canyon: Drought Stricken Yuccas

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, March 14, 2016.  Drought stricken yuccas, rotted from the base of the trunks, got top heavy once the rains hit, and inevitably toppled over.  If you drag it over to the side of the trail where the ground is less compacted (from vehicles driving through the park like setting) so the new growth can take root in the leaf litter. We should see a few more grow out of this old yucca.

Red Car Property: Native & Non-Native Landscape

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, February 28, 2016.  Protected California Black Walnut Trees helps hold the steep slopes together in the rain. This one south grows south of the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase. Native trees provide habitat for wildlife.

Jade succulents and opuntia cactus are non-natives with shallow roots that do not hold the hillside together, but the plants store water for dry months. They are drought and fire resistant.  I've often seen hawks using the opuntia cactus as a safe place to stalk and eat their prey.  They also provide habitat for wildlife.

The bamboo is growing toward the top of the slope very close to homes on Lake View Ave.   Bamboo grows like weeds and is highly combustible.  When it burns, the gases heat up inside the hollow chambers of the shoot/stem until it explodes, spreading fire in all directions.  

Despite an expected 2.5" of rain by Tuesday, Southern California is in its fifth year of extreme drought.  During the rain this weekend, take the time to contemplate what grows on your own hillside.  

Follow us on Twitter for mudwatch and other breaking neighborhood news: @RedCarProperty
 

Red Car Property: Looking For That Pot Of Gold? Better Wear Mud Boots. Preliminary Rainfall Totals

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, January 6, 2016.  This afternoon, Vandiveer was heading out but had to stop and run up the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase to the Red Car Property to shoot the full double rainbow, ending north of India Street on the Red Car Property.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Don't drive on the Red Car Property - you're likely to get stuck in the mud.

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, January 6, 2016.  The other end of the rainbow appears to be in Debs Park.

We're tracking rainfall totals in the Corralitas rain gauge...

Tues, January 5, 2016: 2.9"
Wed, January 6, 2016: 0.6" as of 1PM.  At 5PM, the neighbor with the rain gauge reports, "Dogs & cats are falling from the sky...loudly.  Very loudly."

We also suspect the 1PM reading is not right, since she didn't want to go outside at the time to read the gauge.  We'll update the totals when possible.

Send us your rain related photos from the Red Car Property neighborhood: redcarproperty@gmail.com.  During this El Niño rainy season, we'll likely get updates on Twitter faster than the blog.  Follow us on Twitter @RedCarProperty

Corralitas Drive: Defensive, Drought Tolerant, Fire Resistant Landscaping

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 21, 2015.  Once established, night blooming Cereus cactus produce showy 8" flowers open only at night. (Click on photo to enlarge.) 

Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase: Defensive Landscaping In Bloom

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 14, 2015.  Non-native, but scenic cactus is blooming at the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase on the Red Car Property.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Cactus and succulents are not only drought tolerant, they're fire resistant and once established, certain species (like those planted south of the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase) make beautiful defensive landscaping that discourages criminal activity.

Silver Lake Court: Squirreling Native Black Walnuts Away For Another Day

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 23, 2014.  Caught in the act, a squirrel was sprinting across the expanse of Silver Lake Court (a paper street) near the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase, with a Black Walnut in its mouth.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Corralitas Drive: Coming Soon More Construction Hell

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 19, 2014.  At least they left us access to the communal lemon tree.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Building & Safety issued permits to build a duplex at 2612 - 2614 Corralitas Drive, a substandard, approximately 3900 sq ft lot, cut in 1961. (That's on this side of the Corralitas Public Staircase.)  You're supposed to have a 5000 sq ft lot for a duplex.  No variance was applied for.  No lot tie is indicated with the adjacent lower lot.  Neighbors are extremely concerned about parking on our No Parking on Red Flag Days Hillside Street.  (Inquiries have been made to CD13.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 22, 2014. The lot on the opposite side of the Corralitas Public Staircase was almost completely cleared of trees several weeks ago, including a  spectacular African Pencil Plant, a tremendous, fire resistant, tree-like succulent.  The property was denuded & fenced in, despite no building permits even having been applied for.  And developers wonder why neighbors hate them?  Don't cut down the trees until you're really ready to build.  

So maybe in a couple of years, by the time the first duplex is finished, the second lot will have their permits finalized - if everyone knows what they're doing.  If you haven't built in the hills before - you damn well better hire people who have.  We've chronicled neighborhood stalled development far too often.  It's not something we enjoy living with. 

In the last construction boom on Corralitas Drive, we endured 5 homes under construction at the same time.  Two builders knew what they were doing & completed construction in about 18 months each.  The other 3 homes sat in varying stages of half finished, unsafe, stop & start construction hell for the better part of 5 years.  

Lot C: Drought So Bad Even The Cactus Has Run Out Of Stored Water

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 11, 2014.  Seemingly overnight, the large patch of Mission Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) at the entrance to the Red Car Property at India St, looks like it was deflated.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Three years of record drought is taking its toll the landscape of Los Angeles.  When it's so bad, well established cactus runs through all of its stored moisture, you know the drought is serious.  The large pads of this cactus will get thinner in dry months, but I've never seen them this bad in the 24 years I've walked the Red Car Property.  Severe drought leaves this cactus more susceptible to insects, fungus & disease.  (The patches of white on the cactus pads are cochineal insects.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 11, 2014.  Luckily, cactus usually rebounds with rain, if fungus hasn't taken hold.  However, those dead trees are not going to return.  They've been dead for a couple of years now (documented on the blog: alive in July 2012).

Red Car Property: City Councilmember O'Farrell Reaffirms Park Vision

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 1, 2014.  This is not Silver Lake Courtt, it's the Red Car Property at India St: private property on which we've all been trespassing.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

In a recent letter to Red Car Property neighbors, City Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell reaffirmed his support of Trust for Public Land acquiring the Red Car Property "to become permanent parkland and serve this community for future generations." 

In response to the Red Car Property owner's recent attempt to fence part of the property to prevent dumping, O'Farrell adds, "I want to be very clear, I am committed to working with the entire neighborhood on a permanent parking solution."

Read Councilmember O'Farrell's letter here.

Lake View Ave & Red Car Property: Fire Fighting In 1960 & 2014

Photo: Futterer, Holyland Exhibition 1960. Grass fire atop Lake View at the south end of the Red Car Property near Silver Ridge Ave.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  Lake View Ave, grass fire sparked by blown transformer & power lines down - just a few hundred feet north of the 1960 photo.

LAFD adopted stronger brush clearance regulations for Hillside areas like ours after the 1993 Oakland Hills Fire, where 3,403 homes were destroyed; 780 in the first hour of the fire.  Read more about the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and brush clearance regulations on the LAFD website.

Red Car Property Adjacent: Transformer Below Lake View Ave Sparks Fire

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  While walking through the canyon toward Corralitas Drive, I heard what sounded like firecrackers up on the hillside.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, That explains the flurry of texts & emails I'd just received about the power outage.  I wondered what my neighbor was taking photos of.  As soon as I heard the firecracker like sound, I rushed through the canyon, phone in one hand; camera in the other.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  While I'm called 911 waiting for LAFD to pick up, I shot photos with my camera in my other hand.  I tried to explain to LAFD dispatch that fire was spreading downslope & the brush clearance had not been done on the slope below.  

Worth noting: the slope above the power lines belongs to the Lake View homeowners.  The downslope side is Red Car Property.  Brush has not been cleared on most of the slope. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  Neighbors on both sides of Red Car Canyon reported hearing a large explosion (some near the transformer, saw the flash of light), then the firecracker like sound I heard.  Indeed, upon reviewing the photos from my camera, you can see the down power lines leading to the fire.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, October 4, 2014.  I got the first text at 9:08 AM that the power was out.  I reached the fire by 9:18 AM.   LAFD was extinguishing flames by 9:23 AM.  Considering this was the first really dry heatwave we've had this fall, we caught a lucky break in there was no wind at all Saturday morning. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson October 4, 2014.  The power lines went down in an area where there was a huge dense succulent patch that slowed the fire's progress.  The bright green plant at the center of the fire  (earlier photos) is not grass but a type of African Pencil Plant. Those Agaves the fireman is spraying with water are another good fire resistant plant.  Let's hear it for drought tolerant, fire resistant defensive landscaping!

For additional fire photos &  reports: The Eastsider

Red Car Property: Red Tailed Hawk's Successful Hunt

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 30, 2014.  The large Red Tailed Hawk was stalking prey from across the meadow on the Corralitas end of the Red Car Property.  She looks rather pleased with her squirrel.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

I was walking through the canyon and too far to get a shot of the hawk launching her attack from the top of the telephone pole and rather casually swooping in low toward the hillside, sun at her back.  I was too far away to get a shot of her on the hill, but she seemed to catch the squirrel on the ground while it ran between protected native Black Walnut trees.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 30, 2014.  By the time I caught up with her, she was already digging into her squirrel safely atop an opuntia cactus half way up the steep slope to Lake View Ave.  She did keep looking upslope though, as if there were another predator, like a coyote, was watching her tear into her breakfast. 

Red Car Property Adjacent: Can The Cult Of The Birdman Be On The Horizon?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 25, 2014.  Yeah, it's esoteric, but some of us know our Easter Island history.  It's what comes once all the natural resources are depleted; trees cut down, drought, infighting, cannibalism.  But for now it's a great photo op.

Celebrate the Autumnal Equinox exact today at 7:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time.   

Corralitas Drive: Mission Cactus

Photo: Diane Edwardson, August 24, 2014.  Mission Cactus, scattered throughout the Red Car Neighborhood, is bursting with fruit, but watch out for those spikes.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Although it's non-native, Optuntia ficus-indica is drought-tolerant, defensive landscaping.  The large pads store water which also makes it fire resistant.

Lot C: Dead Trees, Native Dandelions

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 29, 2014.  A small grove of trees died quite some time ago at the intersection of Lot C of the Red Car Property & India St. (Click on photo to enlarge.)

Those trees were quite lush in 2010. 

Reminder: if you haven't already, get your brush clearance done.   www.lafd.org/brush

Red Car Property: ALERT! Coyote Playtime

All photos: Chad Ferrin, May 6, 2014, around 6:30 AM.  A pair of coyotes were playing on the Red Car Property, just south of India. Ferrin captured an incredibly dog-like playtime in a series of photos. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

It looks like a male and female; the male is considerably larger, with a thicker neck, larger head & fluffy tail.  According to Google search of "coyote mating season:" mating season is January -  March, so this appears to just be play.

Ferrin reports, they played quietly with no barking or calling.

Thanks again to Chad Ferrin for sharing this incredible series of photos with us!

This is a reminder to keep your dogs on a leash.  Do not leave your small children or animals unattended in your yard.  Don't feed wildlife.  If you feed your pets outside, pick up the bowls as soon as they're done.  Keep your trash & recycle bins tightly closed.  Don't let contractors just toss their lunch  trash in a pile in your yard or on the Red Car Property.  

Learn more about coyote behavior, management: UC Davis

City wildlife policy/program: Los Angeles Animal Services, Wildlife Program

Click here for all our coyote posts.

Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase: New Landmark Moai Brought Rain This Week

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, February 8, 2014.  A Moai mysteriously appeared in the guerrilla garden adjacent the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase, not only greeting visitors to the Red Car Property, but bringing the first measurable rain* in 2014.  Perhaps a new cult of the Red Car Moai will take hold. Pray for more rain.

 

Rainfall totals, according to the Corralitas rain gauge:

February 6, 2014: 0.3"

Season to date:    1.65"

*The last measurable rain: December 19, 2013.
 

Red Car Canyon: "Not Sure Who To Call...We Have An Elmo Down On The Red Car Property"

Photo: Red Car Canyon Neighbor, January 11, 2014.  Oh noooooo!