By Sue Pascoe
Editor
A mound of trash is located just off Pacific Coast Highway near Temescal Canyon Road. Why? Jurisdictional issues, it turns out.
The Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness (PPTFH) arranged to go onto the land below Via de las Olas to clean out about 13 deserted homeless sites. The organization is working towards removing the trash from illegal campsites and restoring the land to a natural state.
The first cleanup on Aug. 12 involved 12 volunteers, Department of Park and Recreation officials and LAPD. At that cleanup, Rec and Parks supplied a Caterpillar loader and two trucks to haul away trash.
One of the sites was cleaned out and, as Nina Kidd reported: “The encampment, which actually turned out to be three camp sites hidden in the willows, was cleared and both trucks were filled with bagged junk.”
The following weekend, volunteers, under the direction of resident Tom Creed, returned to the bluffs that overlook the ocean and PCH to continue their efforts.
During that cleanup, volunteer Carlos Rodriguez found a gun in one of the encampments and LAPD took it into evidence. Much of the trash found was deposited at the base of the canyon for easy pickup by Rec and Parks.
A month later the trash is still there.
Councilman Mike Bonin’s Field Deputy Lisa Cahill reported at the Community Council meeting on September 14 that she was told by Rec and Parks, “It [the trash] is actually on state land, which makes it Caltrans’ responsibility.
Cahill said she had submitted an expedited service request to Caltrans, but even then, it could take 30 to 90 days before the trash is picked up.
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