Pacific Palisades Community Council February update
In February, the Pacific Palisades Community Council (PPCC) held two meetings where they received updates from various government entities and elected officials.
Congressman Brad Sherman presented at the meeting, while the PPCC also heard from new Field Deputy Skylar Payab from Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin’s office.
“This rounds out the introduction of Field Reps for all of our new elected officials representing City, State, and Federal offices, as well as new Field Reps for elected officials who are remaining in our districts,” the PPCC said in a recent newsletter.
Also during February, the Potrero Canyon Oversight Committee (PCOC) was formed by PPCC President Maryam Zar in February, with ten members appointed to oversee communications with City officials regarding concerns raised about the construction of a park in the area.
“The City has responded with acknowledgment that the committee is a great help in streamlining communications and that they are working on correcting many of the concerns we’ve raised, as well as setting up a meeting with City Engineers overseeing the construction of the park and RAP maintenance supervisors who will oversee the maintenance contract once the handover takes place,” the PPPC said.
In other news, the PPCC reported that Sen Ben Allen and Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin set up meetings to bring Caltrans and BOE to the table over access and forward plans/engineering for the lateral trail.
“PPCC Officers/members present were told that the meetings are leading to results and that more has been done to bring the stakeholders together than ever before. Next steps will include a feasibility study for the trail as well as forward planning for the bridge that would provide access from Potrero Canyon park to the beach,” the PPCC said.
The PPCC also reaffirmed its support for a dog park in Pacific Palisades due to visitors using George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon to take their dogs off-leash, which is detrimental to the riparian landscape and topography of the newly opened park.
The PPCC also reported that LADWP crews last month worked through the night repairing a water main break that resulted in flooding and sinkholes at Jacon Way and Lachman Lane. Area Three representative Haldis Toppel asked DWP officials to attend a meeting of the PPCC to explain matters.
“DWP officials including Westside Field rep, Deborah Hong along with engineers, Joey Castruita and Nathaniel Bautista, reported that the pipe which broke was a 12” cast iron pipe that had been installed in 1952, causing significant street damage and large amounts of flooding. To reassure the community LADWP said they use modern technology to gauge pressure and other markets below ground to foresee leaks before they happen though they have nothing in place yet to predict breaks,” the PPCC said.
Lastly, David Card of the Palisades Forestry Committee reported that they’re looking for street tree vacancies on El Medio and will reach out to neighborhoods for free street trees.
The PPCC’s next meeting will be on March 9, where it will hear from Donna Arrechea, Director of 311 at the City of Los Angeles, who will give a presentation of the City’s 311 call center and app, and take questions. The PPCC will also hear from LADWP regarding a proposed prohibition of their water rights at the Mono Basin as well as an update from State Sen Ben Allen and State Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin’s offices regarding their meetings with City and Caltrans officials.
