Local Officials Answer Community Questions Ahead of Potrero Canyon Grand Opening

Opening Day Postponed One Week to December 10

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Several local officials were present to answer questions compiled from residents regarding the forthcoming George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon at an informational meeting hosted by Pacific Palisades Community Council on December 1.

The 46-acre passive park—developed by the city—will feature picnic areas and provide a pathway from Palisades Recreation Center down to Pacific Coast Highway. There will be riparian landscaping, scenic ocean views, further access to nearby hiking trails, as well as fences and gates to ensure adherence to park hours.

The first update came from Councilmember Mike Bonin’s District Director Noah Fleishman who reported that the grand opening of the park, slated for December 3, would be pushed back one week to Saturday, December 10, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., due to the rainy weather.

“The sod area of the park where the event was going to be held is going to end up becoming almost like a wet shag rug with some of the rain,” Fleishman explained. “So we don’t think that it’s going to be feasible to have the event this Saturday, [December 3].”

Fleishman then responded to what he described as a “hot button issue,” which was the signage and operating hours of the park.

“To be perfectly clear, since the envisioning of the park, it has always been that it will operate only from sunrise to sunset,” he explained. “When the park is opened on December 10, the signage and operation hours of the park will be sunrise to sunset.”

The gates, according to Fleishman, will be set to a timer so they lock at a certain time, though visitors will always be able to get out of the park area by pushing open the gate from the inside via a push bar. The bathrooms in the park will also be self-locking, with a push bar in case people need to exit.

Fleishman responded to a question about perimeter fencing around the park—which had been discussed previously by officials and prompted different suggestions, including a six-foot or eight-foot option.

“The way that the city attorney’s office and the city council landed on this was that it would be a four-foot fence that delineates the city’s property line for liability reasons,” Fleishman explained. “And for homeowners, like in any other property instance, whose property abuts the city’s property, if they choose to build a fence on their own private property line—municipal code allowing—they’re more than welcome to, so long as they get the right permits.”

There will also be a six-foot barrier border fence in place between the street and the entrance to the park, Fleishman reported.

Fleishman answered questions from meeting participants, including asking about the park having the potential to attract more crime to the area.

“Creating a park does not create crime,” Fleishman responded, before addressing a question about fires in the bluff areas near the mouth of the canyon and below Friends Street. He explained that the park is “essentially a wildfire mitigation zone,” with about a 200-foot setback from the city’s property line toward the canyon where certain flammable plants could not be placed.

“There’s not firepits set up, there’s not large brush areas where people are going to be hiding in,” Fleishman explained. “It’s not a habitable, nice place for people to camp, and if somebody were to start a camping or warming fire, there aren’t lights. It would glow in the canyon instantly.”

Sonya Young-Jimenez, a superintendent of the Recreation and Parks department, spoke next during the meeting, explaining that Jasmine Dowlatshahi, senior facility director at Palisades Recreation Center, will be the point person for the park.

“It is a passive park, so we’re not issuing any permits in the park,” she explained. “It’s just for people to walk through and enjoy as a trail, so there will be no special events or permits in the park.”

For now, Young-Jimenez said, issues will be taken up at the Pacific Palisades Park Advisory Board, but if there is a need in the future, it’s possible George Wolfberg Park at Potrero Canyon could have its own advisory board.

Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief Joe Everett spoke about fire safety in the park: “In terms of fires, when we do have an increased hazard day, we’ll increase our patrols of some of our smaller apparatus if I have the staffing. But on top of that, we have a team of volunteers called CERT volunteers and they will increase their patrol. I can certainly have them include the park in that patrol too on high hazard days.”

Pacific Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin addressed questions regarding the placement of park signs, which will include hours and park rules.

“The signs, as of now, they’re being placed at the beginning or the start of the walkways of the path,” Espin explained. “So as somebody’s walking in, it’s pretty much going to be the first thing that they see.”

He added that LAPD will try to go in the park during off hours to check it out and patrol, ensuring that people are not in the space after hours—emphasizing the importance of having documentation of instances so that he could potentially request additional resources.

“If you see anybody in the park after hours, you can call the police non-emergency line,” Espin said. “It might take 30 minutes, an hour, two hours, four hours, five hours for us to show up, but at least it’s documented that we’re seeing a problem if people are in the park after hours.”

As far as a contact point, Recreation and Parks staff at Palisades Recreation Center can be contacted during the day for issues at the park via palisades.rc@lacity.org or 310-454-1412, according to information shared by PPCC. After hours, LAPD and 311 should be contacted.

Additional questions were raised regarding parking and traffic, waste collection and maintenance of the park, and the potential for installing security cameras.

In response to questions about a pedestrian bridge, which would be constructed to allow for crossing Pacific Coast Highway between the beach and the park, it is in the “pre-design phase,” according to PPCC.

“The current coastal permit for the project requires the city to apply with the Coastal Commission for another permit for the pedestrian bridge, which has not yet occurred,” according to PPCC. “The entire process will likely take several years, and estimated construction start and completion dates are unknown.”

To watch a video of the meeting in its entirety, visit pacpalicc.org. To register for the grand opening celebration, visit eventbrite.com/e/george-wolfberg-park-at-potrero-canyon-grand-opening-tickets-464400553557.