State and city quarrel over Palisades security plans as PCH reopens this weekend
About 11 miles of the Pacific Coast Expressway will reopen on Friday, following a few months of closure, reconnecting Malibu to the West End.
But less than 48 hours after the plan to reopen, the state said Wednesday that it remains “in the dark” about the city of Los Angeles’ plans to provide security for the fires near the highway.
Bass spokesman Zach Seidl countered that the mayor does have plans to ensure the area is safe and to close non-residents.
“As PCH reopens, we will have strict safety plans, like in a few months,” Seidel said Wednesday afternoon. He did not respond immediately when asked if he had shared the city’s plans with the state.
Leaders of the state’s Emergency Services Department sent a famous letter to a senior official in Mayor Karen Bass’ administration earlier Wednesday, trying to answer the city despite weeks of publicity in the state.
As of Wednesday morning, the mayor’s office has not provided plans for the state to provide security for Palisade as part of its reopening, or whether it plans to set up a new safety checkpoint on Arterial Street, according to a letter obtained by The New York Times.
Seidl said Wednesday afternoon that the city will set up new checkpoints, although he did not provide specific details.
Since the devastating January wildfires, wealthy coastal enclaves have been closed to the public for months after other communities damaged by fires have reopened. But with the California National Guard leaving by the end of the month, officials must decide how to move forward. There seems to be a consensus among state and local officials that while the logistical of the decision remains an open question, the community should remain unremarkable.
Checkpoints currently block public access to the community’s main entry points. However, reopening PCH will require several new checkpoints.
“Over the last few weeks, Cal OES has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and City staff and officials – including as recently as yesterday – offering technical and financial resources to support the City as it develops a security plan,” Nancy Ward, who leads the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, written in the letter, saying the state would also provide financial support for federal reimbursement-eligible security costs.
“Despite this advocacy, we remain dark about the city’s plans and have heard that the city may require multiple weeks of PCH delays – despite the hard work of U.S. Army engineers, Caltrans and many others to promote the reopening of the Deadly Dead Festival,” Ward wrote.
Seidel said the city does not ask for delays in reopening.
The letter was sent from Ward to Deputy Mayor Robert Clark, who oversees police and fire issues.
Although she no longer criticizes the bass directly, Tracy Park (the Los Angeles City Council member representing Palisade) is also frustrated by the process and the lack of clarity.
Parker spokesman Pete Brown said: “For months, lawmakers have issued alerts on security and have called on departments and advisers to develop formal plans through the Los Angeles Recovery Commission, which she presided over.
Brown said fearing insufficient exercise, Parker made his own advice to the governor when the highway reopened.
According to people familiar with the issue, the governor’s office has been concerned about Parker and the issue is not authorized to speak out publicly.
In late January, Bass briefly announced plans to reopen Palisades to the public after widespread protests by community members less than 30 hours later, and then backed back 30 hours, saying checkpoints should be kept in place.
Newsom previously announced that the expressway will reopen by the end of May, although he did not provide a specific date. His office declined to comment on the letter.
According to Caltrans documents, this is the upcoming highway area from Chautauqua Boulevard north of Santa Monica to Sweetwater Canyon Drive in Malibu.
