Click on the above link to see what the City of Los Angeles has NOT done since the Griffith Park fire – and what this city will still NOT do after this new round of fires.
And the properties that burned in Malibu would still be standing if the City of Malibu had clear the sumac around the Presbyterian Church – and across Malibu Canyon from the church and all around the hillside surrounding Malibu Crest Drive and Hodges Castle.
The reason I know how deep the sumac is there is I used to live on Malibu Crest Drive two doors before the Castle (which was built with stucco and wood - and not real stone) – right next to what was then architect Doug Rucker’s all wood house, which is hopefully still standing. Irene Dazzan-Palmer even then lived on the corner of Malibu Crest Drive and Malibu Canyon and she kept her property free of sumac, which is likely why it is still sanding.
The other problem in Malibu is that it still allows existing wood shake roofs to remain and they have taken no action to require decks to be fire-proofed, which is why so many beach houses have burned after embers land on the decks, the old wood shake roofs – or both.
But from past experience – nothing will change out there – just as nothing will ever change in LA until thousands of homes are destroyed in a single fire sweeping out of the hills and burning well into the flats of the city. Only then, maybe, will the politicians finally wake up and smell the burning wood shake roofs and the burning sumac.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
Interesting...well...I don't think politicians could possibly care enough unless it were their own homes burning.
Well, it's a year later, May 13, 2008, and CityWtach has reposted Brady's ideas. Brady thinks that NC's can save LA from fires! Naive soul. One would think that the Griffith Park fires would have spurred the City and HUNC to press for the 2 acre Regional fire station in Hollywood. Well, LaBone and Garcetti along with the support of HUNC killed that idea. LaBonge and Garcetti want the only location for the regional fire station (Florentine Grdens and the next door abandoned theater) to be used for development, either affordable housing or mixed-use so that their developer friends can make more money.
As a result, LaBonge, Garcetti, and HUNC support a new small fire station at the intersection of the 101 Freeway and Van Ness and Hollywood Blvd that is 2/10 larger than the old station at 1800 N. Bronson. That 60 year old building will be refurbished and used primarily for storage.
Prop F promised the portion of Hollywood just below to The Oaks and Griffith Park 2 contiguous acres for a Regional fire station -- and the City Council identified the Floretine Gardens as the best location, but then in secret section, LaBonge and Garcetti killed that site, killing Hollywood's chances of getting the mandated 2 acre Regional fire station. Instead Hollywood gets 6/10 of one acre at the worst intersection -- all with the full support of HUNC.
Post a Comment