San Pedro is on part of Los Angeles that could become part of a National Park. Photo: Mos Sukjaroenkraisri//Unsplash
The National Park Service is asking for public input on a potential national park designation for parts of the Los Angeles coast.
For those who haven’t had the chance to explore it, the coast of L.A. is a pretty wonderful place. The hills east of the the PCH in North County are stunning — not as crowded as you’d think, and just a quick jaunt down to waves like Malibu. There’s a lot of room to move up there, just a stone’s throw from the glittering mansions that sit on stilts or overlook the vast Pacific. I spent a wonderful few years up there, living in a tiny house way up Latigo Canyon and driving a shitty old truck while just minutes away Bentleys pull into gated villas where they park beside Porches and Lambos. I’ve got a soft spot for the unspoiled bits of L.A., as few and far between as they are, and it’s a shame that more and more of it is being gobbled up by hungry developers who are willing to build in an area that’s a true fire hazard.
According to a press release, “The Los Angeles Coastal Special Resource Study will evaluate the area’s national significance, suitability, feasibility, and the need for direct National Park Service management. Findings and any recommendations from the Secretary of the Interior will be submitted to Congress.”
The area they’re looking at includes the coastline (and a few adjacent areas) to the Santa Monica Bay from Will Rogers State Beach to Torrance Beach. That includes Ballona Creek and the Baldwin Hills, as well as the San Pedro section of the city of Los Angeles. It does, however, exclude the Port of Los Angeles north of Crescent Avenue.
The public is being asked to weigh in via virtual public meetings. “Public participation is important to this study,” said Denise Louie, Natural Resources, Planning, and Compliance Program lead for the National Park Service’s Pacific West Region. “The L.A. coastline is exceptionally diverse, and feedback will help inform whether these places meet the criteria for inclusion in the National Park system and how they could be preserved for future generations.”
For those interested, there are two meetings to share information. The first is February 11, 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time. You can join by using this meeting link or calling in to 1-202-640-1187, conference ID: 990571600#. The second takes place a month later, on March 11, 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. PT. The meeting link is here. The call in number is the same but the conference ID is 362420885#.
