The LA River is having a big year (or few)--there are tons of projects underway to open it up, de-concrete it, and build along it, but all of that action is making the neighbors a little nervous. The Atwater Village Neighborhood Council put out a resolution (pdf) last month asking for more input into river projects and for one agency to be put in charge in order to streamline river issues. As KCET explains, "Depending on where exactly along the river you are, the jurisdiction may fall under the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Public Works, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, any of the 13 city council districts, and the list goes on." Neighbors say they have trouble just getting a new trashcan put in or a gate fixed, and they're worried that more visitors in the future will just mean more trash and more broken stuff (and partying, graffiti, etc.).
The AVNC's resolutions says that "We the community of Atwater Village find it difficult to communicate and navigate the multitude of organizations and entities responsible for this river and would like the City Council to form a single entity within the city to make all matters L.A.-River related more streamlined and guided. We would like the new entity to have the guiding principle to include members from the communities adjacent to the river, e.g. Atwater Village, and be responsible to riverfront communities."
They also ask that all of the public property-owners along the river take care of their parcels and keep them secure and clean. And they note several specific issues at Sunnynook Park (noise abatement from the 5, better signage and lighting, rerouting of the footpath to connect with a sidewalk) and along the river median (they say residents are currently maintaining it). In general, they're concerned about increased traffic at the 5 Freeway exits, safety, trash, and of course increased parking and traffic around access streets. [Glendale Narrows Riverwalk by Elizabeth Daniels]
· Atwater Villagers Call for Centralized Los Angeles River Contact Point [KCET]
· LA River Rising Archives [Curbed LA]
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