A stretch of approximately 11 miles from Pacific Coast Highway will reopen on Friday before the weekend of the Fallen Day, reconnecting Malibu to the west side after months of closures.
But less than 48 hours before the planned reopening, the State said on Wednesday that it continues “in the dark” with respect to the plans of the city of Los Angeles to provide security to the area of Pacific Palisades, to the fire, just next to the road.
Bass spokesman Zach Seidl replied that the mayor had, in fact, a plan to keep the area safe and closed to non -residents.
“As PCH is reopened, we will have a strict security plan, as we have done for months,” Seidl said Wednesday afternoon. He did not respond immediately when asked if he had shared the city's plan with the State.
The leader of the State emergency services agency sent a letter written well on Wednesday to a senior official in the administration of Mayor Karen Bass, rebuking the city for not answering questions despite the weeks of dissemination of the State.
Until Wednesday morning, the mayor's office had not yet provided the State with a plan on how it plans to provide security to the palisades as part of the reopening, or if it plans to establish new security control points in the arterial streets in the community, according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Times.
Seidl said Wednesday afternoon that the city would put new control points instead, although it did not provide details.
The rich coastal enclave has remained closed to the public from the devastating January Forest Fire, months after other fires damaged by the fire were reopened. But with the California National Guard that will be at the end of the month, officials must decide how to advance. There seems to be a consensus among state and local officials that the neighborhood should remain closed to the public, although the logistics of that decision remains an open question.
The control points currently block public access at the main entrance points to the community. But PCH's reopening would require several new control points.
“In recent weeks, Cal Oes has communicated with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the city staff and officials, even as recently as yesterday, which offers technical and financial resources to support the city as it develops a security plan”, who directs the Governor's emergency service office, wrote in the letter, saying that the State would also provide financial support for the federal reimbursement for the federal reimbursement for the federal reimbursement for the choice eligible.
“Despite this reach, we remain in the dark with respect to the city's plans and we have heard that the city can request a delay of several weeks of the reopening of PCH, despite the incredibly hard work of the US Army Engineers Corps.
Seidl said the city was not requesting a delay to reopening.
The letter was sent from Ward to the deputy mayor of Public Security Robert Clark, the main Bass assistant who supervises police and fire problems.
Although he stopped by directly criticizing Bass, Traci Park, the member of the City Council of Los Angeles that represents the Palisades, also expressed his frustration with the process and the lack of clarity.
“For months, councilor Park rang the security alarm and requested a formalized departments and consultant plan through the Los Angeles Recovery Committee, which she presides over. None has been close,” said Park spokesman Pete Brown.
Concerned about the lack of movement, Park presented his own proposal to the governor for the security of Palisades when the Reabre road said Brown.
The governor's office had contacted to park with concerns about the situation, according to someone familiar with the issue who was not authorized to speak publicly.
At the end of January, Bass briefly announced plans to reopen the palisades to the public before reversing the course less than 30 hours later after a generalized protest of the community members who said that the control points should remain in place.
Newsom previously announced last month that the road would open again by the end of May, although it did not provide a specific date. His office declined to comment on the letter.
The section of the road that extends from the road, which covers from Chautauqua Boulevard, north of Santa Monica to Sweetwater Canyon Drive in Malibu, will operate two traffic lanes in both directions, according to a Caltrans document.
