Tag: Residents

SANTA MONICA—On Monday, February 24, the city of Santa Monica announced that it will have a Fire Recovery Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, February 26.

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete, city staff and agency officials will be in attendance. The event will be held from 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Residents of Santa Monica have been impacted by the Palisades Fire, either directly from evacuation orders, LADWP’s water quality concerns, or reduced tourism and business activity.

The virtual town hall will provide recovery information and resources specifically for Santa Monica residents and businesses and their unique challenges.

Speakers include:

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Small Business Administration (SBA)

Registration is required for the event. To register visit here: https://tinyurl.com/santamonicatownhall.

By Trevor

WEST HOLLYWOOD—On November 18, the city of West Hollywood announced on its Facebook page that the Community Gardens waitlist for planter beds has opened both online and in-person. In-person waitlist sign-up is available at the Plummer Park Community Center, located at 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard and at the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center, located at 8750 El Tovar Place, adjacent to West Hollywood Library.

Community participation is limited to West Hollywood residents only. Applicants must provide two forms of proof of residency under the waitlist participant’s name, such as a valid California Identification Card or Driver License and a current residential utility bill. Priority on the waitlist will be given to low-income residents aged 55 and older, based on guidelines determined by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Proof of income will be required.

The gardens have a limited number of available spots, and the waitlist will be maintained to fill vacancies as they arise throughout the year. Community members who do not meet the priority guidelines are welcome to join the waitlist, as well.

For those opting in to a community garden space once notified that a space has become available, there is a $120 annual license cost as well as a $20 key deposit. The Community Gardens are gated and locked and they are only accessible to Community Garden participants.

For additional information call (323) 848-6534 or email recreation@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing call TTY (323) 848-6496.

By Trevor

SANTA MONICA—The city of Santa Monica’s Public Landscape division announced on its Facebook page that it will be giving away several varieties of fruit and shade trees both on October 31, and on Saturday, November 9.

Some varieties can be container grown for residents with limited space. Individuals should be aware that the tree giveaway will take place on a first come, first served basis and will conclude once all trees have been given away.

One tree per residence. The event is open to Santa Monica residents only. The first giveaway will transpire at Memorial Park on October 31 at 1 p.m. located at 16th St. and Colorado Avenue. The second giveaway will take place at Santa Monica Main Library on Saturday, November 9 at 1 p.m. at 601 Santa Monica Blvd. in the North Courtyard.

By Trevor

MALIBU—On Friday, September 6, the city of Malibu posted on its Facebook page that a bear was recently sighted in Malibu neighborhoods several times. It has since been tagged & tracked with a radio collar. Black Bears live in the region, but they have very rarely been seen in the Santa Monica Mountains and are not believed to have a breeding population there, according to the National Park Service.

The public is reminded that Black Bears are a critical part of the ecosystem, together with bobcats, coyotes, hawks and other predators. Black Bears tend to be solitary and avoid humans and attacks on humans are very rare. They are omnivores, and will eat whatever is available, primarily fruits, nuts, roots, grubs and insects. They will also eat small animals and even deer, if they can catch them, as well as garbage, pet food, and dead animals.

Pet owners in Malibu are informed to take precautions to keep their pets safe. Dogs should be walked on a leash and pets and pet food should be kept indoors at night, and properly secure trash containers. The public is warned not to approach or harass bears.

If you see a bear:

– Keep a safe distance and slowly back away. Let the bear know you are there. Make yourself look bigger by lifting and waving your arms and making noise by yelling, clapping your hands, using noisemakers, or whistling.
– Do not run and do not make eye contact. Let the bear leave the area on its own.
– If a bear makes contact, fight back.
– Report bear encounters in the Santa Monica Mountains by calling the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 916-445-0045 or the National Park Service at 415-464-5170, or report it to a Ranger at a Visitor Center as soon as possible.

By Trevor

MALIBU—The city of Malibu announced on its website on April 25 that it will be offering two free fire extinguisher training sessions for community members as part of the city’s efforts toward community-wide emergency preparedness, Wednesday, May 15, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Malibu City Hall.

The one-hour training sessions will be taught by the City’s Fire Safety Liaisons. A classroom session will cover fire extinguisher mechanics, decision making on when to use a fire extinguisher, and safety considerations. The second part of the training will include a live- fire hands on exercise, with safety supervision.

To register for either training session, email Emergency Services Coordinator Sarah Flores at saflores@malibucity.org.

By Trevor

MALIBU—On Monday, October 30, the city of Malibu indicated on its website that residents of the community are invited to participate in upcoming workshops and take an online survey to learn about Malibu’s Coastal Vulnerability Assessment and projected impacts of sea level rise, ask questions, and provide input.

The Coastal Vulnerability Assessment will determine the vulnerability and projected impacts of sea level rise in the region for the short-term, mid-term, and long-term.

It can help the city of Malibu know what is at risk and find potential solutions to develop a proactive approach helping the city and community plan for coastal impacts associated with climate change and sea-level rise.

Work on the project for the city’s Coastal Vulnerability Assessment was started in 2019, but posted because of the Coronavirus. The city of Malibu resumed work in the spring of 2023.
Community feedback garnered during the workshops will help inform the final portions of the Coastal Vulnerability Assessment as it nears completion.

An in-person workshop will transpire on Tuesday, November 14, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Malibu City Hall (23825 Stuart Ranch Road) in the Multipurpose Room. A virtual workshop will be held on Thursday, November 16 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Register for the virtual or in-person workshop.

Community members can share input by taking the online survey. For more details, visit the website, call 310-456-2489, ext. 292, or email sandico@malibucity.org.

By Trevor

BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills announced on its website that crews from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) are planning repairs to a pipeline that delivers water to Beverly Hills. Water customers across the service area are being asked to conserve water from Monday, November 6 to Wednesday, November 8.

The city will be using water supplies from its existing reservoirs and its own water treatment plant while MWD work is completed.

Over the three days, the city is asking customers to refrain from outdoor watering and conserve water indoors as much as possible.

For additional water wise tips visit www.bhsaves.org. Such adjustments as the following can be completed:

Do your part, be water smart:

-Two (2) day per week watering due to  Drought:

Monday and Friday –  North of Santa Monica Blvd

Tuesday and Saturday -South of Santa Monica Blvd

-No watering (sprinklers or hose) after 9 a.m. or before 6 p.m.

-Approximately 8 minutes for overhead sprinklers and 15-20 for drip irrigation

-Turn OFF your irrigation system before a rain event. It can be left Off for long periods if there’s significant rainfall.

-Supplemental watering for trees allowed

-Violations will be issued for non-compliance

-30 percent citywide water reduction goal

-Find and fix leaks immediately

Water leaks are caused by running toilets. One toilet can run up to 200 gallons an hour. Other common continuous water flow issues are auto fills in pools or fountains, irrigation system issues and/or broken pipes.  Many leaks are not visible and can waste up to 5,000 gallons per day, the city of BH reports on its website.

For residents with continuous water flow issue at their property, check out the City’s Leak Flyer for more information. To see if there is a leak or are over watering one’s landscape – sign up for the City’s free Water Tracker program.

For more details call Beverly Hills Public Works Customer Service at 310-285-2467 or email askpw@beverlyhills.org.

By Trevor