Lawsuit Closes Popular Hiking Trail to the Hollywood Sign

KPCC AirTalk picked up on a long-developing story from Los Angeles, where Hollywood homeowners won a victory by shutting down a popular hiking path up to the Hollywood Sign.

Previously, the most-traversed path to the Hollywood Sign was up a road in Beachwood — much to the chagrin of many of the neighborhood’s residents. But after years of strife between residents, tourists, and City Hall, the Beachwood path will be closed this month. That decision comes as the result of a court battle between the city and a commercial stable that was leasing land at the Beachwood trailhead.

The audio of the radio show aired on April 17, 2017, offers a chance for some of the local residents who oppose the use of the trail. Sarajane Schwartz says, for instance, that the access to the trail on her street was unsafe, and that hikers will still be able to access the same trails. Linda Othenin-Girard says that hikers and traffic will simply be moved to other streets and neighborhoods, and opposes the closure as an bad precedent for public access to public spaces. Sarah Dusseault, chief of staff for Councilman David Ryu, who represents the area, also talks about the councilmember's efforts to maintain access to the Hollywood Sign area.

For a traditional news report on the court case and the ensuing closure, Emily Alpert Reyes reported in March on the lawsuit and controversy.