Community Council Discusses Sidewalks, Retaining Walls

Proposed actions regarding sidewalk repair and the height of retaining walls didn't gain majority support at the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting Thursday.

After a round of discussion yielded no viable consensus, PPCC member Jack Allen withdrew a motion that called on the council to "support putting a measure on the ballot for the issuance of general obligation bonds or ... a bond measure paid for with a special tax on property owners" to cover the estimated $1 billion needed "to fix all the sidewalks and driveways in the city."

Allen's motion also noted "a property owner is responsible for repairing damaged sidewalks and driveways with the exception of damage caused by tree roots from city trees." However, last year the Los Angeles City Council considered eliminating the exception to the chagrin of the PPCC and neighborhood councils in other areas.

The city council directed the Public Works Department to develop alternatives to dropping the city tree damage exception and provide options for getting sidewalk repair underway.

In another segment of the meeting, PPCC Vice Chairwoman Haldis Toppel introduced a motion drafted by the council's Land Use Committee that proposed changes to city rules governing the aesthetics of retaining walls. The motion suggested limiting the height of "any individual wall" to 8 feet and 16 feet for "staggered or tiered" walls.

PPC members—many of whom abstained from the vote—couldn't reach a consensus on the proposed amendments to the retaining wall ordinance, and the motion was defeated.

Allen was one of the members who voted in the negative. He called the motion "too rigid, and it leaves no room for flexibility."

On Monday Toppel countered "our motion was actually aimed at allowing a more flexible position." She explained clarifying wall definitions and height limits are key to balancing the debate between homeowners' need for privacy and the aesthetic look of the community.