HOLLYWOOD HILLS–City officials will close the Beachwood Drive gate that allows pedestrian access to the Hollywood sign beginning Tuesday, April 18 to comply with a recent court order. The announcement was made by Los Angeles Councilman David Ryu’s office on Friday, April 1.
Pedestrians will no longer be able to access the Hollyridge Trail or other paths into Griffith Park, officials said. Sunset Ranch Hollywood Stables, which sells guided horseback tours through the park and advertises “incredible views of the famous Hollywood sign,” sued the city of Los Angeles in March 2015, alleging officials advertised the route, flooding it with more than 15,000 tourists and hikers a month.
On February 3, 2017, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge found the overflow of people was blocking customers’ access in and out of the stables. To reach the Hollyridge Trail, pedestrians must pass through a gate and walk on the stable’s driveway.
“The court ruled that pedestrian access along the road to Sunset Ranch was incompatible with Sunset Ranch’s legal easement and impeded their ability to conduct business,” the California Department of Parks and Recreation indicated in a statement.
To ensure all Griffith Park trails remain open, city officials will re-direct pedestrians away from the Beachwood Gate to other access points, such as the Canyon Road and Vermont Canyon entrances “as [they] put in place enforcement to redirect and to effectively serve tourists, hikers and residents,” according to the statement.
City Council voted Friday to allocate $100,000 toward studying park access improvements. The objective is to recommend routes that will allow public access to the Hollywood sign while minimizing the impacts on surrounding neighborhoods and wildlife.
Written By Alyssa Alvarado and Sabrina Bush
