Just where is this "Meadow?"
The Meadow is the large, flat (5-6 acres) grassy area on the east side of Silver Lake, south of Armstrong Ave. and north of Earl St. It is bounded on the east by Silver Lake Blvd. and on the west by the Reservoir.
Who owns it?
We, the people, do. The current steward of the Reservoir and the surrounding property is the City of LA, Department of Water & Power (LADWP), which has maintained the Reservoir and all of the surrounding acreage for over 70 years. Water in this reservoir serves some of downtown and South Central LA. Silver Lake's drinking water comes from Eagle Rock Reservoir.
How did it get that name…is it really a Meadow?
While not a natural Meadow as you might find in a mountain wilderness, it is much like similar urban grassy expanses, and the Meadow name helps emphasize its very special nature. It is similar to the world-renowned and loved Sheep Meadow in New York’s Central Park. Visit Central Park Sheep Meadow - CentralPark.com (The Silver Lake Meadow was formerly part of the Reservoir, but was filled in and landscaped many decades ago due to water quality concerns).
The Central Park Sheep Meadow is a popular and successful inspiration for the Silver Lake Meadow.Why is the Meadow so special?
Visitors who enjoyed the open day in Spring of 2007 recognized how unique this expansive community lawn is, offering quiet respite from the busy boulevard, great views of the Lake and surrounding hills, and a rare opportunity for family oriented recreation and contemplation — with easy walkable access for many Silver Lake residents.
Los Angeles has less park space per person than just about every other large city in America, and unfortunately our neighborhood has one of the worst park ratios in the entire city. Most of the local park land is up in the hills and mountains and not easily accessible to many families and children.
In short, L.A. is “park poor.” Silver Lake has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create sizable public open space at minimal cost (given the going cost of land in the Silver Lake area, it would cost the taxpayers over $10 million to buy this much land), a cooperative partner with the LADWP and many involved neighbors in Silver Lake’s best tradition of commitment to improvement, respect and diversity. It’s an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.
Visitors who enjoyed the open day in Spring of 2007 recognized how unique this expansive community lawn is, offering quiet respite from the busy boulevard, great views of the Lake and surrounding hills, and a rare opportunity for family oriented recreation and contemplation — with easy walkable access for many Silver Lake residents.
Los Angeles has less park space per person than just about every other large city in America, and unfortunately our neighborhood has one of the worst park ratios in the entire city. Most of the local park land is up in the hills and mountains and not easily accessible to many families and children.
In short, L.A. is “park poor.” Silver Lake has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create sizable public open space at minimal cost (given the going cost of land in the Silver Lake area, it would cost the taxpayers over $10 million to buy this much land), a cooperative partner with the LADWP and many involved neighbors in Silver Lake’s best tradition of commitment to improvement, respect and diversity. It’s an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.
Why hasn't it been open before now?
The entire Reservoir property has been closed to public access for at least 60 years because the water itself is a part of the City’s drinking water supply. Also, the LADWP hadn't been asked before. This opportunity came about with the development of the Silver Lake Master Plan in connection with the LADWP's Water Quality Improvement Project at Silver Lake in about 1999.
Due to ever-more-stringent Federal & State clean water regulations, the LADWP is required to serve all drinking water from covered storage. For Silver Lake & Ivanhoe, the water will be stored in huge underground tanks to be built north of Griffith Park, and the Reservoir will be “decommissioned” and only used for emergencies.
What is the Silver Lake Master Plan?
In about 1998, after 10 years of formal mediation with the LADWP, the Silver Lake delegates requested that the LADWP develop a "master plan" for the reservoir which would be used as the mitigation for what was then to be a major construction project on site. About $135,000 was allocated to this master plan by the LADWP. Mia Lehrer & Associates was awarded the contract to develop a phased Master Plan for the site. Since that time, an off site location was determined to be appropriate storage for the Silver Lake water (See http://www.ladwp.com/). Based on the current project, the LADWP would not be required to implement the plan. Instead, implementation of the plan would be left to the community.
How was the decision-making done?
A comprehensive public planning process for the future use of the property has been ongoing since the development of the Silver Lake Master Plan in 1998. Three well-attended workshops were held, and since then there have been numerous community meetings, forums, discussions and surveys taken. The first phase of the Master Plan was the separate walking/jogging path on W. Silver Lake Drive that was completed nearly 3 years ago and has proven to be extremely popular. Phase 2 is the Silver Lake Blvd. section of the path now under construction and scheduled for completion in June 2008. Discussions about the use of the entire Reservoir property will continue until the entire Reservoir property is taken out of service, currently anticipated to be 2015.
What about organized sports and lights, bleachers, bathrooms, parking lots?
As determined by workshops and subsequent meetings with the development of the Master Plan, organized sports and other high-impact active recreational uses will be prohibited on the Meadow at all times. No public facilities will be developed, except for walking paths, the existing irrigation system, a few benches and the enclosing fence. There will be no new parking lots, helping encourage healthy pedestrian access and creating natural limits to the Meadow’s use.
Who will keep it clean and litter–free?The property will be maintained by the LA City Department of Recreation & Parks. And all of us need to take an active part in keeping our park clean and litter-free.
What will the rules and regulations be?
There will be a Meadow Advisory Board convened in conjunction with the LA City Department of Recreation & Parks to make these decisions. But, until then, as determined during the Master Plan process, the Meadow will be designed for low-impact, passive recreational use -- walking, bird watching, sun bathing, picnicking with no cooking, etc. There will be no picnic tables, no barbeque pits, no baseball backstops -- just grassy open space and a few benches upon which to rest the weary. It will be open dawn to dusk (daylight hours) only.
Could it be sold to developers?
Opening the Meadow to the public helps ensure that it will remain in public ownership forever. If some future City leadership decided to change the zoning from OS (open space, the most restrictive zone designation) and sell or lease the land for development, and it passed environmental review, that is a technical possibility. However, it is extremely rare, if unheard of, for public open space to be privately developed once it’s designated a community recreational resource. Needless to say, the neighborhood would likely vehemently oppose such a plan.
What will the impact on the wildlife be?
As part of the environmental documentation required by projects like this, it was determined through a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) that there will be "no significant" impact on the wildlife. This was echoed by the full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that the LADWP prepared in conjunction with the project that will move the Silver Lake Water storage to the "Headworks" location, adjacent to Griffith Park and the LA River.
Just what does "no significant impact" mean?
All of the wildlife living within the Reservoir property are urban dwellers and extremely adaptable to their environment. Coyotes, in particular, have had no problem finding enough to eat both inside and outside the fence. Many residents have lost precious pets to the coyotes. The coyotes den under cover and not out in the open. Residents with large yards and places to hide have reported coyotes living nearly adjacent to homes. Learn more about the importance of responsibly managing and co-existing with urban wildlife at http://www.laanimalservices.org/wildlife_coyotes.htm.
What about the birds and nesting season?
As has been determined by the 2 recent environmental documents, there are no threatened species of birds living in or on the Meadow. For over 25 years, the LADWP allowed the Audubon Christmas Bird counters on the reservoir property. Again, no threatened species were seen.
As another example of the adaptability of birds to their urban environment, observe the Great Blue Herons that have been nesting for years high in the Eucalyptus trees on West Silver Lake Drive. Herons were on their nests when firefighters filled the helicopter water tanks not even 500' away from them during the Griffith Park fire in May, 2007.
It’s been well established for many decades that wildlife refuges and parks can coexist with human use. For example, Audubon Center at Debs Park www.audubon-ca.org/debs_park.htm provides a wildlife enjoyment experience and protective environment.
Who will visit the Meadow?
With its limited use hours and lack of typical park and recreation developments, the Meadow is designed for pedestrian-friendly neighborhood use. Just like the New York Central Park Sheep Meadow, it is a special resource that appeals to those seeking peace, open space, light and quiet relaxation.
The solution to LA’s park shortage is a program of neighborhood parks that answer local recreation needs. Various park projects are underway to create additional enhancements in the surrounding areas (such as the Taylor Yard, Elysian Valley and Cornfield parks). And creating small “pocket parks” from under utilized used land gives easy park access to families right in their neighborhood. By supporting park projects throughout the city, every neighborhood benefits.
If the Meadow is opened and problems develop, what can we do?
Using the various avenues at our disposal -- our local elected officials, the various responsible city agencies (including the LA City Dept. of Recreation & Parks and LA Police Dept.), and our voices, we could effect the change necessary to solve those problems. In addition, a Meadow Advisory Board is being formed to monitor the Meadow and its management. With good management from the start, problems should be minimal -- the park by the Recreation Center has been open to the public for decades with few problems.
What about organized sports?
Organized sports and other high-impact active recreational uses will be prohibited on the Meadow at all times. The Master Plan process and about 20 community meetings and surveys have over and again expressed the desire for the Meadow to be a place of respite and restoration — a precious oasis in the big, bustling and noisy city. Many active recreation venues for organized sports are nearby, with more coming soon.
Will there be lights, bleachers, restrooms?
There will be no public facilities developed on the Meadow, except for walking paths and a few benches. Restrooms are available at the Recreation Center.
Who will keep it clean and litter free?
The property will be maintained by the LA City Dept. of Recreation & Parks. Of course, everyone is responsible for putting their own litter in the bins and helping keep the area clean.
Why not replace the lawn with drought-tolerant native plants?
While it might seem sensible to remove the grass and replace it with drought-resistant plantings, that would cost hundreds of thousands, if not well over a million, dollars. Meanwhile, the grass will be maintained as is for current public use and enjoyment, with the Lake water level to be maintained even after the Reservoir is removed from service, ensuring a stable water supply. Consider that, unlike flat suburban neighborhoods, many Silver Lake homes have no lawn or flat play space. This "community lawn" might even be more efficient than thousands of individual lawns.
Why not call it a community lawn?
Good idea. It’s no secret that a green grassy expanse is a much more enjoyable space for relaxation and pastoral enjoyment than the brown, bristly fire-prone native flora covering the nearby hills such as Griffith Park. Nonetheless, as money becomes available, there is an opportunity to create attractive plantings at the Meadow’s borders, featuring drought-tolerant demonstration landscaping, encouraging residents to create their own low-water use gardens.
One of the best features of the Meadow plan is its extraordinary cost–effective opportunity for a beautiful and readymade place for neighborhood enjoyment — a truly magical environment. Removing the grass and re-landscaping would result in the destruction of a rare, beautiful resource and habitat for wildlife such as waterfowl that use the Meadow.
Who is paying for this project and the new walking path?
Changes anticipated in the short-term have been included in the Phase 2 Silver Lake Blvd. walking path budget (which comes from the original $1.3 million provided by the State and City). Phase 1 was the West Silver Lake Drive path. The LADWP will be installing and fund their new fence to their standards. No specific funding source has been identified as yet for any of the upgraded landscape design and paths. There are several sources that will be explored once the community has decided what they want exactly and when they want it. But, in the meantime, using the community lawn is an asset that can be enjoyed soon.
What about pedestrian safety along Silver Lake Blvd?
Pedestrian safety has been a prime concern in the development of the Silver Lake walk/running paths and will continue to be one of the highest priorities. Planning efforts are underway to install a signalized pedestrian crossing at the Meadow, but there is need for more awareness and cooperation from the LA City Dept of Transportation (LADOT). Reducing speed through additional traffic calming measures will enhance the neighborhood’s overall quality, with less pollution, congestion and safety concerns. Neighbors are strongly encouraged to communicate to their City Council Offices the vital importance of safe pedestrian access in the project area. Click here for a LADOT Suggestion Form.
Won't there be an increase in traffic?
Not likely. The plan to have the Meadow open from dawn to dusk means that people can include a visit on their walk during the day. Since there won't be any attractions, few people will make a special trip in their car, but just drop in to enjoy this magical treasure.
Will parking be a problem?
The experience of the W. Silver Lake Drive path shows that parking concerns were unfounded. Ample parking is available on Silver Lake Blvd.
So what if the Meadow stays closed forever?
The LADWP will continue to maintain the property in its present condition until another use is found. The LADWP is not in the park business and wants to turn the property over to the appropriate steward for future use. As of this writing, the LADWP has promised to maintain the water level at its average operating level of 440' above sea level, allowing for use of the Reservoir in any emergency.
The Silver Lake Master Plan has created a series of community enhancements around the Lake, all of which have dramatically improved the value of our extraordinary neighborhood. With the coming Public Library (at Silver Lake Blvd. and Glendale Avenue), our neighborhood is experience improvements not seen in decades, and the Meadow is no less than the crown jewel of this progress. So, if the decision is made to keep the Meadow closed to the public, the community will continue to wonder why this wonderful resource continues to be locked — behind bars and inaccessible.
