The Brief

Tourists and residents strolling through Palisades Park in Santa Monica are greeted by a beautiful view of a sandy beach, the Pacific Ocean and the pier. Oh, and roughly 100 ground squirrels running across the lawn, and occasionally, directly toward you.

It almost looks like a scene out of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, just furrier.

As cute as they may seem, ground squirrels can cause serious environmental issues, and human visitors sharing their snacks aren’t helping.

How bad is it

Keira Powell and Corey Mooney, who were sitting on a park bench near the bluffs, told LAist they saw a squirrel crawl right up someone’s leg.

“Check your pockets before you go home,” Mooney said. “You might end up with a squirrel.”

Powell added that they’re nothing like the gray or red tree squirrels they’re used to back home in Boston.

“They eat the grass, almost like a grazing herd of, like, sheep or goats,” she said.

The squirrels seem to be everywhere, even on the paved paths for bicyclists.

Powell and Mooney had a hotel view of the park, and they said the little brown rodents seem to be on a set schedule — as soon as the sun and people come out, so do they.

Gwendolyn Fogel lives in Santa Monica and visits the nearby farmers market weekly, but she told LAist this is the first time she’s seen so many squirrels in the park.

A small sampling of the ground squirrel population across Palisades Park.

(

Makenna Sievertson

/

LAist

)

An eager ground squirrel at Palisades Park in Santa Monica.

(

Makenna Sievertson

/

LAist

)

“ One of them just chased us, which I've also never seen squirrels, like, run after people,” she said. “ We both lived in New York and … deal with squirrels all the time. They don't chase after you, they run away from you.”

Christian Bussgen, Fogel’s friend, said they remind her of rats, but our interview was quickly interrupted by an especially eager squirrel.

What Santa Monica says

The city has posted signs along the park asking people not to feed squirrels or birds. The red and white warnings say it “creates an imbalance in native ecology” and makes the animals more dependent on humans for food.

The city of Santa Monica has posted signs along Palisades Park asking people not to feed squirrels or birds.

(

Makenna Sievertson

/

LAist

)

Tati Simonian, public information officer with the city of Santa Monica, said Palisades Park gets a lot of foot traffic and is just on top of the natural bluffs — which the ground squirrels like to burrow in.

“As visitors come to enjoy the view, we remind them that the park is part of a greater natural environment and request their help in maintaining the environment as much as possible,” she said in a statement.

When LAist asked if it’s normal for the squirrels to chase people through the park around this time of year, Simonian declined to share additional information.

Experts say we’re to blame

Marcia Rybak, of Coast and Canyon Wildlife Rehabilitation, told LAist that the squirrels in Santa Monica are unique.

“The trouble Santa Monica has, and will always have, with those ground squirrels on the bluffs is the ground squirrels are well established and very happy there,” she said in an email. “The population will remain stable based on the food supply. If people don't feed them then they will only breed as much as the land will carry.”

So in short, if you’re noticing more squirrels around Palisades Park, it's because we’re feeding them more and inadvertently encouraging them to stay in the area. So it’s best to keep your snacks to yourself.

But it's also spring — which means baby season.

There were several burrows with ground squirrel babies in Palisades Park as well.

(

Makenna Sievertson

/

LAist

)

Officially known as California or Beechy ground squirrels, they live together in burrows and prefer to forage on the ground, according to an L.A. County Agricultural Commissioner / Weights & Measures report.

The ones in our area usually begin to breed in December. But by June, the squirrels’ average of seven to eight babies per litter start to scurry out on their own.

“A good way to explain the difference in movement of ground squirrels versus tree squirrels is that tree squirrels disperse,” Rybak said in an email. “On the other hand, ground squirrels spread where babies dig burrows adjacent to the one they were born in. Ground squirrels do not travel much farther than 150 feet from their burrows.”

There were several groups of young squirrels in various burrows when LAist visited Palisades Park in late April.

A word of warning

Ground squirrels can cause some serious damage.

Their burrows, which can be up to 30 feet long and several feet below ground, can affect roads, structures and dams, to name a few.

If the population becomes unnaturally high, the squirrels can make a grassy area look more like a “pockmarked moonscape,” according to the L.A. County report.

Further north in San Luis Obispo County, Pismo Beach officials say they’re dealing with a squirrel problem in some parks after the city stopped using poison baits to manage the population, which has since “exploded.”

Specifically, the tunnels are making the Shell Beach bluffs collapse faster.

Rosemarie Gaglione, the city's public works director, said in an April 15 City Council meeting that she’s seen people feed the squirrels and watched them approach others looking for a meal.

“While they look cute, they’re not a great thing for the park,” Gaglione said. “ FEMA made the comment … that we need to take care of the squirrel problem because it's impacting the bluffs.”

Pismo Beach officials supported a public campaign telling people not to feed the squirrels and educating them on the damage the population is doing.

“Feed a squirrel and the bluffs [are] going to go away,” said Mayor Ed Waage during the meeting. “You won’t be able to sit here anymore.”

Other California cities are dealing with a squirrel population problem, which has "exploded" in some parks.

(

Makenna Sievertson

/

LAist

)

The Los Angeles City Council decided Tuesday to put off the full effects of a major new state housing law by allowing low-rise apartment buildings in some neighborhoods where such housing has long been banned.

All council members voted in favor of those plans except for Traci Park, who was absent from the meeting.

California’s Senate Bill 79 is set to take effect July 1. The law overrides local limits on housing development by allowing apartment buildings between five and nine stories tall near train stations and rapid bus stops.

However, cities are allowed to postpone those changes until 2030 by developing their own incremental plans for more housing. L.A. elected leaders have chosen to delay. They’re doing so through the city’s new Low-Rise Ordinance, which aims to allow buildings up to four stories tall in 57 neighborhoods near transit lines.

Why it matters

L.A. lawmakers have tried many approaches to bring down L.A.’s high rents. But they have consistently voted to stop apartment developers from encroaching on the nearly three-quarters of city residential land reserved for single-family homes.

Pushed by state lawmakers, city leaders are now having to accept some changes in single-family neighborhoods located near public transit lines.

The reaction

Some local officials and homeowners have expressed frustration over new state limits on their ability to stop development in low-density zones. But advocates for more development said the council’s decision will help address high rents by allowing more housing in areas that have long been off-limits to new apartments.

“The City Council voted to open up high-resource single-family neighborhoods near transit stations,” said Scott Epstein, policy director with Abundant Housing L.A. “This reform is long overdue and will help build a future where Angelenos of all incomes can find homes in the neighborhoods of their choice.”

Where will the projects be allowed?

Officials with the city’s planning department said residents can see whether Low-Rise Ordinance projects will be allowed in their neighborhood by clicking on this interactive map and making two selections from the “layer list” menu: “Opportunity Station Sites Eligible for Low Rise” and “Sites Eligible for Low Rise Outside of Opportunity Station.”

The map shows that some of the areas eligible for new apartment buildings under this plan include Westside neighborhoods within a half-mile of the E Line’s Westwood/Rancho Park station, pockets of the San Fernando Valley near G Line stops, and parts of Eagle Rock along Colorado Boulevard’s planned North Hollywood to Pasadena rapid bus line.

Is this a done deal?

Both plans — the decision to delay full SB 79 implementation, and the new Low-Rise Ordinance — now go to Mayor Karen Bass for final approval. Council members are also considering some tweaks they say would help Low-Rise Ordinance projects get built.

Those changes would include letting developers build denser projects if they reserve more units for low-income renters, as well as rules that would let developers build ground-level parking instead of costlier underground parking. The council’s planning committee voted Tuesday to forward those suggestions to the full City Council for further debate.

There’s a new tool to fight illegal fireworks this Fourth of July: drones.

“A drone’s real-time aerial view can help officers assess situations faster, improve safety, support faster response times and ensure the right resources are sent where they’re needed most,” the Anaheim Police Department stated in an Instagram post.

Anaheim's department is the latest law enforcement agency using the technology to quickly identify illegal fireworks use. The Downey City Council is expected to vote Tuesday night on potential new fines and new rules that would allow local law enforcement to use drones to patrol neighborhoods for illegal fireworks usage.

How it works

Here's how the tech is put to use: Seconds after authorities receive a call reporting illegal fireworks activity, drones can take to the air, hovering above neighborhoods and businesses to find a specific location and an offender. The surveillance devices are equipped with night vision and zoom lenses that allow first responders to record high definition videos right from their Real Time Crime Center at the station.

Then, officers can determine whether to send out a patrol car or issue a citation for the incident.

Why it matters

The city’s drone usage comes as law enforcement agencies across Southern California brace for the annual flood of complaints about illegal firework use at this time of the year. Drones make the most effective use of time and resources, experts say.

“We'll typically see about 2,000 calls and about 300 related to fireworks,” Anaheim’s chief communications officer Mike Lyster explained about the Fourth of July. “It really is a better use of resources on what is always a very, very busy holiday for us.”

Drones allow officials to collect enough evidence to issue these citations. In Anaheim, the punishment starts at $1,000 and climbs to $3,000 by the third offense. But authorities say the goal is to curb illegal fireworks use altogether due to the risk of injury and wildfires.

Lyster hopes that people will think twice about using illegal fireworks this holiday — not just because of the fines — but because of its negative impact on local communities.

“The Palisades fire was ultimately started by illegal fireworks, and sadly, not in our city, but in our neighboring city, a young Anaheim girl died in an illegal fireworks incident last year,” Lyster said.

Where are drones already in use?

More cities are testing this method in order to crack down on illegal firework use. Sacramento, San Bernardino and Riverside are just a few of the other areas that have adopted this technology in recent years.

How do I know what's legal?

If you have any questions about what is legal or not in your community, a quick Google search can help.

Each county goes by different regulations for the types of fireworks you can use — if at all.

For example, parts of Anaheim allow “safe and sane” fireworks to be used only on the Fourth of July between 10 a.m and 10 p.m. This includes non-explosive, non-aerial devices like fountains, sparklers and smoke balls. State-approved fireworks will have a State Fire Marshal seal.

LAist staffer Anjanette Gile also contributed to this report.

The story first appeared on The LA Local.

Your neighborhood has a reporter. Have you met them yet?

On Saturday, coffee shops across L.A. are turning into places where you can tell a journalist exactly what’s been bugging you about your block … while drinking amazing coffee.

From Boyle Heights to Silver Lake to Inglewood to Long Beach, local reporters will be set up at neighborhood coffee shops from from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — to hear what’s on your mind. Got a tip about a pothole that’s been eating tires for years? A landlord the city keeps ignoring? A community hero nobody’s written about? We want to hear it all!

It’s part of Local News Day LA, a pop-up series organized by The LA Local that connects you with your local reporter and give you a chance to become the source instead of just the reader.

LAist has been meeting community members in person through LAist Listens tabling events by popping up at local businesses.

See below for the full list of participating media outlets and coffee shops — The LA Local and our media partners hope you’ll join us:

LAist will be joining The LA Local and other local media partners for Local News Day LA on June 27.

(

The LA Local

)

Where to find a journalist

1. The LA Local – Koreatown, Pico Union, Westlake will be hosted by Open Market
2. The LA Local – Inglewood and South LA will be hosted by Asteroid Vinyl Cafe
3. Boyle Heights Beat will be hosted by Picaresca Cafe
4. CalMatters will be hosted by Yia Caffe 
5. Calo News will be hosted by Cruzita’s Deli and Cafe
6. The Eastsider will be hosted by Rosebud Coffee (Highland Park location)
7. LAist will be hosted by Cafe Calle
8. Los Angeles Radio Collective will be hosted by Spoke Bicycle Cafe
9. LA Sentinel will be hosted by Patria Coffee
10. LA Taco will be hosted by Cafecito Organico (Silverlake location)
11. LA Public Press will be hosted by Holy Grounds Coffee & Tea
12. Long Beach Post will be hosted by Wrigley Coffee
13. Q Voice News will be hosted by Hot Java
14. USC Annenberg Media will be hosted by South LA Cafe (Western location)

Come enjoy a cup of coffee (or tea) with us while supplies last. 

A coalition of 17 states and a trade association representing U.S. wholesalers and distributors have sued California to block the enforcement of a stringent recycling law that aims to reduce plastic packaging waste.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court, argues that California’s recently finalized regulations that will gradually require companies to scale back single-use plastics and ensure all packaging is recycling or compostable should be struck down. The plaintiffs called the regulations “onerous mandates” that will cause steep price increases in everyday necessities that will be passed on, at least in part, to consumers.

“Once again, California is trying to enact a policy that negatively impacts the rest of the country. If California goes unchecked, consumers will be forced to pay more for basic necessities,” Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who led the coalition, said in a news release.

The law, called the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, was enacted in 2022.

“Virtually every product packaged or shipped in plastic containers, as well as a significant number of other types of packaging materials that merely incorporate plastics, fall into the Act’s remarkable sweep,” the lawsuit said.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, which represents companies that import and distribute goods in California, also joined the lawsuit.

“California is not entitled to pronounce nationwide policies,” Eric Hoplin, the trade association’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “Because the Act extends California’s regulatory reach far beyond its borders and brings within its sweep conduct wholly unconnected to California, the Act violates principles of federalism, the horizontal separation of powers, and due process.”

The lawsuit argues the law violates both the U.S. and California constitutions. It asks the court to declare California’s law invalid and unenforceable, and halt its implementation.

The lawsuit names as defendants Zoe Heller, director of California’s recycling agency known as CalRecycle, and the Circular Action Alliance, a nonprofit involved with implementing the law.

Melanie Turner, a spokesperson for CalRecycle, said in an emailed statement that the agency does not comment on pending litigation and that it remained focused on implementing the law.

The alliance said in a statement that it was aware of the lawsuit and closely monitoring developments while at the same time working to implement the law’s “ambitious goals.”

In a May news release announcing regulations under the law, state officials said the changes would fight plastics pollution while protecting the interests of taxpayers and local governments.

“California is shifting the responsibility of managing single-use plastic and packaging onto the producers. New packaging reforms lower waste costs for communities and decrease garbage and pollution across the state,” Environmental Protection Secretary Yana Garcia said in a statement. “This approach pushes producers to innovate and design packaging that truly supports a circular economy.”

Joining Nebraska in the lawsuit were 16 other states with Republican attorneys general: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.Environmental groups also have sued over the law. A coalition that included the Natural Resources Defense Council recently filed a complaint over what it said in a news release were “weakened” final regulations for the “landmark” law.