The green snake-like thing in the gutter is a waddle.
Wattles are not lumpy bumps on women’s outer thighs. Wattles, in this case is not a description of how ducks get from place to place.
Rather, that’s the name given for the green wads of straw trash that seem to litter gutters of streets in the Huntington, along Sunset and Chautauqua Boulevards, in the village and along other Palisades streets.
Councilmember Traci Park’s legislative Deputy Sarah Flaherty told resident Cindy Simon, “When installed correctly, the wattles prevent sediment runoff from the many vacant lots in Pacific Palisades from entering city stormwater infrastructure and/or the Santa Monica Bay.
“They function, as I understand it, by trapping the sediment within the straw which can then be replaced when the sediment accumulates to capacity,” Flaherty said. “This allows stormwater infrastructure to function as intended for longer periods of time, reducing the time and resources necessary to maintain said infrastructure.”
Dirt may have been an issue in the beginning, but now many lots and parkways are so overgrown with weeds that other issues, such as brush clearance and weeding has become a priority.
Resident Cindy Simon wrote to the Council office, “It’s been one year since the fire. The wattles have morphed into complete street trash. They are everywhere. They are dirty, very very heavy, toxic, very unsightly, unwanted and serve no purpose as homeowners or rain have moved them away from street drains.
“They are impossible for the normal individual to move – they are heavy and unmovable. They are street trash that cannot be cleaned up by volunteers. We are stuck with these unwanted, unasked for street trash and are fed up.”
Simon was told to let Flaherty to let her know if they were moved in the next week.
(Editor’s note: With the Genesis Invitational coming to the Riviera Country Club February 19-22, it would be nice for the streets to be cleared because of the extra traffic traveling through the area.)
Wattles are everywhere in Pacific Palisades. This one broke and threw up dirt/straw.
Some of mine were removed by my private debris removal company and they had to pay a lot to dump them. I have seen ones that likely belonged to neighbors in Castellammare dumped into an area that will be very difficult to remove without earthmoving
equipment. I recommend we find a way to get rid of them now, or many will end up dumped where you see them but cannot get at them. Where are the Army Corps of engineers. Or our Fire Department? They are strong and have few fires to fight now.
An anonymous 40 something woman began disposing of them every Monday evening when trash cans were out. After months of reporting to city with no response, they left her no choice and I’m grateful for her work in risking street of greed waddles. Now we only have tan, red and black to corrupt our aesthetic
Unasked for Unwanted and Useless street trash … City Services should be picking them up from our streets. They have the machinery to do so. The major frustration is that unlike many of the city failings, this one we can’t just throw up our hands and take care of the job ourselves – way too heavy. I continue to
be a thorn in City Services side grrr…