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Resident urges reinforced gate at freeway-adjacent encampment after fires, assaults
Summary
A Hawthorne resident described repeated fires, drug activity and an assault near a freeway encampment and asked the council to request a reinforced double gate; city staff said they will assess damaged gates and coordinate with Caltrans and the resident’s legislative representatives.
Hawthorne — A resident told the City Council on March 24 that repeated encampment activity near her home adjacent to the 105 freeway has caused fires, hazardous smoke and at least one violent incident, and asked the council to pursue a reinforced gate at the Ramona/Imperial Highway site.
"My daughters have had to call the fire department on several occasions and have even evacuated our home because of heavy smoke and chemical smells coming from fires started in nearby encampments," Wendy Rodriguez said during public comment, describing repeated breaches of a gate and purchases her family has made to try to secure the site.
City staff and council members acknowledged the problem but noted the underlying property is Caltrans-owned roadway right-of-way in multiple places. Staff said they would provide Ms. Rodriguez both the contact information for her state assemblymember and state senator and a staff-level assessment of Gates and retaining fences damaged along the freeway. City staff also said they will schedule a meeting with Caltrans to discuss whether a double-reinforced gate, larger-gauge wire or iron fencing is feasible at affected locations.
Council members raised related safety concerns and asked staff to compile an assessment and coordinate with Caltrans. "If it's Caltrans property, we will coordinate with them, but if it's county or other jurisdictional property we'll refer to the proper agency," a councilmember said. City staff apologized for past repair failures and pledged to follow up.
Next steps: staff will collect contact information, create an assessment of damaged gates and retaining fences, and follow up with Caltrans to evaluate possible reinforcement approaches. Staff said any action that requires Caltrans or county approval will be coordinated with those agencies; the city cannot unilaterally force changes on state-owned property.
(Reporting note: quotes are taken from the resident's public comment and staff remarks during the council meeting.)
