Hollywood's Sign of the Times

There may be no more thorny issue to deal with in Hollywood than access to the Hollywood Sign. As the most important landmark in Southern California and an international icon, it is easy to understand why tourists and Angelenos would be drawn to the Sign. At the same time, it is easy to understand why residents in the neighborhoods under the Sign can get irritated by the disruption to their lives caused by the sheer numbers of constant visitors passing through their streets.

And of course matters are even more complicated when these issues impact numerous different neighborhoods as well as Griffith Park, which serves so many different constituencies. To make solutions even more difficult, there is not unanimity in the neighborhoods on a course of action. Recently, the City closed off one access point into Griffith Park and to the Hollywood Sign at the top of Beachwood Drive to satisfy one group of residents, only to be sued by another group that wanted to keep the access points open.

Councilmember David Ryu has commissioned a study to look at mobility issues in the areas surrounding Griffith Park. We will definitely be interested in what the study reveals and any solutions proposed. 

I have long felt that the Chamber should see where it can assist in these matters and so have formed a Hollywood Hills Mobility Task Force to explore things that can be done to ease or resolve the issues. While we don’t have any immediate answers, it doesn’t hurt for us to take a look at this complicated challenge.

I remain convinced that the best way to reduce the number of visitors going into the residential neighborhoods is to provide a viable alternative that gives the public the access that is desired. And by “viable” I mean access that would be close enough for a good view and easier to use (such as parking, etc.). Imagine if there were a Hollywood Sign visitors center with a movie about the Sign, etc. I believe it would be very popular with visitors. Where such a center could be located is the hard part, but of course if it were easy, this would already have been done!

And so we are seeking solutions. If you have any ideas, please share them with us. You can email me at jeff@hollywoodhotel.net or our President & CEO at leron@hollywoodchamber.net. We hope to hear from you!!