Loss of Access to Park Rankles Neighbors

Calabasas Hills residents have found that enclosing their community behind security gates is causing problems, especially since the neighborhood is near a hub of activity for many other local families.

When the guarded gates were erected on Paseo Primario last month, some parents of Bay Laurel Elementary School students complained about not being able to park their cars on the street above the campus and walk their children to the school.

Now, some members of the Calabasas Park Homeowners Assn., an umbrella organization made up of several homeowners groups in the city, said their access to a small park within the gates has been hindered as well.

As part of a contract agreement, members of the park association are allowed access to the park by showing a picture identification card or an association-issued pass.

But Michael Harrison, a member of the Calabasas Hills Community Assn., said they decided to close the park to everyone before 9 a.m. and between 2 and 3 p.m., and require that outsiders walk through the gates to get to the park, rather than drive in.

Traffic and parking problems in the mornings and afternoons prompted the community association to limit access to the park.

“They have some rights to it, and I don’t think anybody is trying to deny them actual use of the park,” Harrison said. “But we don’t believe that’s what they are doing. We have people pretending to use the park just so they can drop their kids off at school.”

Sharon Nessim, president of the park association, said access to the park is an important issue, especially for families with young children. She said she is confident a compromise can be reached.

“Our first approach is: These are our neighbors, there are a lot of friendships, a lot of relationships involved,” Nessim said. “Calabasas Hills is still getting the kinks out with the gate, and while we’d like to keep our rights, we’d also like to be supportive of them while they are working it out.”