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Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

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Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd expect there to be conditions in the sale that would enforce this - also the landowner in this case would be appear to be the business that runs the surrounding golf courses and hotel, so they're probably not going anywhere: http://www.archerfieldhouse.com/ I would also expect the relevant government agency (possibly Scottish National Heritage) to take a rather dim view of anyone breaking the conditions of planni…

Or they don't ask, and buy semi-permanent sea access for the bargain price of one angle grinder, some unassuming hinges, a latch, and a can of matching green paint. I'm assuming that most of the home-buyers would be Scots, after all. The folks on the other side of the fence are certainly Scots with an interest in public access to Archerfield Woods from the coastal walking trail. I very much doubt that such a fence wo…

Actually, as far as I can tell one part of the planning agreement was for the developers to fund a ranger to help monitor the area - probably one of this lot:

https://www.facebook.com/East-Lothian-Countryside-Ranger-Ser...

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#122
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was really curious about that, as I live in southern Marin and have wanted to go up that road before. Are you sure it's a public road though? I found this: http://sausalito.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_... On page 2, there's a line that says, "Wolfback Ridge Road is a private road maintained by the Wolfback Ridge Association, a neighborhood homeowner’s association (see Exhibit R for Association inform…

I have emails from the city saying otherwise, I'll try and dig them up. I believe it's publicly maintained as it was resurfaced along with the rest of the town a couple years back when we lived there. I also doubt the Wolfback Ridge Association paid for the bridge over highway 101 that's exclusive to them. There are radio towers (SFO?) up there but you can access along the fire roads from Tennessee Valley. Edit: Foun…

Awesome, thanks!

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#123

I have to wonder why more residents aren't trying to milk money out of the tourists. Isn't that what is supposed to happen around every tourist attraction? If I lived there, I might just pave a few extra parking spaces into my property and charge $5 for first 30 minutes and $5 each additional 60 minutes thereafter. Buy lemonade, hiking maps, souvenir magnets, and postcards from the kiosk. 10%-off coupons for checking…

The people that own those houses have enough money that it isn't worth the time investment to make a little extra cash, even if the side benefit it ruining the experience. That's a hell of a time commitment.

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#124
post #20

The attempt to turn public property into the property of the locals reminds me of a similar, non-tech-related case, also in LA - Malibu beaches. According to the law of the state of California, all beaches are public property. Of course, this gets a bit complicated when an individual owns the land in front of the beach. The people who buy houses in Malibu would, of course, prefer to have a private beach section. So t…

A similar thing happens in Mexico. According to article 27 of the Mexican constitution, all beaches are public property:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Mexico#Article...

So how does this work in relation to the de facto apartheid we have in Mexico, thanks to resorts? Same thing: the people with money make their own rules.

Edit: Never mind, upon further investigation, it seems that the public property is not defined by the constitution, but by other laws, and individuals can obtain certain temporary concessions to use it which roughly corresponds to leasing the land from the government:

http://mexicolaw.com/Lawinfo30.htm

http://www.eloscabos.gob.mx/pdf/lyr/reglamento-de-acceso-a-p...

This still does end up furthering the de facto apartheid we have in Mexico, however.

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#125
post #60

Similar issue in Sausalito above the Bridge. Wolfback Ridge Rd is a publicly maintained road yet they have a gate and sign that says otherwise. It is strictly enforced by Sausalito Police on behalf of residents. There's some great short hikes up there that offer excellent views of the Golden Gate Bridge and headlands. Even google didn't dare go up there: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8512481,-122.4911711,3a,75y,...…

I was really curious about that, as I live in southern Marin and have wanted to go up that road before. Are you sure it's a public road though? I found this: http://sausalito.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_... On page 2, there's a line that says, "Wolfback Ridge Road is a private road maintained by the Wolfback Ridge Association, a neighborhood homeowner’s association (see Exhibit R for Association inform…

IANAL but it looks like the story is more complicated then a simple public or private. This tax plot seems to show the road past the gate to the sharp bend IS public, but after the sharp bend their is no road easement recorded, the property lines go right to the middle of the road making it like a private shared driveway:

http://www.marinmap.org/Planner/queryRM.aspx?PID=064-276-22

And there is the additional complication of no place to turn around at the end of the public road so for safety cars have been limited to not travel past the gate.

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#126
post #60

Similar issue in Sausalito above the Bridge. Wolfback Ridge Rd is a publicly maintained road yet they have a gate and sign that says otherwise. It is strictly enforced by Sausalito Police on behalf of residents. There's some great short hikes up there that offer excellent views of the Golden Gate Bridge and headlands. Even google didn't dare go up there: https://www.google.com/maps/@37.8512481,-122.4911711,3a,75y,...…

I was really curious about that, as I live in southern Marin and have wanted to go up that road before. Are you sure it's a public road though? I found this: http://sausalito.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_... On page 2, there's a line that says, "Wolfback Ridge Road is a private road maintained by the Wolfback Ridge Association, a neighborhood homeowner’s association (see Exhibit R for Association inform…

Well the legal status of the road certainly seems to have a complicated history, tied up with a very large failed development project in the 60s called Marincello:

http://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/3d/44...

http://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/3d/12...

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#127

On the one hand I can kinda feel the pain of the homeowners. When my neighbor recently had a yard sale, I basically had to sit in my driveway telling people to not block it in case I had to get out. Some would actually try and argue with me. So, I know how selfish and stupid people can be sometimes. But, selfish and stupid works both ways. The homeowners near there can't deny people right of way on public streets. Th…

A better solution would have been to just block your own driveway.

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or they don't ask, and buy semi-permanent sea access for the bargain price of one angle grinder, some unassuming hinges, a latch, and a can of matching green paint. I'm assuming that most of the home-buyers would be Scots, after all. The folks on the other side of the fence are certainly Scots with an interest in public access to Archerfield Woods from the coastal walking trail. I very much doubt that such a fence wo…

Actually, as far as I can tell one part of the planning agreement was for the developers to fund a ranger to help monitor the area - probably one of this lot: https://www.facebook.com/East-Lothian-Countryside-Ranger-Ser...

The captions on these photos tell a bit more of the story:

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/35182

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1247442

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/102054

There's also a wiki entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archerfield_Estate_and_Links).

So on further examination, It looks increasingly like this is an American-style gated community for the wealthy, and that the new home-owners probably wouldn't even know what an angle grinder is, much less which end was safe to hold. And on further examination of the fence, one pair of bolt cutters and enough time to make 20 unmolested snips would be sufficient to restore the previous state of the locals' Allemansratten (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_to_roam).

There's also this amusing article: http://www.scotsman.com/news/pub-tycoon-hit-by-new-fences-ba...

And this: https://www.scotways.com/court-cases/181-archerfield-access-...

Re: Why people keep trying to erase the Hollywood sign from Google Maps (2014)

#130
post #43

On the one hand I can kinda feel the pain of the homeowners. When my neighbor recently had a yard sale, I basically had to sit in my driveway telling people to not block it in case I had to get out. Some would actually try and argue with me. So, I know how selfish and stupid people can be sometimes. But, selfish and stupid works both ways. The homeowners near there can't deny people right of way on public streets. Th…

You couldn't just ask them to move if/when you did actually have to get out? People don't spend usually more than a few minutes at yard sales and it sounds to me like you were just being unreasonable. If you were so worried you might need to leave at an absolute moments notice (doctor on call or something?) why not just park in the street yourself?

Entitlement, on display.
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