New proposal could open San Pedro's 'Sunken City' to public

By ANTHONY KURZWEIL AND COURTNEY FRIEL

An area of San Pedro known as the "Sunken City" is currently closed to the public, but a new proposal may soon allow visitors to explore the secluded property during daylight hours.

Currently surrounded by an iron fence, this part of the San Pedro coastline began sliding into the ocean in 1929.

Slabs of graffiti-filled concrete now fill the hillside where streets, sidewalks and bungalow homes once stood.

Despite the fence and "no trespassing" signs designed to keep people off the property, it has become a popular site for curious visitors.

"I hop over here and just be really, really careful and I watch my step everywhere I go," said Michael Druskovich, who grew up exploring the ruins. "I mean look at the view, you see the waves, you see the whales, the Dolphins."

But Druskovich and many others may not have to scale a barrier to enter the property for much longer.

Earlier this month, Los Angeles City Councilman Joe Buscaino officially asked city parks officials to look into legally allowing visitors entry into the 6-acre property during daylight hours, the Long Beach Press Telegram reported.

The proposal would add an automated gate that would lock on its own at sunset, according to the report.

The city still had some work to do before moving forward with the plan, Buscaino said in a statement.

"Before making a decision to open Sunken City to the public, it is important that we as a city perform our due diligence and consider all of the public safety issues associated with this area," the statement read.

Some local residents told KTLA they were worried the area would become even more crowded if the proposal passed.