Responding to complaints about massive crowds at Candy Cane Lane, El Segundo police will beef up security and crack down on parking violations in the neighborhood over the next two weeks.

The annual display of elaborate holiday decorations put on by homeowners in the 1200 block of East Acacia Avenue doesn’t kick off until Saturday, but spectators drawn by social media already have been driving through the neighborhood in search of Christmas lights.

Compromise reached

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, El Segundo leaders voted to compromise with neighbors in the 1100 block of Acacia who petitioned to have their street closed off to vehicles because of throngs of people spilling from sidewalks into the roadway as they walk to Candy Cane Lane.

At a minimum, both blocks will be barricaded with city vehicles on the evenings of Dec. 9, 22 and 23, but Police Chief Bill Whalen could decide to close the 1100 block on additional nights. It’s closed on opening night anyway to make way for the arrival of Santa Claus on a fire truck.

“I’ll over-staff to the point where we can write citations and we can tow cars as necessary,” Whalen told the City Council.

Police previously said that could prove challenging since the department is struggling with staffing levels.

Whalen apologized to residents who said their Candy Cane Lane-related calls to police were discounted, acknowledging the department has received calls for cars blocking driveways and a hit-and-run. But police have no records of vehicle-vs.-pedestrian incidents in the past three years.

Whalen said he isn’t in favor of granting the neighbors’ wishes to barricade both blocks every night.

“My fear is that just pushes the problem elsewhere without really having the chance to look at it,” he said.

Whalen and Mayor Suzanne Fuentes also suggested residents of the 1100 block of Acacia turn off their Christmas lights early to discourage crowds. More and more homeowners on the street have stepped up their decorations in recent years, leading one neighbor to dub the block “Candy Cane Lane Jr.”

Safety measures

Michael Paolillo said the mere sight of police will deter dangerous behavior and “give people a little pause.”

“They’ll think maybe I shouldn’t do a U-turn in the middle of the street, maybe I shouldn’t run across the street in front of that car, maybe I should think about double parking in front of someone’s driveway because there’s a squad car down the street,” he said.

In addition to the barricades and increased police presence, the city will provide trash cans along the block and at the entrance to Candy Cane Lane at Acacia and California Street.

Renee O’Brien, who has lived on Acacia since 1989, said that even before arriving at the council meeting Tuesday, she noticed people standing in the middle of the street with their children.

“I have been contending with dirty baby diapers thrown on my lawn, in the street out in front of my home, soda cans, Solo cups and candy cane wrappers laying all over the place,” she said. “I also have had to contend with people tromping through my front yard and basically just breaking and tearing up some of my decorations.”

Test run

The additional safety measures will cost about $9,700, according to city staff.

Officials will evaluate how things go, then come back to the council in coming months to make plans for next year.