
The L.A. County Sediment Management Strategic Plan Team (SedimentMgmtPlan@dpw.lacounty.gov;
626-458-5100;
http://www.LASedimentManagement.com) held an Open House on May
8th at L.A. Mission College. There was a presentation with poster
boards, handouts and staff who provided Strategic Plan information.
The County presented their strategy and got input from stakeholders
about sediment removal from Reservoirs to Sediment Placement Sites (SPS)
such as the May SPS in Sylmar. The draft Strategic Plan is posted at
http://dpw.lacounty.gov/lacfcd/sediment/stplan.aspx. The draft
Plan can be reviewed and comments made until May 30th.
The Strategic Plan is a conceptual-level planning document intended
to provide a broad overview of the sediment management and identify
potential feasible alternatives. As specific reservoir cleanout
projects are planned during the next 20 years, alternatives included
in the Strategic Plan will be reviewed and, if appropriate, analyzed
further to determine which alternative(s) will be employed.
The SNC held Town Hall meetings in 2010 to enable the community to
learn about what a Soil Placement Site is, how big it is, why Sylmar
and much more. To find the answers to these questions please
view our meeting summary.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works will conduct
grading work at May Sediment Placement Site, located in Sylmar just
east of the Olive View Hospital, starting in mid-May and going
through October 2012. This grading work will further stabilize the
Site.
Over the past few years, large volumes of sediment from the Station
Fire burn area storm runoff was cleaned out of nearby flood control
facilities and placed in May Sediment Placement Site. We will be
grading and compacting this material into a permanent configuration
with even better stability. Grading operations will be contained
within the Site. Throughout the day, you may see equipment moving
dirt around the Site, equipment compacting the soil, and water
trucks spraying water. Traffic on the streets will be limited to the
occasional delivery of equipment to and from the Site and the daily
travel of worker vehicles (cars and pickup trucks). Vehicles and
equipment will primarily access the Site by the new access road off
Olive View Drive, just east of the hospital.
Crews will work during normal working hours Monday through Friday,
including the delivery of equipment. Our crews will employ dust
control measures, including water trucks that wet down the dirt, on
the Site and construct drainage systems on Site to minimize runoff.
We will closely monitor the streets at the entry and exit points and
clean them as necessary.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. We will do our
best to minimize any inconvenience caused by the work. If you have
any questions, please contact Mr. Hu Yi of our Flood Maintenance
Division at (818) 896-0594. Should any afterhours problems arise,
our 24-Hour Emergency Number is (626) 458-HELP.
2012 SPS Work
Notification PDF Document
2010 Testing Letter


Update: As a result of the March 5, 2012 public meeting, a Community
Advisory Committee is being organized to provide further input into
this project.
January 2012 members of the SNC learned of plans to remove more than
50 trees at El Cariso Park to install two artificial turf soccer
fields. In this project
description document by the Los Angeles County Regional Park And
Open Space District the project is described on page 3 as relocating
five group picnic shelters, replacing two restroom structures, and
constructing facilities related to two new soccer fields.
The SNC has heard from Sanda Chapman, the Recreation Services
Supervisor at El Cariso, that the project is in the planning and
design phase; there will be a public meeting on March 5, 7pm
at Mission College Campus Center to explain the project; and there
will be a environmental review of this project. Those concerned
about the park should attend the public meeting when it is
scheduled. The SNC also plans to discuss the project at the January
26 meeting. Once more information is available about the project at
the community meeting, you may send concerns to: Supervisor Zev
Yaroslavsky:
zev@bos.lacounty.gov and
Lori Wheeler:
lwheeler@bos.lacounty.gov
In early 2011 the Land Use Committee discussed a proposed Surface
Mining Project planned by
Sakaida and Sons for a location south of the Pacoima Dam and
east of Pacoima Canyon Rd. According to a
Notice of Preparation
filed April of 2007 the project is planned for 25 acres of a 73 acre
site. The site is located on LA County land just outside of the City
of Los Angeles.
The SNC Board heard a presentation by Don Sakaida in June 2011 and
issues were discussed. The Board has reached out to County
Supervisor Yaroslavsky, who represents Slymar, and to Supervisor
Antonovich, who represents the actual location of the proposed mine.
Sakaida and Sons held a meeting October 2011 to hear from specific
constituencies as part of the Environmental Impact Report process.
The SNC was represented by Directors George Ortega and Roy Smith at
the meeting. The project was clarified to be for the purpose of
mining decomposed granite, not sand and gravel as was previously
documented in the 2007 NOP. Decomposed granite does not generate as
much dust. It is planned for use in the San Fernando Valley,
predominately in the public sector.
The type of proposed mining was discussed. It is to be a surface
mine. Strip mining means your product is buried by other material,
and you need to remove and dispose of that material along with
excavating your desired product. Surface mining means you product is
on the surface and only the desired product is removed. Once the
mine is finished regarding and replanting may take place for
cosmetic purposes.
Concerns were raised about the volume and direction of trucks going
in and out of the mine. The mine could be accessed by Hubbard or
McClay from the 210 freeway. The current plan calls for access via
Hubbard Street. Use of Maclay St./Harding St. requires approval by
the responsible parties to the private road portion of Harding
street. It is expected that the high level of truck volume would be
115 round trips a day.
At this point it seemed that truck volume, route, and timing were
open for discussion. Also of concern was the amount of dust the
project could generate and the impact on neighbor’s health, visual
impact to the community, and how the property would be used at the
conclusion of the mining. Initial plans call for reintroduction of
native plants at the conclusion of the project.
Public Scoping meetings will be scheduled, so please check back for
those dates.
Other Resources:
Citizens Against
Strip Mining in the San Fernando Valley website
North Valley Reporter Article
Flyer from Citizens Against Strip Mining in the San Fernando Valley
Letter from Citizens Against Strip Mining...


The Sylmar Business Improvement District (BID) is proud to announce
installation of a long anticipated monument sign marking the “Vista
at Sylmar“.
The concrete structure completes a median streetscape project at San
Fernando Road and Truman Street. The complete project included the
removal of asphalt from four existing medians and landscaping with
trees, groundcover and shrubbery. This attractive landscape
improvement, which is expected to grow out within two seasons, will
serve as an aesthetically pleasing portal to the community of
Sylmar.
The CRA/LA allocated nearly $350,000 towards improving this much
blighted area of San Fernando Road in Phase I. The landscaping of
the medians will serve as a beautiful entryway to “The Vista at
Sylmar“; welcoming patrons and motorists to the area. The BID
recently planted 36 trees, installed decorative banners and will
complement all of this with decorative benches and litter
receptacles at bus stops and other locations along San Fernando
Road.
The Sylmar Business Improvement District was formed under the
auspices of the Los Angeles City Council. The boundares of the BID
are along San Fernando Road, between Hubbard Street and Polk Street.
The commercial property owners within this district pay a
self-imposed annual assessment to improve the economic vitality of
the area as well as create an aesthetically pleasing environment for
those that work, live and patron the corridor.
This is an exciting time for the continued revitalization of Sylmar!
Provided by BID President Al Avila
|