LAFCO
West San Gabriel Final MSR (November 2004)
Read the report at West San Gabriel (November 2004) ↗
W S G V
EST AN ABRIEL ALLEY
F M S R
INAL UNICIPAL ERVICE EVIEW
Report to the
Local Agency Formation Commission
for Los Angeles County
Prepared by Burr Consulting
November 30, 2004
W S G V
EST AN ABRIEL ALLEY
D F M S R
RAFT INAL UNICIPAL ERVICE EVIEW
Report to the
Local Agency Formation Commission
for Los Angeles County
Submitted to:
LAFCO for Los Angeles County
Larry J. Calemine, Executive Officer
700 North Central Blvd, Suite 350
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 254-2454
Submitted by:
Burr Consulting
Beverly Burr, Project Coordinator
612 N. Sepulveda Blvd, Suite 8
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 889-0077
November 30, 2004
T C
ABLE OF ONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.........................................................................................................................................................4
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW FINDINGS.................................................................................................................................5
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE FINDINGS.............................................................................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................................................9
LAFCO OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................................................................9
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ORIGINS.................................................................................................................................10
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE UPDATES............................................................................................................................................13
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW PROCESS................................................................................................................................14
CAVEATS....................................................................................................................................................................................15
CHAPTER 1: MSR AREA .......................................................................................................................................................16
AREA OVERVIEW.......................................................................................................................................................................16
MUNICIPAL SERVICES...............................................................................................................................................................18
GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS............................................................................................................................21
CHAPTER 2: PUBLIC SAFETY............................................................................................................................................26
POLICE SERVICE........................................................................................................................................................................26
FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICE..............................................................................................................................................40
CHAPTER 3: UTILITIES ........................................................................................................................................................56
WATER........................................................................................................................................................................................56
WASTEWATER............................................................................................................................................................................57
SOLID WASTE............................................................................................................................................................................64
CHAPTER 4: PUBLIC WORKS............................................................................................................................................71
STORMWATER............................................................................................................................................................................71
STREET MAINTENANCE............................................................................................................................................................74
CHAPTER 5: COMMUNITY SERVICES ..........................................................................................................................78
PARKS.........................................................................................................................................................................................78
LIBRARIES..................................................................................................................................................................................81
TRANSPORTATION.....................................................................................................................................................................82
HOUSING.....................................................................................................................................................................................85
CHAPTER 6: MSR CONCLUSIONS...................................................................................................................................88
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OR DEFICIENCIES...........................................................................................................................88
GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS............................................................................................................................90
FINANCING CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES..................................................................................................................92
COST AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITIES........................................................................................................................................93
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RATE RESTRUCTURING........................................................................................................................94
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED FACILITIES.............................................................................................................................94
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OPTIONS......................................................................................................................................94
EVALUATION OF MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCIES....................................................................................................................95
LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE.....................................................................................................................95
CHAPTER 7: SOI UPDATES.................................................................................................................................................97
CITY OF ALHAMBRA................................................................................................................................................................97
CITY OF ARCADIA.....................................................................................................................................................................98
CITY OF BRADBURY...............................................................................................................................................................100
CITY OF DUARTE....................................................................................................................................................................101
I
CITY OF EL MONTE................................................................................................................................................................102
CITY OF IRWINDALE...............................................................................................................................................................103
CITY OF LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE.......................................................................................................................................104
CITY OF MONROVIA...............................................................................................................................................................105
CITY OF MONTEBELLO...........................................................................................................................................................106
CITY OF MONTEREY PARK....................................................................................................................................................107
CITY OF PASADENA................................................................................................................................................................108
CITY OF ROSEMEAD...............................................................................................................................................................110
CITY OF SAN GABRIEL...........................................................................................................................................................111
CITY OF SAN MARINO............................................................................................................................................................112
CITY OF SIERRA MADRE........................................................................................................................................................113
CITY OF SOUTH EL MONTE...................................................................................................................................................114
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA...................................................................................................................................................116
CITY OF TEMPLE CITY...........................................................................................................................................................117
CREDITS....................................................................................................................................................................................119
REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................................................120
L T F
IST OF ABLES AND IGURES
FIGURE 1-1: NW SAN GABRIEL AREA MAP...............................................................................................................................17
TABLE 1-2: NW SAN GABRIEL SERVICE PROVIDERS................................................................................................................19
TABLE 1-3: RESIDENTIAL POPULATION BY PLACE, 2000.........................................................................................................21
FIGURE 1-4: ANNUAL POPULATION GROWTH RATES, 2005-25..............................................................................................22
FIGURE 1-5: JOBS 2005 & 2025....................................................................................................................................................23
TABLE 1-6: POPULATION MEASURES, 2004...............................................................................................................................24
TABLE 1-7: GROWTH AREAS AND GROWTH CONSTRAINTS.....................................................................................................25
FIGURE 2-1: PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES MAP...........................................................................................................................27
TABLE 2-2: POLICE SERVICE CONFIGURATION..........................................................................................................................28
FIGURE 2-3: POLICE SERVICE CALLS PER CAPITA, 2003.........................................................................................................29
FIGURE 2-4: CITATIONS, ARRESTS, AND CRIMES PER CAPITA.................................................................................................30
FIGURE 2-5: FBI CRIME INDEX OFFENSES, 1993-2002............................................................................................................31
FIGURE 2-6: FBI CRIME INDEX RATE, 2002...............................................................................................................................31
TABLE 2-7: POLICE FACILITY CONDITIONS, NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES................................................................................32
TABLE 2-8: FBI INDEX CRIME CLEARANCE RATES, 2000-2002.............................................................................................34
FIGURE 2-9: RESPONSE TIMES, 2003...........................................................................................................................................35
FIGURE 2-10: SWORN STAFFING PER 1,000 POPULATION, FY 03-04.....................................................................................36
FIGURE 2-11: ANNUAL POLICE-RELATED COMPLAINTS..........................................................................................................37
FIGURE 2-12: POLICE REGIONAL COLLABORATION ACTIVITIES.............................................................................................38
TABLE 2-13: FIRE SERVICE PROVIDERS......................................................................................................................................40
FIGURE 2-14: INCIDENTS PER CAPITA (1,000), 2003.................................................................................................................43
TABLE 2-15: FIRE STATIONS.........................................................................................................................................................45
TABLE 2-16: FIRE AND MEDICAL RESPONSE TIME STANDARDS (MINUTES).........................................................................49
TABLE 2-17: AVERAGE RESPONSE TIMES..................................................................................................................................51
TABLE 2-18: COUNTY MUTUAL AID AREAS..............................................................................................................................54
TABLE 3-1: WASTEWATER SERVICE PROVIDERS.......................................................................................................................57
TABLE 3-2: WASTEWATER SERVICE AREA.................................................................................................................................58
TABLE 3-3: WASTEWATER COLLECTION DEFICIENCIES AND NEEDS.....................................................................................61
TABLE 3-4: REPORTED SEWAGE SPILLS (GALLONS).................................................................................................................62
FIGURE 3-5: TRASH DISPOSED (TONS), 1995-2002....................................................................................................................64
FIGURE 3-6: TRASH (TONS) DISPOSED PER CAPITA, 2002.........................................................................................................65
TABLE 3-7: LANDFILL DIVERSION RATES BY AGENCY, 2002...................................................................................................65
II
TABLE 3-8: TOP 10 DISPOSAL SITES USED.................................................................................................................................66
TABLE 3-9: LANDFILL REGULATORY COMPLIANCE HISTORY.................................................................................................68
FIGURE 3-10: MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE RATES (PER TON), 2004..........................................................................................69
TABLE 4-1: STORMWATER MAINTENANCE PROVIDER.............................................................................................................72
TABLE 4-2: DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND CONDITION.....................................................................................................................73
TABLE 4-3: STREET MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONFIGURATION.............................................................................................74
TABLE 4-4: STREET MILES AND STREET LIGHTS......................................................................................................................75
TABLE 5-1: MUNICIPAL PARK ACRES PER 1,000 PEOPLE, 2004..............................................................................................79
TABLE 5-2: PARK FACILITY NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES...........................................................................................................80
TABLE 5-3: LIBRARY RESOURCES................................................................................................................................................81
TABLE 5-4: LIBRARY SERVICE CIRCULATION, FY 02-03.........................................................................................................82
TABLE 5-5: WEST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICES.................................................................................84
FIGURE 5-6: MEDIAN PRICE HOME, 2000...................................................................................................................................85
TABLE 5-7: RHNA HOUSING NEEDS, 1998-2005.....................................................................................................................86
FIGURE 7-1: SOUTH EL MONTE SOI EXPANSION AREA.........................................................................................................115
III
E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y
The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive review of municipal services delivered
in the West San Gabriel Valley area.
The Municipal Service Review (MSR) area is a built-up urban environment in the Rio Hondo
watershed below the San Gabriel Mountains. The area has a resident population of 935,337 and a
job base of 418,906 in 2004. Visitors to the area are attracted by the Angeles National Forest, Santa
Anita Park and Racetrack, the San Gabriel Mission, Old Town Pasadena, the Huntington Library
Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens, the Arboretum of Los Angeles County, and several golf courses.
The area is within the jurisdictional boundaries of the County of Los Angeles. There are 18 cities
and 25 special districts under LAFCO’s jurisdiction, which provide municipal services in the area.
Cities Independent Special Districts Dependent Special Districts
City of Alhambra Altadena Library District Consolidated Fire Protection
District of Los Angeles County
City of Arcadia Bradbury Estates Community County Sanitation District 2
Services District
City of Bradbury Central Basin Municipal Water County Sanitation District 15
District
City of Duarte Crescenta Valley County Water County Sanitation District 16
District
City of El Monte Foothill Municipal Water County Sanitation District 17
District
City of Irwindale Greater Los Angeles County County Sanitation District 22
Vector Control District
City of La Cañada Flintridge Huntington Municipal Water County Sanitation District 28
District
City of Monrovia Kinneloa Irrigation District County Sanitation District 34
City of Montebello La Cañada Irrigation District
City of Monterey Park Pasadena Glen Community
Services District
City of Pasadena San Gabriel County Water
District
City of Rosemead San Gabriel Valley Mosquito
Abatement District
City of San Gabriel San Gabriel Valley Municipal
Water District
City of San Marino South Montebello Irrigation
District
City of Sierra Madre Upper San Gabriel Valley
Municipal Water District
City of South El Monte Valley County Water District
City of South Pasadena Water Replenishment District of
Southern California
City of Temple City
4
The following MSR Findings apply to one or more of the local agencies listed above.
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW FINDINGS
Infrastructure needs or deficiencies
The Irwindale, San Gabriel and Altadena police stations, the El Monte, Irwindale, and Monterey
Park police dispatch systems, and the Irwindale and Sheriff Temple Station dispatch centers need
replacement or upgrade.
Montebello and Monterey Park identified areas that could not be properly served without
additional fire stations. Five of the existing 46 fire stations in the MSR area were described as
deficient and in need of replacement. The deficient stations include a Montebello fire station, two
fire stations in Monterey Park, a fire station in Pasadena, and a fire station in San Gabriel. In
addition, the CFPD fire station in La Cañada Flintridge was described as deficient and in need of
capital improvements.
The wastewater trunk lines serving the MSR area are at or approaching capacity. The capacity of
the Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant has been reduced in order to remove nitrogen
from the effluent prior to discharge into the Los Angeles River. This reduced capacity could affect
the western portions of La Cañada Flintridge, where a sewer collection system is being installed for
conveying waste to the Los Angeles-Glendale facility.
Portions of four communities are on septic systems, which are subject to failure and potential
groundwater contamination, if not properly maintained.
The primary landfills where solid waste is disposed will be closing between 2013 and 2019.
Beginning in 2010, remote landfills will be phased in as replacement disposal sites.
The local agencies face significant challenges in financing the infrastructure and staffing levels to
meet new regulatory requirements to prevent trash from flowing through the storm drains, to
monitor discharges, and to identifying illicit wastewater connections into the stormwater system.
All of the cities face ongoing needs for resurfacing, slurry-sealing, traffic signals, and street
widening in high-traffic areas.
Park availability in six cities does not meet national guidelines for at least 2.5 acres of park land
per 1,000 residents.
San Marino and Sierra Madre reported that existing library facilities are deficient in meeting
service demand, and require expansion or replacement.
Growth and population projections
Over the next 20 years, the MSR area population is projected to grow at about one percent
annually, roughly the same rate of growth as in the County as a whole. The MSR area population is
currently 935,000, and is expected to reach 1,092,000 by the year 2025.
5
The most rapid growth in the residential population is anticipated in the unincorporated
communities, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, El Monte, Irwindale, and Bradbury. The pace of growth
in the unincorporated areas and El Monte is expected to slow in the long-term.
The daytime population (job base) is projected to grow most quickly in Irwindale, Alhambra and
Arcadia.
Most of the cities identified residential growth areas and opportunities as primarily involving
infill development and redevelopment.
Most of the jurisdictions cited a shortage of vacant, developable land as a significant growth
constraint. In the foothill cities, topography and related concerns about fire, flood hazard, and street
access in hillside areas were also cited as growth constraints.
Financing constraints and opportunities
General fund revenues per capita are most ample in Pasadena, Irwindale, Bradbury and San
Marino where revenues per capita exceed the countywide average of $552. In Rosemead, Temple
City, and South El Monte, general fund revenues per capita were less than half of the countywide
average.
Bradbury, Duarte and Montebello did not maintain contingency reserves. The remainder of the
jurisdictions maintained fund balances that meet Government Finance Officers Association
recommendations.
Stormwater infrastructure financing opportunities include bonded indebtedness. The City of
Los Angeles is submitting a ballot measure to use this approach to finance stormwater system
improvements to the voters in November 2004.
Cost avoidance opportunities
Law enforcement agencies indicated that regional collaboration efforts have reduced costs and
provided the agencies access to service they could not otherwise afford.
Several fire service providers indicated that regional sharing of training facilities and classes
could reduce costs.
Opportunities for rate restructuring
Wastewater and solid waste disposal rates charged by the County Sanitation Districts are likely to
increase in the long-term.
Opportunities for shared facilities
Future opportunities include regionalized dispatch, SWAT, and holding facilities. Specific
opportunities involve excess police storage space and two fire training facilities.
6
Government structure options
Special district formation for stormwater financing purposes is one of many options currently
being studied by the County Department of Public Works in collaboration with local agencies
throughout the County. The stakeholders are expected to recommend the most viable option within
the next several years.
Evaluation of management efficiencies
Eight of the 18 cities conduct workload monitoring and performance evaluation, and were able
to provide recent examples of these efforts.
Three of the cities—Bradbury, Rosemead, and South El Monte—indicated that they neither
conduct performance evaluations nor workload monitoring.
Local accountability and governance
For the most part, the local agencies are accountable to their citizens, publicize governing body
meetings and actively solicit community input in decision-making.
The cities of El Monte and Montebello did not cooperate fully with LAFCO inquiries.
Although both cities responded to the LAFCO questionnaires on police and fire services, neither
city responded to the agency-wide LAFCO questionnaires. Both agencies were non-responsive to
repeated LAFCO requests for information over the last 18 months. Therefore, the data contained
herein has been gathered from available public documents.
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE FINDINGS
Most of the cities face significant financing constraints in servicing existing territory and in
meeting current infrastructure needs and regulatory requirements. In most cases, extending services
into additional territory is not financially feasible at present.
Based on this municipal service review, this report recommends that the spheres of influence
(SOIs) of four agencies be amended at this time:
Arcadia: The report recommends that the Arcadia SOI be reduced to exclude the joint SOI
area shared with Pasadena. The affected area is not contiguous to the Arcadia city limits, and the
City does not anticipate annexing the territory that lies between the western city boundary and the
affected area. The affected area is primarily residential, is contiguous to the Pasadena city limits, and
shares communities of interest with Pasadena.
Montebello: The report recommends that the Montebello SOI be reduced to be coterminous
with the city limits due to the City’s financial predicament, local accountability deficiencies, and
failure to cooperate with the municipal service review.
San Marino: The report recommends that the San Marino SOI be reduced to exclude the
overlapping SOI area shared with Temple City to promote logical boundaries. San Marino
consistently indicated that it lacks the public safety infrastructure needed to service any growth or
areas outside its existing city limits. Further, the City indicated that adjacent unincorporated territory
7
is served by septic systems and would be difficult to annex. The affected area is east of Eaton Wash
and, if annexed, would be a difficult area for the City to serve and access. The affected area lies on
the same side of Eaton Wash as Temple City. Placing the affected area solely in the Temple City
SOI would promote logical boundaries.
South El Monte: The report recommends that the South El Monte SOI be expanded to
include a U.S. Army Reserve facility south of the City in unincorporated territory. The City’s general
plan discusses the area at length as a desirable annexation area. Although the facility is still being
used actively due to the U.S. war in Iraq, it could potentially be decommissioned when the war ends.
Once decommissioned, South El Monte would be the only potential city to annex the property.
8
I N T R O D U C T I O N
This report is prepared pursuant to a new legislative requirement that LAFCO conduct a
comprehensive review of municipal service delivery and update, as necessary, the spheres of
influence of agencies under LAFCO’s jurisdiction not less than every five years. This chapter
provides an overview of LAFCO’s history, powers and responsibilities. It explains spheres of
influence and the legal and procedural requirements for updating the spheres of influence. It
discusses the origins and legal requirements for preparation of the municipal service review (MSR).
The chapter explains spheres of influence and the legal and procedural requirements for updating
the spheres of influence. Finally, the chapter reviews the process for MSR review, MSR approval and
sphere of influence updates.
LAFCO OVERVIEW
After World War II, California experienced dramatic growth in population and economic
development. With this boom came a demand for housing, jobs, and public services. To
accommodate this demand, the state approved the formation of many new local government
agencies, often with little forethought as to the ultimate governance structures in a given region. The
lack of coordination and adequate planning led to a multitude of overlapping, inefficient
jurisdictional and service boundaries, and the premature conversion of California’s agricultural and
open-space lands. Recognizing this problem, in 1959, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Sr. appointed
the Commission on Metropolitan Area Problems. The Commission's charge was to study and make
recommendations on the "misuse of land resources" and the growing complexity of local
governmental jurisdictions. The Commission's recommendations on local governmental
reorganization were introduced in the Legislature in 1963, resulting in the creation of Local Agency
Formation Commissions operating in each county.
In 1964, the Legislature formed a Local Agency Formation Commission in each county,
including Los Angeles, as a regulatory agency with countywide jurisdiction to discourage urban
sprawl and encourage the orderly formation and development of local government agencies. Each
LAFCO is responsible for coordinating logical and timely changes in local governmental boundaries,
including annexations and detachments of territory, incorporations of cities, formations of special
districts, and consolidations, mergers, and dissolutions of districts, as well as reviewing ways to
reorganize, simplify, and streamline governmental structure. Each LAFCO's efforts are directed
toward seeing that services are provided efficiently and economically while agricultural and open-
space lands are protected. To better inform itself and the community as it seeks to exercise its
charge, LAFCO conducts service reviews to evaluate the provision of municipal services within the
county.
Each LAFCO regulates the boundary changes proposed by other public agencies or individuals
by approving or disapproving such changes, with or without amendment, wholly, partially or
conditionally. Each LAFCO is empowered to initiate updates to the spheres of influence as well as
proposals involving the dissolution or consolidation of special districts and the merging of subsidiary
districts. Otherwise, LAFCO actions must originate as applications from affected homeowners,
developers, cities or districts.
9
Los Angeles County LAFCO (hereafter, “LAFCO”) consists of nine regular members: two
members from the Board of Supervisors, two city representatives, one City of Los Angeles
representative, two special district representatives and two public members (one of which represents
the San Fernando Valley Statistical Area). There are six alternates to the regular members.
Commissioners are appointed to four-year terms.
Table Intro-1: Commission Members, 2004
Appointment Source Members Alternative
Members
Two members from the Board of Supervisor Yvonne Burke Supervisor Don Knabe
Supervisors appointed by the Board of Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky
Supervisors.
Two members representing the 88 cities Mayor Carol Herrera Mayor Cristina Cruz-Madrid
in the county. Must be a city officer and City of Diamond Bar City of Azusa
appointed by the City Selection Mayor Beatrice Proo
Committee. City of Pico Rivera
One member from a city representing Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski Councilman Grieg Smith
30% of the total population of the City of Los Angeles City of Los Angeles
county who is a member of the
legislative body from that city.
Two members appointed by the Jerry Gladbach Robert W. Goldsworthy
Independent Special District Selection Castaic Lake Water Agency Water Replenishment District of
Committee. Donald Dear Southern California
West Basin Municipal Water District
One public member from the San James DiGuiseppe Richard Close
Fernando Valley statistical area, not a
member of the Board of Supervisors,
appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
One member from the general public Henri F. Pellissier Kenneth Chappell
appointed by the other eight
Commissioners
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ORIGINS
The municipal service review requirement was adopted after the Legislature’s consideration of
two studies recommending that each LAFCO throughout the State conduct reviews of local
agencies. The Little Hoover Commission study focused on the need for oversight and consolidation
of special districts, whereas the Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century study
focused on the need for regional planning to ensure efficient service delivery as the California
population continues to grow.
10
LITTLE HOOVER COMMISSION
In May 2000, the Little Hoover Commission1 released a report entitled Special Districts: Relics of the
Past or Resources for the Future? This report focused on governance and financial problems among
independent special districts, and the barriers to LAFCO’s pursuit of district consolidation and
dissolution. The report raised the concern that “the underlying patchwork of special district
governments has become unnecessarily redundant, inefficient and unaccountable.”2
The report raised concerns about independent districts with the following problems:
·
a lack of visibility;
·
a lack of accountability as evidenced by relatively low voter turnout rates, infrequency of
contested elections, and inadequate notice of public meetings;
·
excessive reserve funds;
·
questionable receipt of property tax revenue by utility districts;
·
inadequate financial reporting;
·
outdated boundaries; and
·
outdated missions.
The report questioned the public benefit provided by health care districts that have sold, leased
or closed their hospitals, and asserted that LAFCOs consistently fail to examine whether they should
be eliminated. The report pointed to service improvements and cost reductions associated with
special district consolidations, but asserted that LAFCOs have generally failed to pursue special
district reorganizations.
The report called on the Legislature to increase the oversight of special districts by mandating
that LAFCOs identify service duplications and that LAFCOs study reorganization alternatives when
service duplications are identified, when a district appears insolvent, when district reserves are
excessive, when rate inequities surface, when a district’s mission changes, when a new city
incorporates and when service levels are unsatisfactory. To accomplish this, the report
recommended that the state strengthen the independence and funding of LAFCOs, require districts
to report to their respective LAFCO, and require LAFCOs to study service duplications.
COMMISSION ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
The Legislature formed the Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century (“21st
Century Commission”) in 1997 to review current statutes on the policies, criteria, procedures and
precedents for city, county and special district boundary changes. The 21st Century Commission
released its final report Growth Within Bounds: Planning California Governance for the 21st Century in
January 2000.3 The report examines the way that government is organized and operates, and
1 The Little Hoover Commission, formally known as the Milton Marks "Little Hoover" Commission on California State Government
Organization and Economy, is an independent state oversight agency that was created in 1962. The Commission's mission is to
investigate state government operations and—through reports, recommendations and legislative proposals—promote efficiency,
economy and improved service. By statute, the Commission is a balanced bipartisan board composed of five citizen members
appointed by the Governor, four citizen members appointed by the Legislature, two Senators and two Assembly members.
2 Little Hoover Commission, 2000, page 12.
3 The Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century ceased to exist on July 1, 2000, pursuant to a statutory sunset provision.
11
establishes a vision of how the state will grow by “making better use of the often invisible LAFCOs
in each county”.
The report points to the projected doubling of California’s population over the first four
decades of the 21st Century, and raises concerns that, without a strategy, open spaces will be
swallowed up, expensive freeway extensions will be needed, job centers will become farther removed
from housing, and this will lead to longer commutes, increased pollution and stressful lifestyles.
The 21st Century Commission recommended that effective, efficient and easily understandable
government be encouraged through consolidation of small, inefficient or overlapping providers,
transparency of municipal service delivery to the people, and accountability of service providers. The
sheer number of special districts, the report asserts, “has provoked controversy, including several
legislative attempts to initiate district consolidations”4 but cautions LAFCOs that decisions to
consolidate districts should focus on service adequacy, not simply on the number of districts.
Growth Within Bounds cautions that for LAFCOs to achieve their fundamental purposes, they
must have a comprehensive knowledge of the services available, service efficiency within various
areas of the county, future service needs, and expansion capacity of each service provider.
Comprehensive knowledge of water and sanitary providers, the report argued, would promote
consolidations of water and sanitary districts, reduce water costs and promote a more
comprehensive approach to the use of water resources. Further, the report asserted that many
LAFCOs lack such knowledge, and should be required to conduct such a review to ensure that
municipal services are logically extended to accommodate growth and development.
The state-mandated municipal service review would require LAFCO to look broadly at all
agencies within a geographic region that provide a particular municipal service and to examine
consolidation or reorganization of service providers. The 21st Century Commission recommended
that the review should include water, wastewater, garbage, and other municipal services that LAFCO
judges to be important to future growth. The Commission recommended that the service review be
followed by consolidation studies and be performed in conjunction with updates of spheres of
influence. The recommendation indicated that service reviews be designed to make nine
determinations, each of which was incorporated verbatim in the subsequently adopted legislation.
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW LEGISLATION
The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 requires LAFCO
to review municipal services before updating the spheres of influence.5 The requirement for service
reviews arises from the identified need for a more coordinated and efficient public service structure,
which will support California’s anticipated growth. The service review provides LAFCO with a tool
to comprehensively study existing and future public service conditions and to evaluate organizational
options for accommodating growth, preventing urban sprawl, and ensuring that critical services are
efficiently and cost-effectively provided.-
4 Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century, 2000, page 70.
5 California Government Code §56430(c).
12
Effective January 1, 2001, Government Code Section 56430 requires LAFCO to conduct a
review of municipal services provided in the county by region, sub-region or other designated
geographic area, as appropriate, for the service or services to be reviewed, and prepare a written
statement of determination with respect to each of the following:
1) Infrastructure needs or deficiencies;
2) Growth and population projections for the affected area;
3) Financing constraints and opportunities;
4) Cost avoidance opportunities;
5) Opportunities for rate restructuring;
6) Opportunities for shared facilities;
7) Government structure options, including advantages and disadvantages of consolidation
or reorganization of service providers;
8) Evaluation of management efficiencies; and
9) Local accountability and governance.
The municipal service review process does not require LAFCO to initiate changes of
organization based on service review findings; it only requires that LAFCO make determinations
regarding the provision of public services per Government Code Section 56430. However, LAFCO,
other local agencies, and the public may subsequently use the determinations to analyze prospective
changes of organization or reorganization or to establish or amend spheres of influence
Municipal service reviews are not subject to the provisions of the California Environmental
Quality Act (CEQA) because they are only feasibility or planning studies for possible future action,
which LAFCO has not approved. (Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 21150) The ultimate outcome of
conducting a service review, however, may result in LAFCO taking discretionary action with respect
to a recommended change of organization or reorganization. Either LAFCO, if acting on its own, or
the local agency that submits a proposal to LAFCO, will be considered the lead agency for purposes
of CEQA and must conduct an appropriate environmental review prior to LAFCO taking action.
SPHERE OF INFLUENCE UPDATES
LAFCO is charged with developing and updating the sphere of influence for each city and
special district within the county.6 A sphere of influence is a planning boundary that designates the
agency’s probable future boundary and service area. Spheres are planning tools used to provide
guidance for individual proposals involving jurisdictional changes, and are intended to encourage
efficient provision of organized community services and prevent duplication of service delivery.
Territory must be within a city or district's sphere in order to be annexed.
The purpose of the sphere of influence is to ensure the provision of efficient services while
discouraging urban sprawl and the premature conversion of agricultural and open space lands by
preventing overlapping jurisdictions and duplication of services. LAFCOs cannot tell agencies what
their planning goals should be. Rather, on a regional level, LAFCO coordinates the orderly
development of a community through reconciling differences between agency plans so that the most
6 The initial statutory mandate, in 1971, imposed no deadline for completing sphere designations. When most LAFCOs failed to act,
1984 legislation required all LAFCOs to establish spheres of influence by 1985.
13
efficient urban service arrangements are created for the benefit of area residents and property
owners.
The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg (CKH) Act requires LAFCO to develop and determine the sphere
of influence of each local governmental agency within the county, and to review and update the SOI
every five years. LAFCO is empowered to adopt, update and amend the SOI. It may do so with or
without an application, and any party is allowed to submit an application proposing a SOI
amendment.7
LAFCO may recommend government reorganizations to particular agencies in the county, using
the SOIs as the basis for those recommendations. In determining the SOI, LAFCO must make
determinations on four additional topics:
1) present and planned land uses in the area, including agricultural and open-space lands;
2) present and probable need for public facilities and services in the area;
3) present capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public service that the agency
provides or is authorized to provide; and
4) existence of any social or economic communities of interest in the area if LAFCO
determines that they are relevant to the agency.
CKH stipulates several procedural requirements in updating SOIs. The CKH Act requires that
special districts file written statements on the class of services provided, and that LAFCO clearly
establish the location, nature and extent of services provided by special districts.8 LAFCO must
notify affected agencies 21 days before holding the public hearing to consider the SOI, and may not
update the SOI until after that hearing.9
MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW PROCESS
LAFCO is charged with preparing municipal service reviews and updating the spheres of
influence of 180 local agencies. Given the enormity of this task, the Executive Officer has divided
the county into the following nine geographic areas for which MSRs are being prepared:
1) Catalina Island 6) Gateway
2) High Desert 7) East San Gabriel Valley
3) Las Virgenes 8) South Bay
4) Santa Clara 9) Los Angeles
5) West San Gabriel Valley
LAFCO has determined that certain special districts (cemetery, community services, garbage
disposal, health care, library, recreation and park, resource conservation and mosquito abatement)
are subject to sphere of influence reviews and updates, but are not considered providers of
7 If a city submits an application for a SOI amendment, it must first negotiate the boundaries, development standards, and zoning
requirements within the annexable sphere area with county representatives. If an agreement is negotiated, LAFCO must give it great
weight in making its final determination.
8 In conducting the MSRs, the Commission has required written statements entitled Requests for Information on the nature of
services from all agencies including special districts.
9 The Commission may update the SOI at a Commission meeting held on the same day as the public hearing.
14
“backbone” municipal services. These special districts are subject to abbreviated municipal service
reviews and sphere of influence updates, which are not part of this report.
The MSR process involves the following steps:
1) Draft Municipal Service Review. During this step, LAFCO has sent questionnaires
(Requests for Information) to the agencies about their delivery of municipal services.
LAFCO prepares the draft municipal service review report, and submits that report to the
affected agencies for review. During the 30-day review period, LAFCO invites the
agencies to discuss their comments and related policy options with the Executive Officer.
2) Draft Final Municipal Service Review: After receiving the agencies’ comments and
holding a public workshop, LAFCO makes report revisions and releases the draft final
municipal service review report.
3) Final Municipal Service Review: At a duly noticed public hearing, LAFCO may
consider the nine written determinations regarding the municipal service review or may
request revisions or additional analysis be conducted for the MSR. In the latter case, the
report will be revised and resubmitted to LAFCO at the next meeting.
4) Sphere of Influence Update: After making the nine written determinations, LAFCO
may proceed to update the sphere of influence of the agencies covered in the particular
municipal service review report. Affected agencies must be notified 21 days in advance of
this hearing.
CAVEATS
This draft final municipal service review report includes analysis of service delivery providers
and policy options for LAFCO to consider as it makes its determinations with respect to municipal
service reviews and sphere of influence updates. The decision whether or not to approve or
disapprove any policy options, with or without amendment, wholly, partially or conditionally, rests
entirely with LAFCO. This report is not a substitute for those discretionary decisions yet to be made
by LAFCO.
This report and the policy options herein are subject to revision as may be directed by LAFCO
during the course of its deliberations.
15
C H A P T E R 1 : M S R A R E A
This chapter provides an overview of the MSR area covered in this report, municipal service
providers, and growth and population projections. For overviews of each local agency, please refer
to Appendix A.
AREA OVERVIEW
The West San Gabriel Valley area is a densely developed urban area just south of the San Gabriel
Mountains and the Angeles National Forest. The area includes the northern and central portions of
the Rio Hondo watershed, as well as eastern portions of the Arroyo Seco watershed.
The Gabrieleños occupied the valley for millennia. Spaniards entered the area in 1769, shortly
thereafter establishing the San Gabriel Mission. San Gabriel and El Monte were the first towns to
develop in the area. In the early American period, the area was renowned for its citrus orchards,
vineyards and resorts.10 The area grew significantly in the 1940s. Today, the area is urbanized and is
largely a built-out community with suburban homes and diverse land uses.
The area includes the foothill cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia,
Monrovia, Bradbury and Duarte. The central portion includes the cities of South Pasadena, San
Marino, Alhambra, San Gabriel, Temple and Irwindale. The southern cities in the area include
Monterey Park, Rosemead, El Monte, South El Monte and Montebello. In addition to the 18 cities,
the West San Gabriel Valley area includes the unincorporated areas of Altadena, East San Gabriel,
South San Gabriel, East Pasadena, Mayflower Village, and North El Monte.
Visitor attractions in the area include the Angeles National Forest, the San Gabriel Mission, Old
Town Pasadena, the Huntington Library Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens, the Arboretum of Los
Angeles County, Santa Anita Park and Racetrack, the Irwindale Speedway, and several golf courses.
The economic base in the West San Gabriel Valley is diverse. Major employers include the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Earthlink, Southern California Edison,
the Parsons Corporation, Miller Brewing Company, and the City of Hope Medical Center.
The transportation infrastructure serving the MSR area includes commercial rail, passenger rails,
nearby Burbank airport, and four major freeways: the Foothill Freeway (I-210), the San Bernardino
Freeway (I-10), the Pomona Freeway (60), and the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605).
10 Pitt and Pitt, 1997.
16
Figure 1-1: NW San Gabriel Area Map
CO
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE
GLENDALE SIERRA MADRE
MONROVIA
DUARTE
BRADBURY
PASADENA 210
CO AZUSA
CO
ARCADIA
CO
SAN MARINO CO
SOUTH PASADENA CO IRWINDALE
CO
CO CO TEMPLE CITY CO
CO
SAN GABRIEL COVINA
CO
LOS ANGELES ALHAMBRA BALDWIN PARK
EL MONTE
10
ROSEMEAD WEST COVINA
CO
CO
MONTEREY PARK CO SOUTH EL MONTE
CO
CO
CO WHITTIER LA PUENTE
INDUSTRY
MONTEBELLO
VERNON CO
COMMERCE PICO RIVERA
MAYWOOD
CO
HUNTINGTON PARK SANTA FCEO SPRINGS WHITTIER CO
BELL
CO CUDAHY BELL GARDENS DOWNEY LA HABRA HEIGHTS
West San Gabriel MSR Area
Spheres of Influence
Legend
Sphere of Influence
LLAAFFCCOO
City Boundaries
1:155,000 Local Agency Formation Commission
MSR area Miles Los Ang f e o le r s County
0 1 2 4 October 5, 2004
17
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
There are 43 municipal service providers in the MSR area that are local government agencies
under LAFCO’s jurisdiction. These providers include the cities, the Consolidated Fire Protection
District of Los Angeles County (CFPD), seven County Sanitation Districts, 12 water districts, and a
variety of miscellaneous districts. There are various private providers of street maintenance, park
maintenance, and solid waste collection services, in addition to public providers that are not under
LAFCO’s jurisdiction.
Municipal services are provided to the 18 cities and the unincorporated communities under
different service configurations.
·
Police: 12 cities are served by their own police departments and six cities contract with
the County Sheriff for service.
·
Fire and Paramedic: 10 cities are served by their own fire departments and eight cities
are served by the CFPD.
·
Hospitals: there are general acute care hospitals in 11 of the cities.
·
Water Retail: six cities provide retail water service directly, four cities are served by
private water companies, and eight cities are served by a combination of public and
private purveyors.
·
Wastewater Treatment and Disposal: all of the cities are served by County Sanitation
Districts, with two of those cities relying in part on private septic systems. One city also
provides direct service and relies on Crescenta Valley County Water District (CWD).
·
Wastewater Collection: 11 cities maintain their own collection systems, and seven
cities rely on the Consolidated Sewer Maintenance District.
·
Stormwater: Six cities maintain their local storm drains directly, and 12 cities contract
with the County Department of Public Works (DPW) for catch basin maintenance and
other services. All of the cities rely on the Los Angeles County Flood Control District
and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for regional flood control facilities.
·
Street Maintenance: 13 cities provide street maintenance services directly, and 5 cities
contract with the County DPW for street maintenance services.
·
Street Lighting: 13 cities provide street lighting services directly or in conjunction with
Southern California Edison (SCE), three cities rely on SCE for service, and two cities
rely on the County.
·
Park Maintenance: 12 cities provide park maintenance services directly, four cities rely
entirely on private service providers, and two cities use both approaches.
·
Recreation: 17 cities provide recreation services directly, and one city does not provide
recreation services.
·
Library: nine cities provide library services directly, eight cities rely on the County for
library services, and one city relies on a County library in a neighboring city for service.
·
Transit: four cities provide transit services directly, three rely on neighboring cities for
service, and the remainder relies on a combination of public and private providers.
·
Land Use: 17 cities provide land use and planning services directly, and one city relies
on a private consultant.
18
Table 1-2: NW San Gabriel service providers
La Cañada
Alhambra Arcadia Bradbury Duarte El Monte Irwindale Flintridge Monrovia Montebello
Public Safety
Police Direct Direct Sheriff Sheriff Direct Direct Sheriff Direct Direct
Fire & Paramedic Direct Direct CFPD CFPD CFPD CFPD CFPD Direct Direct
Ambulance Direct Direct AMR AMR AMR AMR AMR AMR AMR
City of Hope Med
Methodist Hospital Ctr.& Santa Teresita Queen of the Valley & Monrovia
Hospital Alhambra Hospital of Southern Cal. None Hospital None Inter Community None Community Hospital Beverly Hospital
Utilities
City of El Monte; Valley Water Co.;
Upper San Gabriel City of Azusa; Valley La Cañada Irrigation California Water
Valley MWD; CWD; Cal American District; Mesa Crest Service Co.; South
Cal. American Water Cal. American Water Southern California Water Co.; San Gabriel Water Co.; Crescenta Montebello Irrigation
Water Retailers Direct Direct Co. Co. Water Co. Water Co. Valley CWD Direct District
CSD 28;
Wastewater Treatment & CSDs 15 & 22; Septic Crescenta Valley
Disposal CSDs 2 & 16 CSDs 15 & 22 (50%) CSDs 15 & 22 CSD 15 CSDs 15 & 22 CWD; Septic CSDs 15 & 22 CSDs 2 & 15
Wastewater Collection Direct Direct LA County DPW LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW LA County DPW Direct Direct
Burrtec Waste Burrtec Waste
Solid Waste BFI Inc. Waste Management Services Services Waste Management BFI Inc. Athens Disposal Athens Disposal
Public Works
Stormwater Maintenance Direct LA County DPW LA County DPW LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW
Street Maintenance Direct Direct LA County DPW Direct Direct Direct LA County & PrivateDirect Direct
Street Lighting Direct and SCE Direct and SCE SCE Direct Direct SCE SCE and LA County Direct Direct
Other Services
City of Monrovia and
Park Maintenance Direct Private Private Private Direct Direct Private Direct Direct
Recreation Direct Direct None Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
Library Direct Direct LA County (Duarte) LA County LA County Direct LA County Direct LA County
Alhambra Direct; Foothill Foothill Transit Foothill Transit Foothill Transit
Community Transit; Transit Authority; Foothill Transit Direct; Foothill Authority; Southland Authority; Southland Authority; Southland
Transit Southland Transit Southland Transit Authority Transit Authority Transit Transit City of Glendale Transit Direct
Land Use Direct Direct LDM & Associates Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
19
Monterey Park Pasadena Rosemead San Gabriel San Marino Sierra Madre South El Monte South Pasadena Temple City
Public Safety
Police Direct Direct Sheriff Direct Direct Direct Sheriff Direct Sheriff
Fire & Paramedic Direct Direct CFPD Direct Direct Direct CFPD Direct CFPD
Ambulance Direct Direct AMR Direct Direct Direct (BLS) AMR Direct AMR
Huntington Memorial City of Angels Med. San Gabriel Valley Greater El Monte
Hospital Garfield Med. Ctr.. & St. Luke Med. Ctr. Ctr. Med Ctr. None None Hospital None None
Utilities
San Gabriel CWD; East Pasadena Water
Cal. American Water Co.; Cal. American
San Gabriel Valley San Gabriel CWD; Co.; San Gabriel Water Co.; San
MWD; California Adams Ranch Mutual Water Co.; Gabriel CWD;
Water Service Co.; Water Co.; Sunnyslope Water Cal American Water Sunnyslope Water
San Gabriel Water Amarillo Mutual Co.; Southern Cal. Co.; Sunnyslope San Gabriel Water Co.; Southern Cal.
Water Retailers Co. Direct Water Co. Water Co. Water Co. Direct Co. Direct Water Co.
Wastewater Treatment & CSD 15
Disposal CSDs 2 & 15 CSDs 15, 16 & 17 CSD 15 CSDs 2 & 15 CSDs 15 & 16 Septic (10%) CSD 15 CSD 16 CSD 15
Wastewater Collection Direct Direct LA County DPW Direct Direct Direct LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW
Consolidated
Solid Waste Athens Disposal Direct Disposal Services Athens Disposal Athens Disposal Athens Disposal
Public Works
Stormwater Maintenance Direct LA County DPW LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW LA County DPW LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW
LA County &
Street Maintenance Direct Direct Monterey Park Direct Direct Direct LA County DPW Direct LA County DPW
Street Lighting Direct Direct SCE and LA County Direct Direct Direct and SCE SCE Direct Direct and SCE
Other Services
Park Maintenance Direct and Private Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct and Private Private
Recreation Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
Library Direct Direct LA County LA County Direct Direct LA County Direct LA County
Parking Concepts, Foothill Transit Foothill Transit
Transit Spirit Bus Service Direct MTA, Montebello Direct Pasadena Laidlaw Authority Direct Authority
Land Use Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
20
GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS
This section reviews the residential and commercial populations, the jobs-housing balance,
projected growth and growth areas.
Residents
Table 1-3: Residential Population by Place, 2000
The 2000 Census enumerated 791,343 residents Total MSR Area 886,998
in the incorporated cities, and 95,655 in the Cities 7 91,343
unincorporated areas.
1 Pasadena 1 34,477
2 El Monte 1 16,471
Pasadena, El Monte and Alhambra are the
3 Alhambra 8 6,162
largest residential communities in the MSR area.
4 Montebello 6 2,404
Pasadena had 134,477 residents, El Monte had
116,471 residents, and Alhambra had 86,162 5 Monterey Park 6 0,517
residents, according to the 2000 Census. Bradbury 6 Rosemead 5 3,866
and Irwindale have the smallest residential 7 Arcadia 5 3,307
populations among the cities.
8 San Gabriel 3 9,986
9 Monrovia 3 7,091
The unincorporated areas in the MSR area
10 Temple City 3 3,515
include Altadena, East San Gabriel, South San
11 South Pasadena 2 4,402
Gabriel, East Pasadena, Mayflower Village, and
North El Monte. Altadena is the largest 12 Duarte 2 1,576
unincorporated community in the MSR area with 13 South El Monte 2 1,232
42,610 residents in 2000. 14 La Cañada Flintridge 2 0,417
15 San Marino 1 2,991
Residents’ average income levels in the MSR area
16 Sierra Madre 1 0,618
as a whole are slightly higher than income levels
17 Irwindale 1,452
countywide. However, the cities vary significantly in
18 Bradbury 859
residential income levels. San Marino, Bradbury, La
Cañada Flintridge, and Sierra Madre residents enjoy Unincorporated areas 9 5,655
the highest income levels in the area. In Pasadena, 1 Altadena CDP 4 2,610
Altadena, and Arcadia, residents’ incomes are above- 2 East San Gabriel CDP 1 4,512
average. Residents in South El Monte, El Monte,
3 South San Gabriel CDP 7 ,595
Rosemead, Irwindale, and Montebello have the
4 East Pasadena CDP 6 ,045
lowest income levels in the MSR area.
5 Mayflower Village CDP 5 ,081
Similarly, population density tends to be lower in 6 North El Monte CDP 3 ,703
the foothill communities where residents’ incomes are higher and where there is a greater amount of
open space. Population density is highest in El Monte, Alhambra, and Rosemead.
21
Residential Growth Rates
Figure 1-4: Annual Population Growth Rates, 2005-25
In the short-term (2005-2010),
Temple City 2005-10 2005-2025
growth in the MSR area population
S. Pasadena
is projected to occur at a slower
S. El Monte
rate than countywide growth.
Sierra Madre
However, in the long-term, the
San Marino
MSR area is projected to grow at
San Gabriel
nearly the same rate as the
Rosemead
countywide growth.
Pasadena
Within the MSR area, SCAG Monterey Park
projects the fastest growth to occur Montebello
in Irwindale, the unincorporated Monrovia
communities, Monterey Park, San La Cañada
Gabriel, El Monte and Bradbury. Irwindale
Minimal growth is anticipated in El Monte
San Marino and La Cañada
Duarte
Flintridge.
Bradbury
Arcadia
As a result of short-term
Alhambra
growth, Monterey Park is expected
Unincorporated
to become larger than Montebello
MSR Area
within the next few years.
LA County
In the long term, SCAG expects
0.0% 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0% 2.5%
the pace of growth in the
unincorporated areas and El Monte
to slow.
Although most of the cities did not dispute the SCAG growth projections, the City of Irwindale
considers the SCAG projections unlikely because the affected areas are already built out.
22
Jobs
Figure 1-5: Jobs 2005 & 2025
Between the years 2005 and
Temple City 2005 2025
2025, SCAG projects that 98,899
S. Pasadena
jobs will be created in the West San
Gabriel area. S. El Monte
Sierra Madre
SCAG projects a higher rate of
San Marino
job creation will occur in the West
San Gabriel
San Gabriel Valley than
Rosemead
countywide.
Pasadena
The number of jobs created is Monterey Park
projected at 22,189 for Irwindale, Montebello
21,549 in Pasadena, and 11,487 in
Monrovia
Alhambra.
La Cañada
Irwindale
The pace of job creation, or in
other words the job growth rate, is El Monte
projected to be fastest in Bradbury, Duarte
Irwindale, Alhambra, and Arcadia.11
Bradbury
Arcadia
Job creation is projected to
Alhambra
occur most slowly in the
unincorporated areas and in South Unincorporated
El Monte.
- 50,000 100,000 150,000
Jobs-Housing Balance
The jobs-housing balance in the MSR area is comparable to the countywide jobs-housing
balance. However, the number of jobs per housing unit is expected to grow in the MSR area and to
decline countywide.
Among the communities in the MSR area, Irwindale, South El Monte, Pasadena, La Cañada
Flintridge, and Monrovia had the highest ratio of jobs to housing units in the year 2000. In
Irwindale, there were 69 jobs per housing unit in 2000; whereas, there were 1.4 jobs per housing unit
in the MSR area as a whole. In South El Monte, there were four jobs per housing unit. In Pasadena
and La Cañada Flintridge, there were 1.8 jobs per housing unit in 2000.
The unincorporated areas, Temple, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena and Bradbury are bedroom
communities with a relatively low ratio of jobs to housing units. SCAG growth projections indicate
job growth in the unincorporated areas is not expected to keep pace with population growth; hence,
the unincorporated areas are expected to increasingly become bedroom communities in the long-
term.
11 Although Bradbury does not permit commercial development, the City’s employment base includes equestrian, agricultural, and
household workers as well as the self-employed. Although the City did not dispute the SCAG job growth projections, the authors
note that the projected job growth in Bradbury is unlikely to materialize under existing City policy.
23
24-Hour Population
Table 1-6: Population Measures, 2004
Agency/Area Residents Jobs 24-Hour
In addition to residential
population and jobs, this LA County 10,058,521 4,493,642 10,058,521
report makes use of a concept MSR Area 935,337 4 18,906 9 36,116
called the 24-hour population Unincorporated 105,035 2 0,585 8 5,383
in order to draw meaningful
Alhambra 9 0,171 3 6,618 8 7,436
per capita comparisons.
Arcadia 5 5,590 2 4,416 5 5,277
Bradbury 917 244 794
The cities and
Duarte 2 2,440 1 0,111 2 2,504
communities in this study
vary significantly in the El Monte 123,926 4 3,251 1 14,888
relative size of their respective Irwindale 1 ,580 2 6,384 2 0,739
commercial populations. Car La Cañada Flintridge 2 1,093 1 2,472 2 3,368
accidents and crimes happen
Monrovia 3 8,357 2 2,557 4 2,402
not only to residents, but also
Montebello 6 4,642 2 5,009 6 1,755
to businesses, workers, and
Monterey Park 6 4,859 2 2,796 6 0,249
commuters. Not only
Pasadena 141,965 9 5,532 1 65,922
residents but also businesses
Rosemead 5 6,138 2 0,842 5 2,976
require water, wastewater, and
stormwater services. San Gabriel 4 2,402 1 4,834 3 9,336
San Marino 1 3,362 4 ,528 1 2,286
In order to draw
Sierra Madre 1 0,959 3 ,798 1 0,140
meaningful comparisons
South El Monte 2 1,996 1 9,267 2 9,040
across agencies, and
South Pasadena 2 5,164 8 ,419 2 3,058
specifically to include cities
Temple City 3 4,740 7 ,242 2 8,564
like Irwindale and South El
Monte in comparisons, the 24-hour population metric was developed for each of the communities.12
The metric is based on the number of residents and jobs in a community, but is calculated taking
into consideration that workers spend less time in the jurisdiction than do residents. Because the
metric is used only as a denominator for purposes of developing comparable per capita indicators, it
must simply be effective at measuring differences between communities in the population served.
Hence, for convenience, the metric is calculated by normalizing countywide 24-hour population to
the countywide residential population.
Table 1-6 provides the three population measures—residents, jobs, and 24-hour population. For
communities like Duarte, Rosemead and Montebello with a (nearly) average balance of jobs and
residents, the metric is not substantially different from the residential population. But for a
community like Irwindale, the metric is closer to the daytime population for this community than to
the residential population. Similarly, for a bedroom community like Temple City, the metric is lower
than the residential population, reflecting the reality that most working Temple City residents are not
in Temple City much of the time.
12 The 24-hour population is calculated as the sum of a) 2/3 of the residential population, and b) 1/3 of the product of the
commercial population multiplied by the countywide ratio of residents to jobs.
24
Growth Areas and Constraints
Table 1-7: Growth Areas and Growth Constraints
Growth Areas/Opportunities Growth
City Residential Commercial/Industrial Constraint(s)
Renaissance of downtown Alhambra,
Alhambra Infill redevelopment Lack of available undeveloped land
Commercial entertainment between the
Santa Anita Race Track and the Santa
North and west Race Track perimeter Anita Fashion Park mall; southern area
Arcadia and hillside areas (industrial) Lack of available, developable land
Agricultural. Commercial development Topography, preference for a rural character,
Bradbury Infill: 51 vacant parcels is not allowed. and minimal developable vacant land
Infill: potential for 206 additional Lack of available undeveloped land; Angeles
Duarte housing units National Forest lands cannot be developed
El Monte Along the San Bernardino Freeway Along the San Bernardino Freeway Not provided
Baldwin Park/Olive Pit Site (193 acres
available); former gravel-mining pits Topography; development restrictions on
Irwindale Inactive quarry sites (135 acres available) inactive mining quarry sites
Topography, community preferences, lack of
La Cañada Small subdivisions, infill, multi-family wastewater infrastructure, fire and flood
Flintridge housing along Foothill Boulevard Foothill Boulevard corridor hazards on available hillside parcels
Santa Fe Depot, potential for transit Santa Fe Depot, Myrtle Avenue, Hillside development policies; lack of available,
Monrovia village on Myrtle Avenue downtown developable land
500-acre parcel in the northeast section Topography; sloped terrain in the Montebello
of the City; redevelopment along Hills limits both street access and utility
Montebello Infill Whittier and Beverly Blvd. connections; lack of developable vacant land
Vacant landfill area in the southeast;
Southern California Edison properties
along Potrero Grande; Driveon East
Corporate Center Drive; infill potential Garvey Ave.; North Atlantic Blvd.
Monterey Park for 3,030 housing units between Hamilton and Emerson Aves. Shortage of vacant developable land
Mixed-use projects near light rail
stations; along Lake Ave. and Colorado
Blvd.; Central District and surrounding Santa Fe Transportation Center; Lake
Arroyo Parkway (3,395 housing units); Avenue (office); Civic Center area; The majority of vacant land is located in the
East Pasadena (500 new housing units redevelopment areas in northwest hillside areas, which is not easily developable
Pasadena allowable) Pasadena due to topography
Valley Boulevard; conversion of a closed
auto mall into retail space; additional
vacant sites (one five acres and the other
Rosemead Infill and redevelopment 23 acres) Lack of available, developable land
San Gabriel Valley Medical Center; Lack of available vacant land, water-pressure
portions of San Gabriel Blvd., Las problem areas (south and central), and historic
Transition of single family-homes to Tunas Drive, the Mission District, preservation in and surrounding the City’s
San Gabriel higher density housing; mixed-use Valley Blvd. Mission District
San Marino Infill: 8 vacant parcels. Redevelopment Redevelopment Community preferences and lack of vacant land
Topography, environmental constraints, and
Sierra Madre Subdivision (82 acres); Infill Montecito Avenue area historical land use
U.S. Army Reserve Base (11-acre) on
South El Monte Redevelopment potential East Fawcett Ave. adjacent to the City Not provided
Environmental constraints related to Whittier
Three neighborhoods north of Rush Rosemead Blvd and several areas along Narrows Recreation Area; lack of developable
South Pasadena Street the Pomona Freeway vacant land; open space preservation
Central business district along Fair Oaks
Ave and Mission Street, Raymond Hill,
Ostrich Farm, and Arroyo Annexation Community preferences; topography
Temple City Mission Street; Infill areas constraints in the hillside areas of the city
25
C H A P T E R 2 : PUBLIC SAFETY
This chapter discusses the provision of public safety services—police, fire and paramedic—in
the West San Gabriel area. The section is designed to address questions relating to the efficiency and
adequacy of services, the adequacy of infrastructure, and opportunities for sharing facilities and
reducing costs. The chapter provides first an overview of the service configuration, a description of
the level and type of workload, service quality indicators, facility descriptions, explanation of current
and potential regional collaboration between service providers, a discussion of service delivery
challenges, and an analysis of potential policy alternatives relevant to the particular service.
POLICE SERVICE
Twelve cities in the MSR area staff independent police departments, while six cities contract
with the Los Angeles County Sheriff for service.
For the contract cities, the Sheriff provides patrol and criminal investigations as well as dispatch,
SWAT, canine services, and temporary holding of arrestees.
The Sheriff’s service area includes the six contract cities—Bradbury, Duarte, La Cañada
Flintridge, Rosemead, South El Monte, and Temple City—as well as remote areas of the City of
Pasadena and the unincorporated areas. In addition to the unincorporated area of Altadena, the
Sheriff serves the unincorporated areas south of the cities of Monrovia and Arcadia, areas northeast
of San Gabriel and southeast of Pasadena, and south of Rosemead. The Sheriff’s Altadena,
Crescenta Valley, and Temple Stations serve the MSR area in addition to the unincorporated
communities of La Crescenta, Montrose, Lake View Terrace, and most of the Angeles National
Forest.
The other 12 cities in the MSR area provide police services directly. In addition to law
enforcement and criminal investigations, the city police departments provide various kinds of
services including dispatch SWAT, canine services, and temporary holding of arrestees.
All of the direct service providers provide dispatch services directly; for other police services,
some of the direct providers use various regional service providers, as depicted in Table 2-2. All of
the direct service providers rely on the Sheriff for search and rescue services, except for Sierra
Madre, which uses the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team. The City of Irwindale contracts with
the Covina and Baldwin Park Police Departments for temporary holding services and the cities of
Sierra Madre and South Pasadena do not use academy training because all of their officers are hired
laterally only after completing academy training.
The Sheriff provides regional police services in the MSR area, with crime lab services, long-term
jailing, and bomb squad services provided to all of the cities in the MSR area, and search and rescue
and academy training for a majority of cities. Regional training providers for agencies in the MSR
area include the Orange County Sheriff's Academy and the Rio Hondo Police Academy, which is
associated with the Rio Hondo Community College. El Monte and Pasadena provide air support to
a number of other law enforcement agencies under contract service and JPA arrangements.
26
Figure 2-1: Public Safety Facilities Map
CO
CFPD
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE
19
CFPD Camp
82 2 CFPD
12 CFPD
11
CFPD SIERRA FS
GLENDALE FS FS 66 MADRE 42
FS MONROVIA
38 36 FS DUARTE
PASADENA FS FS FS 41 107 BRADBURY AZUSA
33 32 210 FS
FS FS FS 37 101 CFPD
39 31 Admi F n i i r s e t ration34 CO CFPD FS FS FS Satel S li h te e r S if t f a tion 44
SAN MARI F N S O CO 5 106 105 CO
ARCADIA 102
FS
81 CFPD CO IRWINDALE
SOUTH PASAD F E S NA FS F 5 S 2 CO TEM 4 P 7 LE CITY CO CFPD CF 48 PD
71 SAN GABRIEL 169 CO
73 FS
LOS ANGELES AL F H S AMBRA F 72 S 51 CF 42 PD C E F L P D MONTE C 1 F 6 P 7 D BALDWIN PARK
74 10 166
ROSEMEAD CFPD WEST COVINA
FS CFPD 168 CO
FS 61 4 CFPD CO
MONTEREY
63 PARK CO 90
710 FS E S L O M U O T N H TE CO
62 60
CO
CO LA PUENTE
FS
INDUSTRY
FS
53
51
MONTEBELLO
118
VERNON 91
CO
COMMERCE
FS PICO RIVERA
MAYWOOD
52 CO
HUNTINGTON PARK WHITTIER
BELL CO CO
CO CUDAHY BELL GARDENSDOWNEY SANTA FE SPRINGS LA HABRA HEIGHTS
Legend West San Gabriel MSR Area
Roads, Thomas Bros.
Consolidated Fire Protection District
Stations and Camps Public Safety Facilities
Other Fire Stations
Police Stations Hospitals 1:145,000
Sheriff Stations Sheriff Satelite Station Miles LAFCO
MSR Boundary Fire Administration 0 1 2 4 September 7, 2004
27
Table 2-2: Police Service Configuration
Air Search & Canine Temporary
Service Area Patrol Dispatch Training SWAT Support Rescue Services Holding
Alhambra Direct Direct Orange Co. Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Direct
Arcadia Direct Direct Rio Hondo Academy Direct Pasadena Sheriff Direct Direct
Bradbury Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
Duarte Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
El Monte Direct Direct Rio Hondo Academy Direct El Monte Sheriff Direct Direct
Irwindale Direct Direct Rio Hondo Academy Sheriff El Monte Sheriff Direct Contract
La Cañada
Flintridge Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
Monrovia Direct Direct Rio Hondo Academy Direct Pasadena Sheriff Direct Direct
Montebello Direct Direct Rio Hondo Academy Sheriff El Monte Sheriff Direct Direct
Monterey Park Direct Direct Sheriff Direct NP Sheriff Direct Direct
Direct & LA Sheriff, Orange Co.
Sheriff Sheriff, Rio Hondo
Pasadena (remote) Direct Academy Direct Pasadena Sheriff Direct Direct
Rosemead Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
Mutual Direct &
San Gabriel Direct Direct Rio Hondo Academy Sheriff NP Sheriff Aid Monterey Park
Direct &
San Marino Direct Direct Sheriff and Arcadia Sheriff NP Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena
Mutual Direct &
Sierra Madre Direct Direct None Sheriff NP Volunteers Aid Pasadena
South El Monte Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
Mutual
South Pasadena Direct Direct None Sheriff NP Sheriff Aid Pasadena
Temple City Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
Unincorporated Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff Pasadena Sheriff Sheriff Sheriff
28
SERVICE DEMAND
The demand for service is related to the size of the population, the size of the area being policed
as well as crime levels.
Calls for Service
Figure 2-3: Police Service Calls Per Capita, 2003
In 2003, there were approximately
Temple Stn.
545,000 total calls for service in the MSR
Altadena
area.
Unincorporated
Temple City
The volume of service calls per capita
South Pasadena
was highest in Irwindale, San Marino, Sierra
South El Monte
Madre, South Pasadena, Montebello, and Sierra Madre
Monterey Park. The service call volume was San Marino
lowest in La Cañada Flintridge, Bradbury San Gabriel
and Rosemead. The number of service calls Rosemead
per capita is depicted in Figure 2-3.13 Pasadena
Monterey Park
In the jurisdictions reporting detail Montebello
information on service calls, the majority (82 Monrovia
percent) of calls for service were non- La Cañada
emergency and routine calls, such as filing Irwindale
traffic incident reports. About 18 percent of El Monte
Duarte
the calls for service were 911 calls; however,
Bradbury
some of the 911 calls involve situations that
Arcadia
are not emergencies. Hence, the proportion
Alhambra
of service calls that represent actual
MSR Area
emergencies is lower than 18 percent.
- 500 1,000 1,500
The proportion of service volume that
involved 911 calls varied across jurisdictions.
In La Cañada Flintridge, Montebello, and Altadena, very few service calls are 911 calls; whereas, in
Monrovia and the unincorporated areas served by the Temple Sheriff station, a much higher share
of service calls were received as 911 calls.
Citations and Arrests
There were a total of 174,834 citations issued in the MSR area in 2003, according to the local
agencies. Citations involve the issuance of tickets for moving violations, parking violations, failure
to wear a safety belt, pedestrian jaywalking, and, among other violations.
13 2003 service calls were reported by the agencies. Service calls per capita is calculated as the number of service calls per 1,000
people, based on the 2003 24-hour population. For discussion of the 24-hour population metric, please refer to Chapter 1.
Montebello did not respond to the LAFCO Request for Information on police services.
29
In the MSR area as a whole, there were 205 citations issued per 1,000 people. South Pasadena,
Sierra Madre, San Gabriel, San Marino, Monrovia, and Montebello issued a relatively large number
of citations on a per capita basis. The number of citations issued per capita in the unincorporated
areas, El Monte, Irwindale, Alhambra, and South El Monte was relatively low by comparison.
Figure 2-4: Citations, Arrests, and Crimes per Capita
There were a total of 27,118 Service Calls Citations per Arrests per FBI Crimes
arrests made in the MSR area Service Area per 1,000 1,000 1,000 per 10,000
cities in 2002, according to the MSR Area 6 38 2 05 30 292
Alhambra 5 60 5 7 19 306
California Attorney General’s
Arcadia 8 42 2 44 27 301
statistics. Nearly two-thirds of the
Bradbury 2 67 1 04 - 170
arrests were related to
Duarte 3 22 1 56 20 273
misdemeanor offenses, and one-
El Monte 5 76 2 1 40 323
third of the arrests involved
Irwindale 1 ,440 2 2 18 130
felony offenses.
La Cañada
Flintridge 2 43 1 36 10 192
Overall, there were 30 arrests
Monrovia 6 67 3 93 44 262
made in 2002 per 1,000 people in
Montebello 8 70 3 13 38 406
the MSR area. By comparison,
Monterey Park 8 45 2 79 24 299
there were 33 arrests made
Pasadena 4 63 1 98 42 306
countywide per 1,000 people in
Rosemead 2 74 1 76 23 294
2002.
San Gabriel 6 05 4 77 16 278
San Marino 1 ,231 4 68 13 143
The arrest rate was highest in
Sierra Madre 1 ,095 4 98 23 158
Pasadena, Monrovia, El Monte,
South El Monte 3 58 9 2 33 267
and Montebello. Arrest rates were
South Pasadena 9 07 6 83 25 272
lowest in Bradbury, La Cañada
Temple City 3 63 1 95 15 191
Flintridge, San Marino, and
Unincorporated 4 23 2 0 26 NA
Temple City.
Altadena 3 65 3 3 34 NA
Temple Stn. 4 67 1 0 21 NA
Notes:
Serious Crime (1) 2003 citations were provided by the agencies.
(2) 2002 arrests and FBI Index Crimes were provided by the California
Attorney General's Law Enforcement Information Center.
(3) Population reflects the 24-hour population.
Serious crime—FBI Crime
Index offenses—has generally decreased in the last decade countywide and in the MSR area, but has
increased slightly in the past few years.14
Previously, from 1983 to 1991, crime had been increasing throughout the State. The crime rate
decline is associated with a steep short-term decline in violent juvenile and youth crime, particularly
in large cities. A study by the California Attorney General’s Office argues that violent periods tend
to occur when gang-controlled illegal substances are in high demand.15 This study notes that
community policing, crime mapping and increased incarceration rates have also contributed to
declining crime rates.
14 FBI Crime Index offenses include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and simple
assault.
15 Marowitz, 2000.
30
Figure 2-5: FBI Crime Index Offenses, 1993-2002
The declining trend in
50,000
serious crime has occurred
throughout the MSR area. 40,000
Similarly, the recent slight
increase in serious crime has 30,000
occurred in most of the cities
in the MSR area. Exceptions 20,000
are Pasadena and Temple City
10,000
where serious crime has
continued to decline in recent
0
years.
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
The crime rate reflects the
ratio of FBI Crime Index
offenses (serious felony
crimes) per capita, and is expressed as crimes per 10,000 population.
Figure 2-6: FBI Crime Index Rate, 2002
Crime rates in the MSR area are relatively
low, compared to the countywide crime rate.
In the MSR area cities, the 2002 FBI crime
index rate was 298. By comparison, the
countywide crime rate was 407, which is 40
percent higher than the crime rate in the
MSR area.
Throughout the MSR area, serious crime
rates are significantly lower than the
countywide average, except in Montebello.
The Montebello crime rate (406) is
comparable to the countywide average (407).
Although serious crime is generally lower
in the MSR area than countywide, certain
communities have higher crime rates than
others. Serious crime rates are highest in
Montebello, El Monte, Pasadena, Rosemead,
Alhambra, and Arcadia. Irwindale, San
Marino, Sierra Madre, and Bradbury have the
lowest serious crime rates in the MSR area.
31
semirC
xednI
IBF
MSR Area Cities Sheriff Countywide
Temple City
South Pasadena
South El Monte
Sierra Madre
San Marino
San Gabriel
Rosemead
Pasadena
Monterey Park
Montebello
Monrovia
La Cañada Flintridge
Irwindale
El Monte
Duarte
Bradbury
Arcadia
Alhambra
MSR Area
Countywide
- 100 200 300 400 500
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OR DEFICIENCIES
In the context of police service, infrastructure needs signify facilities that do not provide
adequate capacity to accommodate current or projected demand for service for the region as a whole
or for the jurisdictions within the region.
Most of the law enforcement agencies provide service from a single facility where headquarters,
patrol, crime lab and temporary holding facilities are located. El Monte and the County Sheriff
operate multiple facilities in the MSR area.
The police departments provided the facility age and an assessment of each facility’s condition
and deficiencies. Table 2-7 provides a summary of each facility’s age, condition and deficiencies, as
well as the police department’s assessment of its infrastructure needs.
Table 2-7: Police Facility Conditions, Needs and Deficiencies
Year
Built/
Service Provider Facility Name Condition Acquired Infrastructure Deficiencies Infrastructure Needs
Alhambra Alhambra Police Department Good 1994 None None
Arcadia Arcadia Police Department Excellent 2003 None None
Upgrade dispatch systems and
El Monte El Monte Police Station Fair 1978 Outdated dispatch technology software.
Community Relations Office Good 1992 None None
Internal Affairs Building Good 2000 None None
Aero Bureau, El Monte Airport Good 1995 None None
New facility and dispatch center
Facility is too small Facility financing ($3-6 million)
Irwindale Irwindale Police Department Poor 1960 Outdated dispatch technology Continual dispatch upgrades
Expansion of office space
Monrovia Monrovia Police Department Good 1962 Facility is too small Facility financing
Montebello Montebello Police Department Good 1994 None None
Expansion of storage and office space
Facility is too small Facility financing
Monterey Park Monterey Park Police/City Hall Good 1981 Outdated dispatch technology Dispatch technology improvements
Pasadena Pasadena Police Department Good 1990 None None
New police facility
San Gabriel San Gabriel Police Department Poor 1962 Facility is inadequate Facility financing ($12 million)
Additional space would be needed to
San Marino San Marino Police Department Fair 1937 Facility is at capacity. accommodate growth.
Additional storage space and interview
rooms
Sierra Madre Sierra Madre Police Department Good 1976 Facility is too small Facility financing
Outdated dispatch mobile data
South Pasadena South Pasadena Police Department Good 1988 terminals (MDTs) Upgrade dispatch MDTs
Facility is too distant from portions of Satellite station at the Red Box ranger
County Sheriff Crescenta Valley Station Good 1973 service area station in Angeles National Forest.
Replace station with new facility
Altadena Station Fair 1927 Facility is too small. Facility financing
Station needs electronic gates and
Inadequate building security cameras.
Temple Station Good 1992 Dispatch center in poor condition Upgrade dispatch center
Duarte Satellite Station Good 1995 None
32
SERVICE STANDARDS
There are no established standards for law enforcement agencies relating to emergency response
times, crime clearance rates, patrol staffing levels, or citizen satisfaction levels. Voluntary
accreditation programs establish standards for law enforcement agencies as well as crime
laboratories. In the arenas of police training and selection, there are clear standards for California
law enforcement agencies.
General
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) is a national
organization that functions as an independent accrediting authority. Law enforcement agencies may
voluntarily choose to apply for CALEA accreditation. CALEA offers an accreditation program as
well as a law enforcement recognition program in which the agency is required to meet a more
modest list of standards.
CALEA law enforcement accreditation does not require the law enforcement agency to meet
specific benchmarks in terms of response time, staffing levels or crime clearance rates. CALEA
accreditation requires the police service provider to pass inspection and to meet dozens of
requirements such as annual documented performance evaluation of each employee, investigation of
all complaints against the agency and its employees, and annual review of allocation and distribution
of personnel.
None of the service providers in the MSR area is accredited by CALEA. Although the Los
Angeles County Sheriff has not opted to pursue CALEA accreditation, the Sheriff Contract Law
Enforcement Bureau does conduct annual documented performance evaluation of each employee,
investigates all formal complaints against the agency and its employees, and annually reviews the
allocation and distribution of personnel. In the MSR area, the Sheriff is in compliance with CALEA
accreditation standards.
The California Peace Officers Association has developed sample law enforcement agency
policies on use of force, use of safety belts, review of complaints about personnel, fitness for duty
evaluations, and law enforcement values. For example, the sample policy on conduct review states,
“it should be standard practice for all law enforcement agencies to conduct comprehensive and
thorough investigations into any allegation of misconduct or substandard service, whether such
allegations are from citizen complaints or internally generated.”16 Hence, policies relating to ethics
and evaluation standards are readily available to law enforcement agencies.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff maintains written policies on use of force, use of safety belts,
review of complaints about personnel, fitness for duty evaluations, and law enforcement values,
among other issues.17 Hence, the Sheriff abides by CPOA standards in the West San Gabriel area
and throughout its larger service area.
16 California Peace Officers Association, 2004.
17 Interview with County Sheriff Contract Law Enforcement Bureau Lt. Richard Mouwen, 2004.
33
Crime Laboratories
Crime laboratory standards are established by the American Society of Crime Laboratory
Directors—Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB). Accreditation is a voluntary program
whereby a lab is inspected to determine whether the lab’s polices, procedures, staff, physical plant,
and work product meet published peer-based standards.18
The accredited Los Angeles County Sheriff laboratory serves all law enforcement agencies in the
MSR area.
Training
The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) has developed
standards for the testing and selection of police officer applicants as well as the training of police
officers, dispatchers and detectives. All of the cities in the MSR area and the Los Angeles County
Sheriff conduct training to POST standards.
SERVICE ADEQUACY
Crime clearance rates, response time for serious crimes in progress, patrol staffing, complaints
and awards are potential benchmark indicators.
Table 2-8: FBI Index Crime Clearance Rates, 2000-2002
Crime Clearance Rates Temple City 20%
S. Pasadena 9%
The effectiveness of a law enforcement
S. El Monte 21%
agency can be gauged by many factors,
Sierra Madre 30%
including serious crime clearance rates, or the
San Marino 6%
proportion of serious (FBI) crimes that are
San Gabriel 12%
solved. Again, however, there are no clear-cut
Rosemead 25%
standards or guidelines on the proportion that Pasadena 20%
should be solved. Monterey 17%
Montebello 33%
The median jurisdiction in the MSR area Monrovia 22%
cleared 20 percent of serious crimes between La Cañada 14%
2000 and 2002. Cleared crimes refer to Irwindale 21%
serious (FBI Crime Index) offenses for which El Monte 27%
at least one person was arrested, charged with Duarte 28%
the offense, and turned over to the Bradbury 21%
appropriate court for prosecution. Law Arcadia 24%
enforcement agencies may also clear crimes Alhambra 16%
when the offender dies, the victim refuses to MSR Area 20%
cooperate, or extradition is denied, by Countywide 20%
reporting clearance by exceptional means to
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
the FBI.
18 Three states—New York, Oklahoma and Texas—require accreditation of all crime laboratories, California does not.
34
Relatively low crime clearance rates were reported in San Marino, South Pasadena, San Gabriel,
and La Cañada Flintridge. The cities of Montebello, Sierra Madre, Duarte, El Monte, and Rosemead
had relatively high crime clearance rates.
Response Times
Although police response times for serious crimes in progress are an important indicator of
service adequacy, there are not clear standards as to what that response time should be. Police
response times were traditionally used to measure effectiveness. However, more recent research
indicates that response time does not have a significant effect on crime-solving, because most crimes
are “cold” crimes and victims do not tend to call police immediately after the crime is committed.
The modern approach to response time—differential response—is to ensure quick response to
serious crimes (Priority 1) in progress, when there are opportunities to save a victim and/or to
apprehend the criminal, and to inform lower-priority callers that response time may be lengthy.
Experiments indicate that differential response leads to both citizen and officer satisfaction.19
Figure 2-9: Response Times, 2003
The median jurisdiction’s average response time to Priority One
serious crimes in progress was 3 minutes and 30 Average
seconds in 2003. Service Area Response Time
MSR Area Median 3:30
Alhambra, Monterey Park, and Monrovia reported
Alhambra 1:00
the fastest response times to serious crimes. Monterey
Monterey Park 1:15
Park attributed its rapid response times to the fact that
Monrovia 2:12
dispatchers do not place calls on hold, to the small size
Arcadia 3:00
of the City, and to the dispatch process which involves
selection of the handling officer and is not based Sierra Madre 3:00
entirely on “beats.” Similarly, Monrovia attributed its South El Monte 3:04
rapid response times to its dispatch process based on Duarte 3:05
activity level of the officer. In the case of Alhambra, the Temple City 3:08
response time was an estimate, as the Alhambra Police
South Pasadena 3:30
Department’s computer system “does not calculate
Irwindale 4:00
response times.”
San Gabriel 4:00
Unincorp. Temple 4:06
Response times in Rosemead, Pasadena,
Montebello, and La Cañada Flintridge were longer than Bradbury 4:07
in other jurisdictions. In each of these cases, there may La Cañada 5:06
be issues relating to larger service areas and the distance Montebello 5:35
from the nearest police station. Pasadena explained that
Pasadena 6:55
staffing levels and service demands may be factors
Rosemead 8:01
explaining its response times.
San Marino NP
El Monte NP
Priority One response times in San Marino, El
Monte and several of the unincorporated areas were not provided. The Sheriff pointed out that
response to crimes in progress, rescues and felony crimes take precedence over non-violent crimes
19 Walker and Katz, 2002.
35
and report calls, and that response times to certain park areas tend to be longer given the remoteness
of the areas.
Staffing
Some jurisdictions point to the ratio of sworn officers to residents as an important indicator of
police service level. No established State or national standards for police staffing levels were
identified. Each city contracts for a particular staffing level.
Figure 2-10: Sworn Staffing per 1,000 Population, FY 03-04
There are 1,291 sworn officers serving the MSR Per 1,000
area. There are 1.4 sworn officers per 1,000 people # Sworn Pop
in the service area.20 MSR Area Total 1 ,291 1 .4
Alhambra 84 1 .0
The sworn staffing level per capita is highest in
Arcadia 75 1 .4
San Marino and Sierra Madre, and lowest in
El Monte 156 1 .4
Alhambra and Irwindale.
Irwindale 23 1 .1
Sworn staffing per capita at the Sheriff’s Monrovia 64 1 .5
contract cities cannot be calculated in a form Montebello 81 1 .3
comparable to the cities with independent police Monterey Park 82 1 .4
departments. Each of these cities contracts for a Pasadena 238 1 .4
specific staffing level involving patrol and traffic
San Gabriel 55 1 .4
deputies, with contract service payments calculated
San Marino 28 2 .3
to include other sworn staffing such as detectives
Sierra Madre 18 1 .8
and supervisory staff. The contracted staffing level
South Pasadena 35 1 .5
is not directly comparable to the total for the Sheriff
Sheriff Service Area 352 1 .5
station service area or to staffing per capita in
jurisdictions that provide police services directly.
Among the Sheriff contract cities, South El Monte contracts for the highest staffing service level
on a per capita basis, and Rosemead contracts for the lowest staffing service level on a per capita
basis.
Distinguished Service and Complaints
Several jurisdictions reported that they had received the following awards or commendations for
distinguished service:
·
Pasadena won the California League of Cities Helen Putnam Award in 2003 for its
Youth Accountability Board, which provides alternatives and intervention for juveniles
upon their first criminal offense.
·
Monterey Park won the California League of Cities Helen Putnam Award in 2003 for its
program for non-English speakers involving English teaching in the context of law
enforcement.
·
Monterey Park has been awarded for its DUI enforcement, under-age drinking program,
and traffic safety.
20 Sworn staffing per capita is calculated as the sworn staffing level in FY 03-04 divided by the 2004 24-hour population (in 1,000s).
36
·
El Monte has received awards for its community policing program.
·
The Sheriff’s Crescenta Valley station has been commended for its search and rescue
efforts.
·
The San Gabriel Police Department has been commended for its crime prevention
programs.
Figure 2-11: Annual Police-Related Complaints
Complaints
Most of the police service providers reported the number
of complaints received annually. Complaints may be initiated Alhambra 19
by citizens or by fellow officers. Complaints may involve Arcadia 3
improper use of force, demeanor, failure to maintain El Monte 17
confidentiality, or other issues. Each of the law enforcement Irwindale 3
agencies reported that it conducts investigations of serious
Monrovia 3
complaints.
Montebello 46
Monterey Park 13
Pasadena and San Marino did not respond to the
LAFCO question regarding the number of complaints Pasadena NP
received. San Gabriel 5
San Marino NP
Among the smaller police departments, there may be
Sierra Madre 2
difficulties in conducting impartial investigations of officer
South Pasadena 12
complaints due to camaraderie between the investigator and
Sheriff Stations NA
the officer being investigated, and the past and future
Altadena 83
working relationship between the investigator and the officer
investigated. The Alhambra Police Department suggested Temple 259
that neighboring jurisdictions consider regional collaboration Crescenta Valley 92
on investigating complaints, with a neighboring police department investigating officer complaints.
This approach could improve both the objective nature of the investigation and preserve important
working relationships among officers within the same police department.
SERVICE CHALLENGES
Most of the jurisdictions cited financing constraints as a service challenge. In particular, many of
the law enforcement agencies raised concerns about available financing in light of state budget
pressures. Several jurisdictions indicated that they had reduced staffing, had frozen staff positions,
or had refocused efforts on core responsibilities as a result of budget pressures.
In addition, several logistical challenges were raised in providing effective law enforcement
service in the MSR area:
·
Arcadia: There is a peninsula in the southwest area of the City commonly referred to as
Chicago Park, where response times are longer due to the geographic isolation from the
remainder of the community.
·
El Monte: Increased high density housing requires a need for increased law
enforcement activities. Meeting Homeland Security recommendations with limited
funding is a challenge.
·
Rosemead: A new Walmart may increase traffic, affecting the number of incidents as
well as response times.
37
·
Sheriff Temple Station: Staffing levels in unincorporated areas are low and as a result,
routine service calls can take much longer for a police response.
·
Sheriff Temple Station: Long response times occur to the Angeles National
Forest/Chantry Flats areas due to distance from station; typical calls are from search and
rescue and in camp ground areas.
·
Sheriff Crescenta Valley Station: West Kagel and Lopez Canyons are a long distance
from station.
As discussed earlier in this chapter, a number of the jurisdictions reported challenges relating to
outdated dispatch technology.
Another dispatch-related issue involves the routing of 911 calls from cellular phones. Most
service calls on the freeway are made via cellular phone. Calls from cellular phones are difficult to
locate and are received by the California Highway Patrol rather than local agencies. By 2006, new
cellular telephones are expected to be equipped with GPS, allowing most 911 calls from cellular
phones to be dispatched directly to the locale. This will require new dispatch technology.
REGIONAL COLLABORATION
The law enforcement agencies within the MSR area are already collaborating in a number of
areas through contract service arrangements, mutual aid, JPAs, and regional task forces. The
departments cited these regional collaboration efforts as offering services that they could not
otherwise afford and as examples of management efficiencies.
Figure 2-12: Police Regional Collaboration Activities
Alhambra Helicopter: member of Foothill Air Support Team,
Narcotics: member of LA IMPACT, a regional narcotics trafficking unit
responsible for drug dealers and clandestine labs,
Auto Theft: member of a taskforce for regional auto theft prevention,
Mutual Aid: member of mutual aid Area C.
Arcadia Helicopter: Arcadia PD is part of a six-city JPA for regional helicopter service.
Fire Arms: The City of San Marino contracts with Arcadia PD for fire arms
training and fire arms range service.
Juveniles: The Department is undertaking a pilot program to house a social
worker for more rapid response when children are at risk.
El Monte Air Support: El Monte PD provides air support services to the cities of
Montebello, Irwindale, and Baldwin Park.
Mutual Aid: Member of mutual aid Area D.
Irwindale Helicopter: Irwindale PD participates in a regional helicopter program and shares
cost with El Monte, Baldwin Park, and Montebello PDs.
Narcotics: member of regional task force
Cargo Investigations: member of regional task force
Auto Theft: member of regional task force
Monrovia Narcotics: member of regional task force
Gangs: member of DAMGE: a gang task force targeting violent gang activities.
Montebello Narcotics: member of LA IMPACT, a regional narcotics trafficking unit
responsible for drug dealers and clandestine labs,
Helicopter: Montebello PD participates in a regional helicopter program and
38
shares cost with El Monte, Baldwin Park, and Irwindale PDs.
Monterey Animal Control: member of San Gabriel Valley JPA for animal control services.
Park Narcotics: member of regional task force
Helicopter: member of JPA for helicopter service with Alhambra, Arcadia,
Monrovia, Azusa, Covina, and West Covina for helicopter service.
Pasadena Helicopter: provides helicopter support to other jurisdictions through JPA
Firing Range: The Pasadena PD firing range facility is shared with a limited
number of agencies.
Patrol: Sheriff patrols remote areas in exchange for helicopter service
San Gabriel Narcotics: member of regional task force
San Marino Firearms Training: Cross-training in firearms with Arcadia enhances uniformity
of police response.
Sierra Madre Mutual Aid: member
South Mutual Aid: member
Pasadena
Sheriff Search and Rescue: The Sheriff coordinates search and rescue with CFPD
Gangs: The Sheriff patrols in gang areas with Pasadena PD.
Resource Sharing: Staff and vehicle sharing between Altadena and La Crescenta
Sheriff stations.
Dispatch: Regional dispatch and communications system for Sheriff service area
Helicopter: The Sheriff exchanges with Pasadena PD use of their helicopter
service for patrol in remote northern areas of the City.
Opportunities
The police departments identified a number of opportunities for sharing not only facilities but
also more extensive approaches to regional collaboration.
·
Dispatch: Although there are clear economies of scale in dispatch, the individual law
enforcement agencies are generally providing their own dispatch services. Staffing levels
and redundant equipment costs could be reduced through regionalized efforts.
·
SWAT: Regionalization of SWAT could reduce training and management costs, and
potentially enhance service by standardizing response and providing economies of scale
in purchasing and training. Monrovia, Arcadia and Glendora are forming the Foothill
Regional Tactical Team, a joint unit to provide SWAT missions in the three participating
cities.
·
Jail: A regional jail facility for the San Gabriel Valley could benefit participating
agencies.
·
Records Management: Irwindale could host another agency's CAD and records
management system.
·
Parking Enforcement: A regional approach to parking enforcement could enhance
efficiency, such as the approach used in the Las Virgenes area where Calabasas
administers a parking citation program for three other cities.
·
Internal Affairs: Shared investigators for Internal Affairs cases may promote
impartiality and camaraderie.
·
Probation: There is potential for collaboration with probation and parole officers.
39
POLICY ALTERNATIVES
There are no potential major changes in law enforcement provision in the MSR area.
FIRE AND PARAMEDIC SERVICE
The majority of fire, emergency medical, and fire inspection services in the MSR area are
provided directly by cities. Other service providers are the Consolidated Fire Protection District of
Los Angeles County (“CFPD”) and the US Forest Service. American Medical Response is the
provider of ambulance services for ten of the cities and the unincorporated areas. The other eight
cities provide ambulance transport service directly. The City of Los Angeles provides mutual aid
within the MSR area.
Table 2-13: Fire Service Providers
There are fire hazards within the MSR area in the Direct CFPD
foothills and mountainous areas of the Angeles National Providers Contract Cities
Forest, where severe fire hazards exist during dry weather.
Alhambra Bradbury
The wildland interface areas in the cities and county areas
Arcadia Duarte
that border the forest are increasing as more people are
Monrovia El Monte
building homes in the foothills. Wildland interface areas are
Montebello Irwindale
where structures and other human development meet or
Monterey Park La Canada
intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuel.
Access to structures in and around the Angeles National Pasadena Rosemead
Forest is difficult as many of the structures are a long San Gabriel South El Monte
distance from fire resources and facilities. San Marino Temple City
Sierra Madre
Hazardous materials (haz-mat) incidents receive two
South Pasadena
types of response. First responders are the initial unit
deployed, and serve to stabilize the situation. Second responders are responsible for supervising the
clean-up and site mitigation measures. Those cities that are direct providers of fire service provide
first-responder haz-mat service either directly of through aid agreements. All of the cities in the
MSR area contract with CFPD for second-responder haz-mat service.
County Fire and Building Codes require standards for construction of all buildings and
structures in the unincorporated areas. Similar Fire and Building Code standards are required from
cities in their service areas.
Alhambra
The Alhambra Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency medical,
and ambulance transport service in the City of Alhambra. The CFPD provides second-responder
hazardous materials response per contract, and air rescue and ambulance helicopter service per
mutual aid request. Alhambra does not utilize fire suppression helicopter service.
All 911 calls are received at the Alhambra Police Department dispatch center. Once that call has
been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is passed off to the fire service
dispatcher for the dispatch of fire personnel to the incident.
40
Arcadia
The Arcadia Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency medical,
and ambulance transport service in the City of Arcadia. Hazardous materials response is provided by
the cities of Glendale or Burbank Fire Departments. The CFPD provides air rescue, ambulance, and
fire suppression helicopter service per mutual aid request.
All 911 calls are received at the Arcadia Police Department dispatch center. Once that call has
been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to the Verdugo Fire
Communications Center (“Verdugo”) for the dispatch of fire personnel to the incident. Verdugo is
owned and operated by the City of Glendale and functions as a regional communications center for
several cities including seven cities in the MSR area.
Monrovia
The Monrovia Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression and emergency
medical services in the City of Monrovia. American Medical Response (AMR) provides ambulance
transport service per contract. The CFPD provides air rescue, ambulance, and fire suppression
helicopter service per mutual aid request.
All 911 calls are received at the Monrovia Police Department dispatch center. Once that call has
been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to Verdugo for the dispatch of
fire personnel to the incident.
Montebello
The Montebello Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression and emergency
medical services in the City of Montebello. American Medical Response (AMR) provides ambulance
transport service per contract. Hazardous materials response is provided by mutual aid request.
Montebello has four personnel with haz-mat training who are part of the mutual aid response team.
The City contracts with Mercy Air for air rescue and ambulance helicopter service. The CFPD
provides fire suppression helicopter service per mutual aid request.
All 911 calls are received at the Montebello Police and Fire Departments dispatch center. Once
that call has been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to the City of
Downey dispatch center for the dispatch of fire personnel to the incident. The Montebello Fire
Department is currently in transition to providing dispatch services internally.
Monterey Park
The Monterey Park Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency
medical, and ambulance transport service in the City of Monterey Park. Hazardous materials
response is provided by mutual aid request. The CFPD provides air rescue, ambulance, and fire
suppression helicopter service per mutual aid request.
All 911 calls are received at the Monterey Park Police and Fire Departments dispatch center,
which handles the dispatch of fire personnel to the incident.
41
Pasadena
The Pasadena Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency medical,
and ambulance transport service in the City of Pasadena. The Burbank Fire Department through a
reciprocal service agreement provides hazardous materials response. The CFPD provides air rescue,
ambulance, and fire suppression helicopter service per mutual aid request.
All 911 calls are received at the Pasadena Police Department dispatch center. Once that call has
been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to Verdugo for the dispatch of
fire personnel to the incident.
San Gabriel
The San Gabriel Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency
medical, and ambulance transport service in the City of San Gabriel. The CFPD provides air rescue
and ambulance helicopter service per mutual aid request. San Gabriel does not utilize fire
suppression helicopter service.
All 911 calls are received at the San Gabriel Police Department dispatch center. Once that call
has been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to Verdugo for the
dispatch of fire personnel to the incident.
San Marino
The San Marino Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency
medical, and ambulance transport service in the City of San Marino. The Burbank and Glendale Fire
Departments provide hazardous materials response per mutual aid request. San Marino does not
utilize air rescue, air ambulance, or fire suppression helicopter service.
All 911 calls are received at the San Marino Police Department dispatch center. Once that call
has been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to Verdugo for the
dispatch of fire personnel to the incident.
Sierra Madre
The Sierra Madre Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency
medical, and ambulance transport service in the City of Sierra Madre. Ambulance transport service
only includes Basic Life Support (BLS) services. The Burbank Fire Department provides hazardous
materials response per mutual aid request. The CFPD provides air rescue, ambulance, and fire
suppression helicopter service per mutual aid request.
All 911 calls are received at the Sierra Madre Police Department dispatch center. Once that call
has been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to Verdugo for the
dispatch of fire personnel to the incident.
South Pasadena
The South Pasadena Fire Department is the primary provider of fire suppression, emergency
medical, and ambulance transport service in the City of South Pasadena. The CFPD also provides
air rescue, ambulance, and fire suppression helicopter service per mutual aid request.
42
All 911 calls are received at the South Pasadena Police Department dispatch center. Once that
call has been determined to be fire or medical emergency related, it is routed to Verdugo for the
dispatch of fire personnel to the incident.
Consolidated Fire Protection District
The CFPD Battalions 4, 10, and 16 carry primary responsibility for fire and emergency medical
service in the unincorporated areas and eight cities in the MSR area. The eight cities served by the
CFPD and the unincorporated areas lie within the boundary of the CFPD, with services financed
primarily through property taxes. The wildland camp provides brush fire suppression, sandbagging,
control burns, maintenance of motorways and other manual labor.
Specialized services like hazardous materials, air rescue helicopter, air ambulance helicopter, and
fire suppression helicopter are provided by the CFPD centrally. A helicopter responds to heavy
trauma incidents when street congestion precludes timely response by ground-based units.
911 phone calls are dispatched by the CFPD Command and Control facility in Los Angeles. The
California Highway Patrol provides initial dispatch of cell phone 911 calls; CHP dispatches law
enforcement related calls to the Temple and Crescenta Valley Sheriff Stations and dispatches fire
and emergency medical calls to the CFPD Command and Control facility.
SERVICE DEMAND
Figure 2-14: Incidents per Capita (1,000), 2003
Montebello
Pasadena
There were 62,559 calls for fire and
Monrovia
paramedic service in the MSR area in
2003. In other words, there were 171 San Marino
service calls throughout the MSR area Bradbury
on an average day. Alhambra
South Pasadena
Most of the incidents (73 percent) Monterey Park
in the MSR area were medical Unincorporated
emergencies. Fires, fire alarms, and
La Cañada
hazardous materials calls accounted for
Sierra Madre
14 percent of the call volume. Other
San Gabriel
calls, including non-emergencies,
El Monte
accounted for 13 percent of service
Temple City
demand.
Arcadia
Duarte
Although the largest number of
Rosemead
incidents occurred in Pasadena and the
South El Monte
smallest number occurred in Bradbury,
this is not surprising since Pasadena is Irwindale
the largest city and Bradbury is the
- 20 40 60 80 100 120
smallest city in the MSR area.
By comparing the incident counts
43
on a per capita basis, it is clear that Montebello, Pasadena, and Monrovia have the largest volume of
service calls on a per capita basis.21 On the other hand, service calls per capita were lowest in
Irwindale, South El Monte, and Rosemead.
The volume of service demand may vary between jurisdictions based on age, access to primary
health care, visitor counts, and freeway miles within the agency’s boundaries.
21 In 2003, incidents per capita is calculated as the ratio of total service calls to the 24-hour population (in 1,000s).
44
FACILITIES
Table 2-15: Fire Stations
Built/
Fire Facilities Location Acquired Condition Staff per Shift** Apparatus
Alhambra
1 Battalion Chief
2 Captains Engine
2 Engineers Truck
2 Firefighters Ambulance
Fire Station No. 71 Alhambra 1968 Good 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Command Vehicle
1 Captain
1 Engineer
Fire Station No. 72 Alhambra 1930 Good 1 Firefighter/Paramedic Engine
1 Captain
1 Engineer
Fire Station No. 73 Alhambra 1950 NP 1 Firefighter/Paramedic Engine
1 Captain
1 Engineer
1 Firefighter Engine
Fire Station No. 74 Alhambra 1992 Good 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Paramedic Rescue Unit
Arcadia
Engine
1 Battalion Chief Truck
6 Firefighters Ambulance
Fire Station No. 105 Arcadia 1960 Fair 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Suppression Apparatus
3 Firefighters Engine
Fire Station No. 106 Arcadia 1994 Good 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Ambulance
Fire Station No. 107 Arcadia 1949 Good 3 Firefighters Engine
Bradbury
Served by CFPD Fire
Station No. 44 Duarte 1965 Fair See Duarte See Duarte
Duarte
2 Captains
4 Firefighters 2 Engines
CFPD No. 44 Duarte 1965 Fair 1 Firefighter/ Paramedic Patrol
El Monte
1 Captain
CFPD No. 166 El Monte 1955 Good 3 Firefighters Quint
1 Captain
1 Firefighter Engine
CFPD No. 167 El Monte 1957 Fair 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Squad
1 Captain
CFPD No. 168 El Monte 1950 Fair 2 Firefighters Engine
1 Captain
CFPD No. 169 El Monte 1950 Fair 2 Firefighters Engine
45
Built/
Fire Facilities Location Acquired Condition Staff per Shift** Apparatus
Irwindale
1 Captain
CFPD No. 48 Irwindale 1968 Fair 3 Firefighters Engine
La Cañada Flintridge
1 Captain
La Canada 1 Firefighter Engine
CFPD No. 19 Flintridge 1955 Poor 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Squad
Engine
1 Battalion Chief Light Force
La Canada 2 Captains Patrol
CFPD No. 82 Flintridge 1955 Fair 8 Firefighters Battalion Chief Vehicle
2 Battalion Chiefs
1 Captain BC Suburban Vehicle
La Canada 4 Fire Fighters Superintendent Truck
CFPD Camp 2 Flintridge NA Good 21 Fire Suppression Aids Crew Bus
Monrovia
1 Battalion Chief Engine
2 Captains Truck
3 Fire Fighters Squad
Fire Station No. 101 Monrovia 1964 Good 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Battalion Chief Vehicle
1 Captain Engine
2 Firefighters Squad
Fire Station No. 102 Monrovia 1998 Good 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Water Tender
Montebello
1 Battalion Chief Engine
2 Captains Truck
3 Fire Fighters Battalion Chief Vehicle
Fire Station No. 51 Montebello 1950s Good 3 Firefighter/Paramedics US&R Vehicle
2 Captains
3 Fire Fighters Engine
Fire Station No. 52 Montebello 1990 Good 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Truck
1 Captain
Fire Station No. 53 Montebello 1961 Poor 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Engine
Monterey Park
1 Battalion Chief Engine
2 Captains Truck
4 Fire Fighters Ambulance
Fire Station No. 61 Monterey Park 1981 Fair 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Battalion Chief Vehicle
1 Captain
2 Firefighters Engine
Fire Station No. 62 Monterey Park 1947 Poor 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Ambulance
1 Captain
1 Firefighter
Fire Station No. 63 Monterey Park 1957 Poor 2 Firefighter/Paramedics Engine
46
Built/
Fire Facilities Location Acquired Condition Staff per Shift** Apparatus
Pasadena
Fire Station No. 31 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 32 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 33 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 34 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 36 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 37 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 38 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Station No. 39 Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Fire Administration Pasadena NP NP NP NP
Rosemead
1 Battalion Chief
2 Captains Assessment Engine
5 Firefighters Quint
CFPD No. 4 Rosemead 1988 Fair 1 Firefighter/ Paramedic Battalion Chief Vehicle
1 Captain
CFPD No. 42 Rosemead 1952 Fair 3 Firefighters Engine
San Gabriel
Engine
1 Battalion Chief Ambulance
1 Captain USAR Vehicle
3 Firefighters Battalion Chief Vehicle
Fire Station No. 51 San Gabriel 1959 Good 2 Firefighter/ Paramedics Chief Officer Vehicle
1 Captain
2 Firefighters
Fire Station No. 52 San Gabriel 1949 Fair 1 Firefighter/ Paramedic Engine
San Marino
1 Captain 2 Engines
2 Firefighters Rescue Ambulance
Fire Station San Marino 1994 Good 4 Firefighter/ Paramedics Command Vehicle
Sierra Madre
3 Engines
Truck
Water Tender
2 Rescue Ambulances
Utility Vehicle
Fire Station No. 41 Sierra Madre 1976 Good 15 Firefighters Battalion Chief Vehicle
Fire Station No. 42 Sierra Madre 1940s NP None Engine
South El Monte
1 Captain
South El 1 Firefighter Engine
CFPD No. 90 Monte 1968 Fair 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Squad
47
Built/
Fire Facilities Location Acquired Condition Staff per Shift** Apparatus
South Pasadena
1 Battalion Chief Engine
1 Captain Ambulance
South 2 Firefighters Utility Vehicle
Fire Station No. 81 Pasadena 1986 Good 4 Firefighter/Paramedics Command Vehicle
Temple City
1 Captain
1 Firefighter Engine
CFPD No. 47 Temple City 1947 Fair 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Squad
Unincorporated
1 Captain
1 Firefighter Engine
CFPD No. 11 Altadena 1954 Good 3 Firefighter/Paramedics Squad
1 Captain
CFPD No. 12 Altadena 1925 Fair 3 Firefighters Engine
1 Captain
CFPD No. 66 Pasadena 1934 Fair 2 Firefighters Engine
1 Captain
CFPD No. 5 San Gabriel 1942 Fair 2 Firefighters Engine
** Table 2-15 reflects staffing by occupation, but not by detailed position level. The MSR does not review staffing at the
detailed position level as position definitions vary across agencies. The Fire Fighter category in Table 2-15 includes the
CFPD position of Fire Fighter as well as the position of Fire Fighter Specialist.
There are currently 46 fire stations in the West San Gabriel MSR area, and one wildland fire
suppression camp.
Of the 46 fire stations, 32 are classified as in either good or fair condition by their agencies.
Among those classified as in fair condition, seven are housed in buildings that were built in 1950 or
earlier.
Four of the fire stations were classified as in poor condition by their agencies. One is located in
La Cañada Flintridge where services are provided the CFPD. The CFPD identified Fire Station No.
19 as poor and needing capital improvements.
The City of Montebello identified Fire Station No. 53 as poor and needing replacement and
relocation to a more centralized position. The City also needs a new training center.
Two fire stations No. 62 and No. 63 were identified by the City of Monterey Park as in poor
condition and needing replacement. Both stations are part of City plans to be replaced, but no
funding has been identified for either project. There is a strong need in the next ten years for new
fire facilities in the City as population densities increase with both multi-family dwellings and senior
centers. There are no current plans in place to build a fire station at the east end of the city where a
new market place planned, which will create a nine to ten minute response to service the area with
current station locations.
The City of Pasadena identified in their FY 2003-2008 Capital Improvement Program that Fire
Station No. 33 is planned for total replacement, which may include the addition of office space for
48
administrative offices. The total cost of the facility is estimated to be $8 million; the addition of the
administrative office space will increase the cost by $4.9 million; only $1 million in funds have been
appropriated towards replacement. Pasadena is also starting project planning on a joint Fire and
Police Department training facility. In 1987, the city’s current Fire training facilities at the rear of
Fire Station No. 33 were found to be deficient by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). The cost is
estimated to be $11.7 million; no funds have currently been identified.
In the City of San Gabriel, there is a need to upgrade and renovate Fire Station No. 51 and to
replace or completely renovate Fire Station Fire Station No. 52, but planning is predicated on funds
being available after construction is complete on the new police facility. These infrastructure needs
will limit the City’s Fire Department ability to provide increased service over the next 10 years. Fire
Station No. 52 is too small to accommodate an increase in personnel and its location limits
expansion. Without replacement and relocation of Fire Station No. 52, service to increased
population in the City will be a challenge. Fire Station No. 51 is limited in space to accommodate
activities that have become part of the department’s functions since built in 1959; additions to the
structure are possible.
The City of Sierra Madre is in need of a larger Fire Station No. 41 to house current apparatus
and administrative offices. Land availability is limited without high costs for station replacement.
There is one wildland fire suppression camp located in the MSR area. Camp 2 is located in La
Cañada Flintridge, is owned by the Metropolitan Water District, and is in good condition. Two
battalion chiefs, one captain, four fire fighters and 21 fire suppression aids, staff Camp 2.
Opportunities for shared facilities identified by the agencies include a training facility, currently
being constructed by the City of Alhambra that could possibly be shared with neighboring cities in a
joint powers agreement. The City of Monrovia offers the use of its training tower and hosts regional
training classes at the training tower.
SERVICE STANDARDS
For fire and paramedic service, there are service standards relating to response times, dispatch
times, staffing, and water flow.
Table 2-16: Fire and Medical Response Time Standards (minutes)
Full-
Structure Basic Life Advanced Ambulance
Agency Providing Guideline Fire Fire Support Life Support Transport
National Fire Protection Association 6 10 6 10
Commission on Fire Accreditation 5:50 5:50
CA EMS Agency
Urban/Metro 5 8 8
Suburban/Rural 15 20 20
Wilderness (1) AQAP AQAP AQAP
(1) AQAP means as quickly as possible.
Particularly in cases involving patients who have stopped breathing or are suffering from heart
attacks, the chances of survival are related to how quickly the patient receives medical care. Similarly,
a quick fire suppression response can potentially prevent a structure fire from reaching the
49
“flashover” point at which very rapid spreading of the fire occurs—generally in less than 10
minutes.22
The guideline established by the National Fire Protection Association23 (NFPA) for fire response
times is six minutes at least 90 percent of the time, with response time measured from the 911-call
time to the arrival time of the first-responder at the scene.24 The six minute response time guideline
includes one minute for dispatch handing, which includes the time between the 911-call received
and notification of the emergency to the fire units; one minute . The fire response time guideline
established by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International is 5 minutes 50 seconds at least
90 percent of the time.25 For medical response times, NFPA recommends a six-minute response
time for basic life support (BLS) and ten minutes for advanced life support (ALS) at least 90 percent
of the time. The BLS medical response time guideline established by the California EMS Agency is
five minutes in urban areas, 15 minutes in suburban areas, and as quickly as possible in wilderness
areas; for ALS first-response, the guideline is eight minutes in urban areas and 20 minutes in
suburban areas.
NFPA recommends a 60-second standard for dispatch time—the time between the placement
of the 911 call and the notification of the emergency responders. The Commission on Fire
Accreditation International recommends a 50-second benchmark for dispatch time.
For structure fires, NFPA recommends that the response team include 14 personnel—a
commander, five water supply line operators, a two-person search and rescue team, a two-person
ventilation team, a two-person initial rapid intervention crew, and two support people. The NFPA
guidelines require fire departments to establish overall staffing levels to meet response time
standards, and to consider the hazard to human life, firefighter safety, potential property loss, and
the firefighting approach. NFPA recommends that each engine, ladder or truck company be staffed
by four on-duty firefighters, and that at least four firefighters (two in and two out), each with
protective clothing and respiratory protection, be on scene to initiate fire-fighting inside a structure.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard states that when at least two
firefighters enter a structure fire, two will remain on the outside and maintain visual or voice contact
to assist in emergency rescue activities.26
For emergency medical response with advanced life support needs, NFPA recommends the
response team include two paramedics and two basic-level emergency medical technicians.
For structure fires, NFPA recommends the availability of an uninterrupted water supply for 30
minutes with enough pressure to apply at least 400 gallons of water per minute.
22 NFPA Standard 1710, 2004.
23 The National Fire Protection Association is a non-profit association of fire chiefs, firefighters, manufacturers and consultants.
24 For a full structure fire, the guideline is response within ten minutes by a 12-15 person response team at least 90 percent of the
time.
25 Commission on Fire Accreditation International, 2000.
26 29 CFR 1910.134
50
SERVICE ADEQUACY
Measures for fire and emergency medical service adequacy include response times, ISO ratings,
and awards for distinguished services.
Table 2-17: Average Response Times
Bradbury 3:31
Response Times
South El Monte 3:55
Response times reflect the time elapsed between the dispatch El Monte 3:57
of personnel and the arrival of the first responder on scene. As Montebello 3:57
such, response times do not include the time required to
San Marino 3:58
transport a victim to a hospital. The response times listed in
La Cañada 4:03
Table 2-17 are 2003 annual averages, except for the City of,
Temple City 4:03
Monterey Park, which is a 2002 annual average.27
South Pasadena 4:06
Overall, response times in the MSR area are comparable to Rosemead 4:17
countywide response times for urban areas. The quickest Duarte 4:20
responses occur in Bradbury where the average response time is 3 Monterey Park 4:25
minutes and 31 seconds, and South El Monte where the average Arcadia 4:25
response time is 3 minutes and 55 seconds. By comparison, the
Monrovia 4:26
CFPD average response time for all urban areas in the County is
San Gabriel 4:28
4 minutes and 30 seconds.
Sierra Madre 4:30
All of the response times in the MSR area are quicker than Irwindale 4:34
the NFPA standards. Several of the cities have response time Pasadena 4:36
performance objectives for fire and EMS calls. A majority of the Unincorporated 4:46
city fire departments follow the National Fire Protection Alhambra 4:00-6:00
Association (NFPA) 1710 guidelines for fire and emergency
Median 4:18
medical response times. Response time policy which differ
include Alhambra with an ALS response time
Response times in the unincorporated areas of the MSR area are comparable to CFPD response
times in urban areas of Los Angeles County. But in remote areas, it may take 20 minutes for the
CFPD to reach a victim.28 There are eleven area hospitals, which service the MSR area with
emergency medical services. Area hospitals with the most emergency room visitation are the Kaiser
Hospital in Baldwin Park and the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.29
Some of the agencies indicated why their response times might be quicker than neighboring
jurisdictions. The City of San Marino’s low call volume and small service area lead to quicker
response times. The City of South Pasadena is another jurisdiction with a small response area. The
27 Response times were reported by the agencies to the LAFCO Request for Information Part III—Fire Services. For cities served by
the Verdugo Fire Communications Center, the response times are those reported in the Verdugo Annual Report for 2003.
28 CFPD commented that: “The response times in remote areas would normally be less than 20 minutes. These remote areas and
extended response times would be applicable to any of the foothill cities in this MSR area.”
29 ER visitation is from the 2001 Annual Hospital Utilization Report from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
51
Montebello Fire Department stated that its communications system is better than most due to state-
of-the-art equipment and centrally located stations.
Other agencies indicated that their response times might be slower, particularly because high-
traffic areas lengthen the travel time in Monterey Park and Pasadena. In Sierra Madre, response time
can be slower due to the distance between the fire station and the volunteer firefighters on call.
ISO Classifications
The Insurance Service Office (ISO), an advisory organization, classifies communities from 1 to
10. Communities with the best systems for water distribution, fire department equipment,
firefighting personnel and fire alarm facilities receive a rating of 1. A Pubic Protection Classification
(PPC) rating has a direct bearing on the cost of property insurance for every home and building in a
community.30 The Public Protection Classification rating for the cities of San Gabriel, Sierra Madre,
and South Pasadena is Class 4, as awarded by the ISO. The City of Arcadia has a Class 1 rating and
the rest of the fire departments in the MSR area have a Class 3 rating.
Distinguished Service
The Consolidated Fire Protection District receives one to two dozen letters of commendation
for service provided in the area each year. The City of Alhambra Fire Department has received the
Life Safety Achievement Award for every year between 1998 and 2002 from the Residential Fire
Safety Institute (RFSI). The City of Montebello has received awards for their fire mentoring
program from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and for fire service provided to
the state from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. In addition, Montebello has received
awards for their arson task force and their search and rescue dogs.
SERVICE CHALLENGES
There are numerous challenges in providing adequate fire and paramedic service in the MSR
area, particularly in the urban wildland interface areas along the foothills of the San Gabriel
Mountains. Another service challenge is access difficulties for certain communities or open space
areas and community growth increasing demands on service. In addition, some of the agencies
named current and expected budget constraints as causing reductions in service.
A service challenge raised by the City of Arcadia includes a commercial area at the southeast end
of the City that has long response times. The City has an automatic aid agreement with the City of
Monrovia, which has a fire station near the area, to respond to fire calls in this location. In addition,
there is an urban wildland interface area in the City with long response times while they prepare for
the full service necessary for wildland fire threatening structures.
The City of Monrovia also identified service challenges in their wildland interface areas, which
have the greatest response times in the City and are difficult to reach. Growth and development in
the City of Monrovia are expected to impact fire service over the next five years with higher density
housing increasing population and more business development with completion of the Metro gold-
30 The ISO classification affects fire insurance rates for both residential and commercial properties. Generally, property owners in
communities with a lower PPC rating pay a lower fire insurance premium than property owners in communities with a higher PPC
rating.
52
line. City land use plans and growth patterns are currently increasing service demand with more
dense housing and commercial development.
In the City of Montebello, areas that provide difficult access for the Fire Department include
about 800 acres of wildland area located at the northeast end of the City and areas along the Rio
Honda River. In Montebello, 800 acres of wildland area is planned to be developed in the next five
years with residential, light commercial and retail land uses. The developer will be required to build a
new fire station to service the area; current fire department stations do not have the capacity or
location to serve new development in this area. City land use plans and growth patterns are currently
increasing service demand with more housing and commercial development.
An area located at the southeast end of the City of Monterey Park is difficult to service due to
the current location of the City’s fire stations. Current budget constraints limit the City’s ability to
build new fire stations. In Monterey Park’s southeast portion of the city are plans for a multi-story
retirement home and a large shopping center. The Monterey Park Fire Department currently does
not have the capacity to serve this area and there are no current plans in place to build a fire station,
which will create a nine to ten minute response to service the area with current station locations.
Currently, CFPD Fire Station No. 4 is closer to this area than the city’s existing fire stations. City
land use plans and growth patterns are currently increasing service demand with more dense
housing.
Due to increased population growth and housing densities, the Pasadena Fire Department
expects in the next ten years the need for increased emergency medical services and high-rise
capability. City land use plans and growth patterns are currently increasing service demand with
changes in land uses to higher densities and redevelopment.
The City of San Marino states that current resources are only adequate for current city limits and
population; any growth would require additional fire stations, apparatus, and personnel. There is no
reliable funding source for the required additional resources. City land use plans and growth patterns
are currently not affecting service demand, but one-half of the public safety budget is financed by a
self-imposed property tax which requires renewal by the voters every four years. The two-thirds vote
required does not assure funding; this is not a reliable funding source.
The primary service challenge raised by CFPD relates to difficult access to structures in and
around the Angeles National Forest. Many of the structures are a long distance from fire resources
and facilities. More people are building homes in the foothills and other urban wildland interface
areas. In addition, maintaining an acceptable level of training, especially for specialized services is an
ongoing challenge for CFPD. Occasionally, neighborhoods with security gate access can delay arrival
time. Population growth that is combined with increased density development, both large/high
apartment and business complexes built in cities that no longer grow out, but up, such as El Monte,
are expected to cause increased demand on services, especially EMS.
REGIONAL COLLABORATION
The most significant regional collaboration effort is the Verdugo Fire Communications Center
(“Verdugo”). Verdugo is owned and operated by the City of Glendale and functions as a regional
dispatch center for several fire departments, including the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia, Pasadena, San
Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena in the MSR area. Participating agencies
benefit from pooling resources and training opportunities.
53
There is a three-city arrangement between the cities of Alhambra, Monterey Park, and San
Gabriel for continuing and mandated education of fire and EMS training, with cost savings for all
participating agencies. This training arrangement offers facilities in those cities as common training
areas, as well as supplying in-house instructors for training exercises.
Search and rescue teams are coordinated by the Sheriff from the Altadena, Crescenta Valley, and
Temple stations, and include team members from the various Fire Departments and the Sierra
Madre Search and Rescue Team.
Table 2-18: County Mutual Aid Areas
Area A Area C
All of the agencies in the MSR area receive mutual aid
from the CFPD, especially for some specialized services such LA City San Marino
as hazardous material response and air rescue and fire Beverly Hills South Pasadena
suppression helicopter service. Emergency helicopter Culver City San Gabriel
evacuation and support is provided primarily by the CFPD’s
Santa Monica Sierra Madre
Air Operations, which flies out of Pacoima.
Area E Arcadia
Downey Monrovia
The county is broken up into several mutual aid areas.
The CFPD makes up Area B, which include the cities that Compton Pasadena
contract for service, and the other cities in the MSR area are Santa Fe Springs Burbank
part of Areas C and E. In Area C, nine of the eleven agencies Montebello Glendale
are in the MSR area. The City of Montebello is part of Area Vernon Alhambra
E. The City of Pasadena has a mutual aid agreement with the
Monterey Park
City of Los Angeles, which is part of Area A. The CFPD
also has mutual aid agreements with the National Forest Service and several local city fire
departments.
The fire agencies have automatic aid agreements for the provision of additional fire services or
to provide fire services for specific areas. The CFPD has automatic aid agreements with the cities of
Arcadia, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, and San Marino. Calls for
aid from local city fire departments make up less than five percent of service calls.
The City of Arcadia has automatic aid agreements with the cities of Monrovia, Pasadena, and
Sierra Madre, the CFPD, and the U.S. Forest Service. The City of Monrovia’s automatic aid
agreement with the City of Arcadia includes response on all structure fires with an additional
Battalion Chief to assist as a safety officer with command of staff responsibilities.
The Montebello Fire Department has automatic aid agreements with the City of Monterey Park
and the CFPD. In addition to Montebello, the City of Monterey Park has automatic aid agreements
with the CFPD and the City of Alhambra.
The City of Pasadena has automatic aid agreements with the cities of Burbank and Glendale, and
mutual aid agreements with the City and County of Los Angeles. Through these agreements,
Pasadena exchanges urban search and rescue, haz-mat, and light and air van services.
The City of South Pasadena has automatic aid agreements with the cities of San Marino, Los
Angeles, Pasadena, and Alhambra.
54
POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The City of Monterey Park is open to government structure options that will help streamline its
fire and emergency medical service. Options include consolidation or sharing resources after studies
find that the needs of the citizens are met without a reduction in service.
There are no potential major changes in fire and emergency medical service provision in the
MSR area.
55
C H A P T E R 3 : UTILITIES
This chapter discusses the provision of utility services—water, wastewater, storm water and solid
waste—in the MSR area. The section is designed to address questions relating to the efficiency and
adequacy of services, the adequacy of infrastructure, along with opportunities for sharing facilities,
reducing costs and rate restructuring. The chapter provides an overview of the service configuration,
the level and type of service demand, facilities, current and potential regional collaboration between
service providers, service delivery challenges, and an analysis of potential policy alternatives relevant
to the particular service.
WATER
There are 12 water districts, seven cities, and ten private companies providing water services
within the West San Gabriel Valley MSR area. The local agencies under LAFCO jurisdiction
providing water services to the area are reviewed in a separate MSR report and that do not require
further review of water services in this report. Dudek and Associates has prepared the detailed MSR
study of water providers in the West San Gabriel Valley area (“Water MSR”). The local agencies
providing water services to the area are:
1) City of Alhambra,
2) City of Arcadia,
3) City of Azusa,
4) City of El Monte,
5) City of Pasadena,
6) City of Sierra Madre,
7) City of South Pasadena,
8) Central Basin Municipal Water District,
9) Crescenta Valley County Water District,
10) Foothill Municipal Water District,
11) Huntington Municipal Water District,
12) Kinneloa Irrigation District,
13) La Cañada Irrigation District,
14) San Gabriel County Water District,
15) San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District,
16) South Montebello Irrigation District,
17) Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District,
18) Valley County Water District, and
19) Water Replenishment District of Southern California.
In addition, there are ten private purveyors of water to the MSR area. The private purveyors are
not under LAFCO jurisdiction, and are not subject to review. These purveyors are: Adams Ranch
Mutual Water Company, Amarillo Mutual Water Company, California American Water Company,
California Water Service Company, East Pasadena Water Company, Mesa Crest Water Company,
San Gabriel Water Company, Southern California Water Company, Sunnyslope Water Company,
and Valley Water Company.
56
WASTEWATER
For the most part, the wastewater generated in the MSR area is conveyed through local
collection systems to Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts (CSD) trunk lines, and then to CSD
water reclamation plants.31 From there, the treated effluent flows to the Joint Water Pollution
Control Plant in Carson for further treatment, and is then discharged through an outfall that extends
two miles off the coast into the Pacific Ocean.
Table 3-1: Wastewater Service Providers
Area Treatment & Disposal Collection
There are six active
CSDs servicing the MSR Alhambra CSDs 2 & 16 Direct
area.32 The CSDs are the Arcadia CSDs 15 & 22 Direct
primary providers of CSDs 15 & 22;
wastewater treatment and Bradbury Septic (50%) LACCSMD
disposal services in the MSR Duarte CSDs 15 & 22; Septic LACCSMD
area. As a contract service El Monte CSD 15 Direct
provider, the City of Los Irwindale CSDs 15 & 22 LACCSMD
Angeles treats and disposes
Direct; CSD 28;
of the wastewater generated
La Cañada Crescenta Valley CWD;
in a small portion of the
Flintridge Septic LACCSMD
MSR area. Within
Monrovia CSDs 15 & 22; Septic Direct
Bradbury, La Cañada
Montebello CSDs 2 & 15 Direct
Flintridge and Sierra Madre,
Monterey Park CSDs 2 & 15 Direct
some households rely on
Pasadena CSDs 15, 16 & 17 Direct
private septic systems rather
Rosemead CSD 15 LACCSMD
than centralized wastewater
treatment and disposal. San Gabriel CSDs 2 & 15 Direct
San Marino CSDs 15 & 16 Direct
In the unincorporated Sierra Madre CSD 15; Septic (10%) Direct
areas, the Los Angeles South El Monte CSD 15 LACCSMD
County Consolidated Sewer South Pasadena CSD 16 Direct
Maintenance District
Temple City CSD 15 LACCSMD
(LACCSMD) is responsible
Unincorporated CSDs 2, 15-7, 22, 28 LACCSMD
for maintaining the
CSD is Los Angeles County Sanitation District
wastewater collection
CWD is County Water District
system laterals and pumps.
LACCSMD is Los Angeles County Consolidated Sewer Maintenance District
Each of the cities is
responsible for maintaining the local wastewater collection system. Seven of the cities contract with
LACCSMD for this service. Some of the cities also use private providers for sewer maintenance
services.
31 The County Sanitation Districts span multiple MSR areas, and are being reviewed in a separate MSR report focused on all County
Sanitation District operations.
32 A seventh CSD—CSD #34 with territory in La Cañada Flintridge— is inactive.
57
SERVICE AREA
The wastewater service area for each of the six CSDs and for Crescenta Valley Water District is
listed in Table 3-2. Although many of the CSDs straddle city boundaries, most of the cities lie
predominantly within one CSD.
Areas that do not lie within the service area of these providers do not receive central wastewater
treatment services, but rather rely on septic systems. Most of the areas on septic systems lie in the
northernmost portion of the MSR area. Septic systems are fairly common in Bradbury and La
Cañada Flintridge, and are used by 10 percent of Arcadians. Small northern slivers of the cities of
Duarte, Monrovia, and Pasadena are on septic systems. Septic systems are also used in
unincorporated territory adjacent to San Marino.
Table 3-2: Wastewater Service Area
Area CSD 2 CSD 15 CSD 16 CSD 17 CSD 22 CSD 28 Crescenta Septic
Southern
Alhambra sliver Most of City
Southern Northern
Arcadia Most of City sliver sliver
Bradbury Western sliver Southern Northern
Northern
Duarte Sliver Southern sliver
El Monte All
Most of
Irwindale Southwest City
La Cañada Western Southern &
Flintridge Northeast slivers Western
Southeast
Monrovia Most of City sliver Northern
Most of
Montebello City Northeast
Most of
Monterey Park City Eastern sliver
Nothern Northern
Pasadena Southeast Most of City slivers slivers
Rosemead All
Most of Southern &
San Gabriel City Eastern edges
San Marino Eastern sliver Most of City
Sierra Madre Most of City Northern
South El Monte All
South Pasadena All
Temple City All
E. Pasadena
S. & E. San E. Altadena
Gabriel slivers
Unincorporated Pockets N. El Monte E. Altadena Altadena Pockets Slivers San Marino
E. San Los
Other MSR Areas Gateway * E. San Gabriel Los Angeles Gabriel * Angeles *
* indicates another MSR area is the primary MSR area for this district
58
SERVICE DEMAND
Wastewater demand is affected primarily by growth in residential populations and commercial
development, and secondarily by factors such as water usage and conservation efforts.
FACILITIES
The wastewater facilities include collection, treatment and disposal.
Wastewater Treatment Plants
There are four upstream wastewater reclamation plants in or near the MSR area, and two major
downstream wastewater treatment plants from which the effluent is discharged into the Pacific
Ocean.
The San Jose Creek Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) treats much of the wastewater originating
in the MSR area, and is located adjacent to the MSR area in unincorporated territory near Whittier.
The plant was built in 1971, and is owned and operated by the CSD. The plant provides primary,
secondary and tertiary treatment for 100 million gallons of wastewater per day. Sludge is placed
back into the sewer system, conveyed to the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) in Carson
for further treatment, and disposed in the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 35 million gallons per day
of the purified water from San Jose Creek Plant is sent to percolation basins for groundwater
recharge. In 1994, the San Jose Creek Plant was connected to the Rio Hondo Water Recycling
projects which supply the water recycling needs of more than a dozen cities in the Central L.A.
Basin. These projects are owned and operated by the Central Basin Municipal Water District.
The Whittier Narrows WRP treats wastewater originating in the eastern portion of the MSR are,
and is located adjacent to the MSR area in unincorporated territory near El Monte. The plant was
built in 1962, and is owned and operated by the CSD. The plant has a 15 million gallon per day
(mgd) design capacity. Treatment at the facility includes primary sedimentation, activated sludge
biological treatment, secondary sedimentation with coagulation, filtration, chlorination, and
dechlorination. Sludge is placed back into the sewer system, conveyed to the Joint Water Pollution
Control Plant (JWPCP) in Carson for further treatment, and disposed in the Pacific Ocean. The
Whittier Narrows WRP currently recycles nearly all of the treated effluent. Recycled water is used
for irrigation and for groundwater recharge. Effluent that is not recycled is discharged to the San
Gabriel River and to Rio Hondo, a tributary of the Los Angeles River.
The La Cañada WRP serves the 425 homes surrounding the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club.
The plant is owned and operated by the CSD. The plant provides extended aeration secondary
treatment for 200,000 gallons of wastewater per day. The disinfected effluent is put into the four
lakes on the 105-acre golf course. Lake water (augmented by potable water during the summer) is
used for landscape irrigation of the golf course. With a loan from the State Water Resources
Control Board, an outfall has been recently constructed to deliver sludge and excess effluent from
this plant to the CSD system.
The Los Angeles-Glendale WRP treats wastewater originating in western La Cañada Flintridge
and Pasadena, as well as wastewater from the Los Angeles MSR area. The plant provides tertiary
treatment. The plant is located in Glendale across from Griffith Park, is owned by the cities of Los
Angeles and Glendale, and is operated by the City of Los Angeles. The plant, which was built in
59
1976, currently treats 20 million gallons per day (mgd) and is capable of treating a peak flow of 30
mgd of wastewater. The sludge is conveyed to the Hyperion Treatment Facility for treatment and
disposal. About three quarters of the effluent is used as recycled water for watering parks and other
landscaping. The remainder of the treated effluent is disposed in the Los Angeles River, and flows
into the Pacific Ocean through Long Beach. In recent years, the Los Angeles Regional Water
Quality Control Board placed restrictions on the amount of heavy metals, chemicals and other toxic
pollutants dumped into the river. As a result, the City of Los Angeles is upgrading the plant to
provide nitrogen removal. This treatment upgrade will reduce the plant’s capacity to 15 mgd.
The Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP) in Carson receives and disposes waste from
the upstream San Jose Creek and Whittier Narrows WRPs. The plant is owned and operated by the
CSD. The facility provides both primary and secondary treatment for approximately 320 million
gallons of wastewater per day. The plant was recently upgraded to full secondary treatment, with an
increase in the amount of sludge that must be processed. The District is acquiring off-site locations
for composting sludge. Prior to discharge, the treated wastewater is disinfected with hypochlorite
and sent to the Pacific Ocean through a network of outfalls. These outfalls extend two miles off the
coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula to a depth of 200 feet. The CSD is building another tunnel for
the ocean outfall to allow the existing tunnel and outfall to be inspected and maintained.
The Hyperion Treatment Facility in the City of Los Angeles also serves this region. The
Hyperion Treatment Plant is located on 144 acres between the El Segundo Dunes and the Pacific
Ocean, south of the Los Angeles International Airport in Playa del Rey. The plant has a design
capacity of 450 mgd, with peak wet weather flows up to 1000 mgd, which can be handled for short
periods.33 The treated wastewater is discharged through a pipeline into Santa Monica Bay. The
Hyperion facility provides treatment and disposal of wastewater from the Los Angeles-Glendale
WRP. The City is undertaking a major upgrade of its sewer system, for which the district is
responsible for paying its proportionate share of costs.
In portions of Bradbury, Duarte, La Cañada Flintridge, Monrovia, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, and
eastern Altadena, property owners use on-site septic systems. Septic systems that are not properly
cleaned, maintained and replaced are believed to be sources of bacterial contamination in
groundwater. Septic system failure rates have been estimated to be 20 to 30% in the unincorporated
parts of Los Angeles County. Cities are responsible for identifying and correcting sources of
bacteria from septic systems that affect surface waters.
In response to numerous complaints of septic overflows and failures from aged and failing
septic systems, the City of La Cañada Flintridge has begun construction of the main lines of a sewer
collection system through previously unserved sections of the city.34 Once construction is complete,
residents may opt to construct lines connecting in to the new collection system. Depending on
location, some of their waste will flow through the Crescenta Valley Water District to the Los
Angeles-Glendale WRP and some will flow through the City of Pasadena to the San Jose Creek
WRP. The City is constructing 228,000 feet of main lines, and ten pump stations.
33 Source: City of Los Angeles, Department of Public Works, Decade of Progress, 1990-2000.
34 Willdan, May 2003.
60
Wastewater Collection Facilities
The 18 cities in the MSR area maintain local intercept collector sewer lines that are connected
typically to CSD trunk lines and, in limited cases, to the City of Los Angeles sewer system.
Elsewhere, the wastewater collection lines are maintained by the cities or, as a contract service
provider, by Los Angeles County.
The trunk sewers convey sewage to the respective wastewater treatment facilities, and are at or
approaching capacity. An Alhambra study found that trunk lines are at capacity. Temple City
reports that it is at capacity in many areas. Pasadena reported that its trunk lines have had several
blockages and back-ups.
Table 3-3: Wastewater Collection Deficiencies and Needs
Area Deficiencies/Needs
LA County The trunk lines serving these areas are at or are reaching capacity.
Trunk lines are reaching capacity. Some laterals are deficient. Pump stations adequate (as
Alhambra of 2003).
CIP plans include construction of a sewer line on Foothill Blvd, pumping station and
sewer line at Wilderness Park. Repair of broken pipes, engineering analysis of sewer and
Arcadia computerized sewer mapping. Septic systems in 10% of city.
Need sewers installed at Lemon/Barranca. Need sewer study. Septic systems in
Bradbury northern area.
Duarte CIP Not Provided
El Monte CIP Not Provided
Irwindale No underserved areas
Much of the City is served currently by septic systems. The City is constructing a 228,000
feet of main lines and 10 pumping stations to extend sewer lines to the remainder of the
La Cañada Flintridge City by 2008.
Monrovia CIP Not Provided
Montebello CIP Not Provided
Monterey Park one-fifth of lines have frequent debris build-up
The Laguna Road Trunk Sewer needs to be rehabilitated between Hermosa Rd. and
Arroyo Blvd. The trunk line has had several blockages and backups.
Older concrete reinforced pipes are being gradually replaced.
A new sewer pump station is needed for Busch Garden.
Relocation of Linda Vista/El Circulo sewer due to precarious location on the side of a
Pasadena deteriorating cliff.
Rosemead CIP Not Provided
San Gabriel Recurring back-ups and odor problems. Need to survey system and develop plan.
Conditions are not well known, according to a 2001 management audit. The City needs
San Marino to inventory its sewer system. 10% of laterals may be deficient.
Sierra Madre Ongoing maintenance
South El Monte CIP Not Provided
City of LA imposed moratorium in the late 1980s on sewer hook-ups on west side of
South Pasadena City; no current limits
Temple City At capacity in Rosemead, Encinita, Eaton Wash and S. Pacific RR areas.
There are no wastewater collection facilities in certain parts of the MSR area—most of Bradbury
and La Cañada Flintridge, and in portions of Duarte, Monrovia, Sierra Madres, and isolated
unincorporated areas. These areas rely on on-site septic systems. Septic systems are located on
61
individual properties, provide treatment of wastewater, collect sludge, and discharge effluent into a
leach field. Property owners are responsible for septic system maintenance and sludge disposal. The
life span of a properly maintained septic system is about 30 years. The amount of use can shorten a
septic system’s lifetime.
Due to corrosion of CSD trunk sewer lines, the CSDs are installing corrosion-resistant liners in
the sewers throughout the MSR area.
SERVICE ADEQUACY
For wastewater service, the most appropriate benchmarks for evaluating service adequacy are the
number of spills, regulatory sanctions, and pollution of the water.
Sewage Spills
There have been several sewage spills in the West San Gabriel MSR area in the last two years.35
Most of the reported spills are related to sewage line blockage causing overflows. The reported
spills do not include all incidents as several of the jurisdictions reporting frequent back-ups did not
appear in the hazardous spills data.
Table 3-4: Reported Sewage Spills (gallons)
Date Jurisdiction Location Cause Gallons Contained
Ferric chloride was released from tank system and
09/08/04Unincorporated San Jose Creek WRP drained across the road into a creek. 1,000 Yes
07/30/04Rosemead Residence Tree root stoppage in line caused release 100 Yes
Scott Ave. Relief Trunk
07/09/04CSD/Whittier Sewer (2 manholes) Partial blockage in sewer caused by root mass 6,800 Yes
06/24/04CSD/Whittier Scott Ave. & La Cima Dr. Sewage blockage 1,100 Yes
Blockage in sewer line on the facility caused water
02/05/04Pasadena Jet Propulsion Lab to come up a manhole. 270 Yes
Backup in school sewer system caused an overflow
01/27/04Monterey Park School to gutter and storm drain. 500 Unknown
Line between pump station and lift station broke
10/29/03Pasadena Jet Propulsion Lab and spilled sewage into the street. 1,000 Yes
Stoppage in sewer. Substance was contained in
03/06/03CSD/Whittier Scott Ave. and Cullen Street storm drain channel and pumped out to sewer. 4,000 Yes
02/13/03CSD/S. El Monte Pack Rd. & Michael Hunt Weather related issues NA Yes
12/17/02CSD/Sierra Madre Residence Partial tree root blockage near Arcadia Wash 10,000 Yes
Regulatory Actions
The RWQCB per federal mandate requires sewage discharges to have a National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which includes various sewage system requirements
for disposal of treated water and sludge. The Board also monitors sewage and other hazards spills
that contaminate waterways.
California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) has taken various types of
enforcement actions against the Water Reclamation Plants in the MSR area region due to discharge
35 California Governor’s Office, Hazardous Waste Spills Database.
62
of effluent into the Los Angeles River that exceeds TMDL standards for ammonia, nitrogen and
metals. Both the County Sanitation Districts and the City of Los Angeles are investing in additional
treatment processes to address these water quality concerns.
Generally, the CSD facilities in this area have abided by water quality requirements. The San Jose
Creek WRP received a Silver award in 2002, and the JWPCP received a Gold award for 100%
compliance with permit effluent limits in 2002. The Whittier Narrows WRP received the Platinum
award in 2002 for 100% compliance with permit effluent limits for five consecutive years.
SERVICE CHALLENGES
In the MSR area, service challenges include capacity for increased development, the regulation of
the onsite septic systems and minimizing the causes of sewage contamination in the regions
waterways.
For both the County Sanitation Districts and the City of Los Angeles, service challenges include
complying with requirements for further treatment of effluent discharged into the Los Angeles
River, Rio Hondo, and the San Gabriel River.
In the areas served by septic systems, the primary service challenge also relates to regulatory
issues. The cities are now responsible for inspecting and monitoring septic systems, and for devising
a plan to ensure that septic systems are properly sited and maintained.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RATE RESTRUCTURING
The County Sanitation Districts have indicated that increases in wastewater service charge rates
will be necessary, but the Districts have postponed those rate increases until the Los Angeles
Regional Water Quality Control Board resolves regulatory uncertainties about more stringent waste
discharge requirements.
POLICY ALTERNATIVES
In the areas served by septic systems, centralized wastewater collection is an alternative to the
use of septic systems. This approach is already being pursued by La Cañada Flintridge.
No other government structure options were identified.
63
SOLID WASTE
The solid waste generated in the MSR area is disposed at several different landfills, some of
which are owned by local agencies and others are owned by private companies. Solid waste
collection and hauling services in the cities are provided by private operators. Most of the cities
arrange for residential trash collection, although some also arrange for commercial collection. All 18
cities arrange for curbside recycling services for residents. All but Bradbury arrange for curbside
recycling services for businesses as well.
A new regulatory environment has had a profound effect on solid waste disposal in the MSR
area and throughout the County. In 1989, California passed historic legislation that sought to
radically decrease the amount of materials deposited in the state’s landfills. Assembly Bill 939
mandates that cities must have 50 percent less trash going to landfills in the year 2000 than it was
estimated to be sending in 1990. Under the law, the state can fine a city $10,000 a day for failing
either to prepare an approved diversion plan or to make a good faith effort to implement such a
plan.36 A Senate bill passed in 1997 offers extensions through 2005 to jurisdictions falling short of
the AB 939 standards that have made a “good faith effort” to comply.
Service Demand
Figure 3-5: Trash disposed (tons), 1995-2002
The incorporated portion of the
1,600,000
MSR area disposed 951,346 tons of
solid waste in 2002. This represents a
1,400,000
decline of 34 percent since 1998 when
1,200,000
the tonnage disposed peaked.
1,000,000
This decline in tons disposed has
occurred despite growth over this 800,000
period in population and employment.
600,000
Businesses generate more trash 400,000
than residents. Overall, two-thirds of
200,000
the disposed trash is collected from
businesses in the MSR area. The -
average resident in the MSR area 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
generated three pounds of trash daily,
whereas, the average employee
generated 12 pounds daily. Restaurants, medical services and construction are the industries
generating the most trash in the MSR area.
36 California Integrated Solid Waste Management Act of 1989, California Public Resources Code §40050 et seq.
64
Figure 3-6: Trash (tons) disposed per capita, 2002
Overall, Bradbury, San Marino,
Temple City 1.2
and Pasadena generated the most
South Pasadena 1.0
trash per capita in the MSR area.37
South El Monte 1.4
Bradbury, San Marino, Pasadena, and
Sierra Madre 1.2
Sierra Madre generated the largest
San Marino 1.7
amount of household trash per capita
San Gabriel 1.3
that was disposed in landfills.38
Rosemead 1.2
Businesses in Arcadia, Montebello,
Temple City, and Duarte generated Pasadena 1.6
the largest amount of business trash Monterey Park 0.8
per employee in the MSR area. Montebello 1.3
Monrovia 0.9
Alhambra, Monterey Park, La Cañada 1.4
Monrovia and Arcadia generated the Irwindale 1.2
least trash per capita in the MSR area. El Monte 1.1
Duarte 1.1
The amount of trash disposed is
Bradbury 3.7
not the only indicator of service
Arcadia 0.9
demand. While each jurisdiction has
Alhambra 0.5
faced decreasing demand for trash
MSR Area 1.1
disposal in landfills, the agencies have
faced increasing demand for recycling
- 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0
services over the period. In order to
meet A.B. 939 requirements, the agencies have encouraged recycling actively by collecting and
hauling recyclables and green waste.
Table 3-7: Landfill diversion rates by agency, 2002
Irwindale 81% * El Monte 54%
Although data on the tonnage
recycled was not available from the South El Monte 74% * Pasadena 51%
Integrated Waste Management Board Arcadia 72% La Cañada Flintridge 49%
(IWMB), the Board releases the landfill Montebello 61% * Duarte 47%
diversion rates achieved by each Alhambra 60% South Pasadena 42%
jurisdiction. By 2002, the median Monterey Park 58% Sierra Madre 37%
jurisdiction in the MSR area had Temple City 58% * San Marino 32%
succeeded in diverting 56 percent of its Monrovia 57% Rosemead 26%
trash from landfills compared with
Bradbury 57% * San Gabriel 22%
1990.39
* indicates CIWMB has approved the agency's diversion rate
Of the agencies, 11 have succeeded in meeting the A.B. 939 requirement of diverting at least 50
percent of its trash. Seven of the agencies have not yet met the requirement, although the Board has
37 Tons of trash disposed per capita represents the total amount disposed in 2002 divided by the 24-hour population in that year.
38 Household trash per capita represents the annual tons disposed by households in 2000 divided by the residential population in that
year. Business trash per capita represents the annual tons disposed by businesses in 2000 divided by the daytime population.
39 The City of San Gabriel commented that its actual 2002 diversion rate was approximately 40 percent.
65
extended the deadline for each of these agencies due to good-faith efforts. None of the cities in the
MSR area has been penalized for failing to meet the diversion requirements.
Facilities
The solid waste originating in the cities in the MSR area is disposed in 25 different landfills,
which are located throughout southern California. The top five landfills accommodate 92 percent of
the MSR area’s solid waste, and the top ten landfills accommodate 99 percent of the MSR area’s
waste.
Table 3-8: Top 10 Disposal Sites Used
Disposal Facility Location Tons Disposed 2003 Closure MSR Agencies Using Facility
MSR Area Total
1 Puente Hills Whittier 4 83,309 3,722,408 2013 All agencies
Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, San Marino,
2 Scholl Canyon Glendale 2 46,606 454,498 2019 Sierra Madre, S. Pasadena
Rosemead, Montebello, El Monte, Monrovia,
3 Chiquita Canyon Los Angeles 58,847 1,541,294 2019 Arcadia
Monterey Park, S. El Monte, Temple City,
4 Olinda Alpha Brea 56,274 2,069,289 2013 Alhambra
5 El Sobrante Corona 33,894 2,218,560 2030 El Monte
6 Sunshine Canyon County Ext. Los Angeles 23,720 1,803,586 2011 Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Alhambra
7 Commerce Refuse-to-Energy Commerce 21,049 100,748 NA Arcadia, Monrovia, Pasadena
8 Waste Management Lancaster Lancaster 15,606 374,558 2012 Montebello, Arcadia, San Gabriel
9 Prima Deshecha San Juan Capistrano 8,024 774,762 2067 Alhambra
10 Frank Bowerman Irvine 5,012 2,194,832 2022 Montebello, Arcadia
Half of the MSR area’s waste is disposed at the Puente Hills Landfill in unincorporated territory
adjacent to Whittier. The landfill is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation
Districts (LACSD). The Puente Hills Landfill is one of the largest landfills in the world, second to
New York City's Fresh Kills. The disposal area is 433 acres, and most of the site is lined. The
landfill is permitted to receive up to 13,200 tons per day. The waste originating in the MSR area
accounted for 13 percent of all waste disposed at the landfill in 2003. Over 40 cities outside the
MSR area also dispose of waste at this landfill. There is a recycling and materials recovery facility at
the landfill. The site contains a gas collection system,40 power generation plant,41 natural gas auto fuel
facility,42 environmental control systems, and five groundwater monitoring wells. The landfill is
expected to be filled by 2013, when it is expected to close.
The Puente Hills materials recovery facility is the site from which the Sanitation Districts plan
eventually to load and ship solid waste by rail to more remote disposal sites—the Eagle Mountain
Landfill in Riverside County and the Mesquite Regional landfill in Imperial County.
40 The landfill gas—a natural by-product of waste decomposition—is collected through an extensive network of wells and trenches
and is converted on site into electricity and auto fuel.
41 The landfill gas is burned in a boiler, creating steam which is processed through a turbine to generate electricity. This gas-to-energy
facility generates 50 megawatts of electricity—enough to provide the electrical needs of 100,000 homes.
42 The facility processes and concentrates landfill gas, compresses it and stores it for vehicle use. The resultant high octane fuel is a
form of compressed natural gas, and is less expensive to produce than conventional fuels.
66
Over one-quarter of the MSR area’s waste is disposed at the Scholl Canyon Landfill in Glendale.
The landfill is owned by the City of Glendale, and operated by LACSD. The disposal area is 314
acres, and is not lined. The landfill is permitted to receive up to 3,400 tons per day. The waste
originating in the MSR area accounted for 54 percent of all waste disposed at the landfill in 2003.
The landfill accepts waste only from its “wasteshed” area—the cities of Glendale, La Cañada
Flintridge, Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Marino, and Sierra Madre, the unincorporated
communities of Altadena, La Crescenta, Montrose, and smaller unincorporated areas throughout the
MSR area. The site contains a gas collection system,43 a flare station,44 and 10 groundwater
monitoring wells. The landfill is expected to be filled by 2019, when it is expected to close.
Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Santa Clarita receives six percent of the waste originating in the
MSR area. The landfill is owned and operated by a private company—Republic Services of
California. The disposal area is 257 acres, and is fully lined. The landfill is permitted to receive up
to 6,000 tons per day. The landfill accepts municipal solid waste, but does not accept hazardous
waste. Chiquita Canyon receives most of its waste from larger capacity transfer vehicles rather than
small collection trucks. The waste originating in the MSR area—mostly originating in Rosemead,
Montebello, El Monte, Monrovia, and Arcadia—accounted for four percent of all waste disposed at
the landfill in 2003. The landfill accepts waste from various communities throughout southern
California. The cities of Los Angeles and Santa Clarita are the largest users of the landfill. The site
contains a gas collection system and groundwater monitoring wells. The landfill is expected to be
filled by 2019, when it is expected to close.
Olinda Alpha Landfill in Brea receives six percent of the waste originating in the MSR area. The
landfill is owned and operated by Orange County. The disposal area is 420 acres, and is not lined.
The landfill is permitted to receive up to 8,000 tons per day. The landfill accepts municipal solid
waste, but does not accept hazardous waste. The waste originating in the MSR area—mostly
originating in Monterey Park, South El Monte, Temple City, and Alhambra—accounted for three
percent of all waste disposed at the landfill in 2003. The landfill accepts waste from various
communities throughout southern California. The cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, and Orange are the
largest users of the landfill. The site contains a gas collection system, a landfill gas-to-energy plant,
and a flare station. The landfill is expected to be filled by 2013, when it is expected to close.
El Sobrante Landfill in Corona receives four percent of the waste originating in the MSR area.
The landfill is owned and operated by a private company—USA Waste Services of California. The
disposal area is 495 acres, and is fully lined with geosynthetic materials.45 The landfill is permitted to
receive up to 10,000 tons per day. The landfill accepts municipal solid waste, but does not accept
hazardous waste. The waste originating in the MSR area—mostly originating in El Monte—
accounted for two percent of all waste disposed at the landfill in 2003. The landfill accepts waste
from various communities throughout southern California. The cities of Ontario and Corona are
the largest users of the landfill. The site contains a gas collection system and groundwater
monitoring wells. The landfill is expected to be filled by 2030, when it is expected to close.
43 The gas extraction wells and trenches are connected by gas header lines that collect the gas and transport it to the flare station.
44 Collected gas is either burned at the flare station pursuant to a permit from the SCAQMD, or compressed and transported via a
pipeline to a power plant in the City of Glendale for cogeneration of electrical power.
45 A geosynthetic liner contains a layer of clay, usually bentonite, sandwiched between two geotextiles or attached to a geomembrane
with adhesive.
67
In addition to the five landfills described above, the MSR area relies on 20 other landfills and
disposal facilities.
Service Adequacy
At present, all of the top ten landfills used by the MSR area meet the State minimum standards
for solid waste handling and disposal.46 State minimum standards regulate the design and operation
of solid waste facilities in order to protect public health and safety and the environment.
Each of the landfills is inspected monthly. Among the top five landfills used by the MSR area,
only the Chiquita Canyon Landfill has been recently notified by regulatory agencies of areas of
concern. The enforcement agency raised concerns about Chiquita Canyon’s alternative daily cover
practices, reporting of disposal site information, and failure to comply with the term and conditions
of the landfill permit.
Table 3-9: Landfill Regulatory Compliance History
Recent Regulatory Concerns Landfill Compliance Study
Gas impacts to groundwater from unlined cell
Odor nuisance
1 Puente Hills None Gas emissions
Gas impacts to groundwater
2 Scholl Canyon None Gas emissions
Alternative Daily Cover
Late reporting Gas impacts to groundwater
3 Chiquita Canyon Failure to comply with permit Gas emissions
Gas impacts to groundwater
4 Olinda Alpha None Gas emissions
Dust emissions
5 El Sobrante None Gas emissions
A Landfill Facility Compliance Study commissioned by the Integrated Waste Management Board
documented regulatory violations, concerns, and enforcement actions taken.47 This study provides
perspective on the challenges faced by the various landfills in meeting regulatory requirements.
The Regional Water Quality Control Boards have raised concerns over landfill gas impacts to
groundwater at the top four landfills. Puente Hills Landfill has enhanced groundwater and gas
containment systems to improve the situation. Scholl Canyon Landfill has enhanced groundwater
extraction and wastewater treatment to control the effect of gas on groundwater. Chiquita Canyon
Landfill has installed an additional gas extraction network to improve the situation. Olinda Alpha
has been studying groundwater flow models to determine the location of the problem.
46 Integrated Waste Management Board, Inventory Of Solid Waste Facilities Violating State Minimum Standards, last updated April 14, 2004.
47 GeoSyntec Consultants, Inc., August 2004.
68
All five of the top landfills used by the MSR area have been cited by the Air Quality
Management District (AQMD) for excess landfill gas emissions. These emissions have related to
landfill gas collection system inadequacies, mal-functioning, and wildfire damage.
The Puente Hills Landfill has been issued several notices of violation for odor nuisance by
AQMD relating to green waste and garbage odors. In response, the landfill has shifted the working
face farther away from residents, used fans to blow air away from residents, and used more soil as
alternative daily cover.
The El Sobrante Landfill has been issued several notices to comply for dust emissions by
AQMD, and asked to provide a dust control plan.
Opportunities for Rate Restructuring
Figure 3-10: Municipal Solid Waste Rates (per ton), 2004
The rates currently charged for disposing
solid waste differ between the top landfills used El Sobrante $30.54
by cities in the MSR area. Generally, Puente
Hills charges rates substantially less than the
other landfills used by cities in the MSR area. Olinda Alpha $27.00
Clearly, there are opportunities for Puente Hills
to increase its rates.
Chiquita Canyon $55.00
The County Sanitation Districts plan to
increase in the future at Puente Hills Landfill as Scholl Canyon $31.67
part of the transition to waste-by-rail. The
estimated cost of waste-by-rail is $55 to $60 per
Puente Hills $20.88
ton, almost triple current rates. To transition to
these unavoidable higher rates, the Districts plan
to phase in waste-by-rail by 2010 while the
$- $20.00 $40.00 $60.00
Puente Hills Landfill is still in operation and
blend the waste-by-rail fees with the landfill
fees. According to the Districts, gradually increasing the $21 per ton landfill fee to the higher rail
haul fee would allow the County to transition to waste-by-rail sooner and make it more economically
viable.
Service Challenges
Many of the cities face challenges in meeting landfill diversion requirements through the
promotion of recycling and other best management practices. Seven of the cities have not yet met
A.B. 939 diversion requirements.
The landfills face challenges in preventing waste from entering groundwater and in preventing
landfill gas from violating air quality requirements.
69
Policy Alternatives
The Landfill Compliance Study found generally that landfill gas migration is a significant
environmental problem, and is inadequately addressed in the existing regulations. That study
recommended that landfills be explicitly required to monitor and control gas leakage into water
bodies.
70
C H A P T E R 4 : PUBLIC WORKS
This chapter discusses the provision of public works services—storm water, flood control, street
maintenance, and street lighting—in the West San Gabriel area. The section is designed to address
questions relating to the efficiency and adequacy of services, the adequacy of infrastructure, along
with opportunities for sharing facilities and reducing costs. The chapter provides an overview of the
service configuration, current service delivery challenges, and an analysis of any potential policy
alternatives relevant to the particular service.
STORMWATER
Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) manages major flood control facilities.
LACFCD owns mainline storm drain pipelines, and the cities own lateral lines and catch basins
connecting with the LACFCD main lines.
Flood Control
Due to heavy, seasonal rainwater flowing down the San Gabriel Mountains and historical
flooding in the MSR area, the LACFCD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have constructed
several dams in the area—Eaton, Santa Anita, Sawpit, and Santa Fe—as well as spreading grounds,
spreading basins, and the Montebello Forebay. Most of the flood control channels in the area have
been covered with concrete. The LACFCD plans flood control improvements according to a
Master Plan of Drainage program.
Flood-prone areas include areas along the Rio Hondo Channel in Montebello, Sierre Madre
canyon areas and hillside areas. Shallow flooding occurs in the southeast portion of La Cañada
Flintridge during heavy rains, along Angeles Crest Highway, and in portions of Pasadena. Slope
stability is a concern in the developed hillside areas, which are prone to landslides and mudslides.
Landslide hazards exist in northern Bradbury, the Sierra Madre foothills, the Monrovia foothills, and
hillside areas in La Cañada Flintridge.
The run-off in the MSR area drains through the canyons and washes into the Rio Hondo, which
drains into the Los Angeles River through Long Beach and ultimately into the Pacific Ocean.
Water Quality Regulations
The run-off not only raises concerns about flooding, but also about water quality. Pollutants—
trash, copper, lead, zinc, ammonia, and coliform bacteria—in the Rio Hondo have been attributed,
in large part, to stormwater runoff.48 The Rio Hondo is classified as an impaired water body under
the Clean Water Act.49 Much of the Rio Hondo is recharged directly into the groundwater, where it
becomes a major local water supply source. To reduce pollution in a watershed, the Clean Water Act
directed the states to establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) of pollutants. The Regional
48 Moore, Iacofano, Goltsman, Inc., 2004.
49 If an assessment of the water body determines that it is not achieving water quality standards under traditional point source
controls, it is listed as an impaired water body under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.
71
Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) has indeed established TMDLs for trash, metals, and
pathogens in the Rio Hondo, as well as the Los Angeles River, to which the Rio Hondo is tributary.
The trash TMDL for the Rio Hondo requires the local agencies in the watershed to eliminate
trash from stormwater run-off by installing and maintaining catch basins to prevent trash from
flowing downstream. Furthermore, the metals and pathogen TMDLs require the local agencies to
identify illicit wastewater connections into the stormwater system, and to monitor dumping of
pollutants into the stormwater system.
Table 4-1: Stormwater Maintenance Provider
Under the new Area Provider Area Provider
requirements, the Alhambra Direct Monterey Park Direct
cities are responsible Arcadia LA County DPW Pasadena LA County DPW
for performing
Bradbury LA County DPW Rosemead LA County DPW
routine maintenance
Duarte LA County DPW San Gabriel Direct
and clean-up of
El Monte Direct San Marino LA County DPW
debris in City-owned
Irwindale LA County DPW Sierra Madre LA County DPW
laterals. LACDPW
La Cañada Flintridge LA County DPW South El Monte LA County DPW
provides
Monrovia Direct South Pasadena Direct
maintenance of City-
Montebello LA County DPW Temple City LA County DPW
owned catch basins
and pumping stations under a contract service arrangement to 12 cities, while six of the cities
maintain their catch basins.
Financing Constraints and Opportunities
The new TMDL requirements impose new costs on the local agencies. Certain agencies—Santa
Monica and Santa Clarita—had already imposed special stormwater assessments prior to the passage
of Proposition 218, and have a dedicated funding source for implementing the TMDLs. A few
agencies, such as San Clemente, have succeeded in getting a super-majority of voters to approve
stormwater assessments. Bond financing is another option; the City of Los Angeles is submitting a
stormwater bond to the voters in November 2004 in the hopes of financing its costs of meeting the
requirements. In newly developing communities, such as Santa Clarita, cities have transferred the
local storm drains and catch basins in new developments to the County, and transferred the
maintenance responsibility to the County. However, cities may only transfer storm drains that meet
all County requirements, so this approach is not likely to be viable for established communities.
Many local agencies have not yet identified a funding stream to finance their new responsibilities.
Many—including 12 of the 18 cities in the MSR area—have litigated the matter on the grounds that
the TMDLs are unfunded mandates and reach beyond the Clean Water Act requirements. Indeed,
the litigation is currently pending, so the RWQCB is not yet enforcing the TMDLs.
72
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Table 4-2: Drainage System and Condition
Drainage system Condition
Recent flood control improvements have reduced
Alhambra the potential for flooding to acceptable levels.
5 washes (Easton, Arcadia, Santa Anita, Sierra Madre Deficient links in northern area, downtown
and Sawpit), flood control channels, 4 miles of City- redevelopment area, and isolated deficiencies (1996
Arcadia maintained storm drains study)
Bradbury Flood Control Channel, natural streams and
canyons. Flood hazard contained in SG River Channel No deficiencies, but undeveloped areas will require
Bradbury by US Army Corps and LACDPW. new facilities.
Duarte
El Monte
Santa Fe Dam & Reservoir owned by Corps of
Irwindale Enginers covers 1/3 of the City's land area
Some drainage courses are considered deficient due
to potential overflow, erosion and debris deposits.
Localized shallow flooding during heavy storms in
Drainage courses (canyons) and 9 debris basins southeast portion of City and areas north of
La Cañada Flintridgme aintained by LACFCD. Angeles Crest Hwy.
Drainage through Sawpit Wash (eastern) and Santa
Anita Wash (western) flows generally southerly. Two
temporary debris basins in the Buena Vista Canyon at
the north end of Norumbega Drive, and three settling
basins: Ruby Canyon Debris Basin; Oak Glade Debris Standing water resulting from blockage or
Monrovia Basin; and Sawpit Debris Basin inadequate capacity of storm sewers
Various deficiencies—catch basins with tension,
filters, and heavy maintenance—under new
Montebello NPDES requirements
332 catch basins, main lines (12 miles), open slope
drains (25 miles). Majority (80%) is municipally owned
Monterey Park and operated. None mentioned
Provides reasonable degree of protection against
flooding. East side open storm drains need
improvements due to dumping and vegetation.
Storm drains need systematic lining to prevent
Pasadena open channels, underground conduits, and streets corrosion. Hillside areas deficient.
Rosemead
Some sections are more than 40 years old and need
115 City-maintained catch basins and 457 County catch repair. Need to survey system and develop plan,
San Gabriel basins begin improvements by 2010.
6 miles of City-maintained storm drains, system Conditions are not well known, according to a 2001
comprised of underground piping and open ditches. management audit. The City needs to inventory its
San Marino Additional facilities maintained by County. drainage system.
Flood control channels in Santa Anita Canyon, 2 dams, System's inability to handle large amounts of water
7 debris basins in hillside area, 9.6 miles of storm in hillside areas during extended periods of rainfall.
Sierra Madre drains Results in mudslides.
Storm drains back up during storm events.
South El Monte City lies at the low end of the regional drainage basin Ponding occurs in scattered areas.
South Pasadena None mentioned
Temple City 38 storm drains, catch basins Need storm drain covers.
73
Government Structure Options
As lead agency for the Los Angeles County NPDES MS4 Stormwater Permit, the County
Department of Public Works (DPW) is studying various alternatives for financing the costs
associated with meeting the RWQCB requirements for filtering, maintaining, and monitoring the
stormwater systems. Potential options include increasing the countywide stormwater assessment
charge, bond finance, and creation of countywide or watershed-based entities through JPA or special
district formation. The DPW indicated that the study is in its early stages, that special district
formation is only one of many alternatives, and that the various government structure options would
be analyzed and discussed amongst the agencies for quite some time.
STREET MAINTENANCE
Street maintenance services in the MSR area are provided by the cities, the County, and private
companies. Most of the cities provide street maintenance services directly, while the cities of
Bradbury, La Cañada Flintridge, Rosemead, South El Monte, and Temple City contract with the
County and private providers. Several of the direct street maintenance providers contract with
private providers for specific street services such as asphalt overlay and street sweeping. Street
lighting maintenance is provided the cities, the County, and by Southern California Edison (SCE).
SCE provides street lighting maintenance solely to the cities of Bradbury, Irwindale, and South El
Monte and partly to the cities of Alhambra, Arcadia, La Cañada Flintridge, Rosemead, Sierra Madre,
and Temple City.
Table 4-3: Street Maintenance Service Configuration
Asphalt Sidewalk,
Overlay/ Curb & Street Maintain
Slurry Street & Pot Gutter Painting & Street Maintain Intersection
Agency Sealing Hole Repair Repair Marking Sweeping Street Signs Signals
Alhambra Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
Arcadia Private Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
Bradbury LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County
Duarte Private Direct Private Private Private Private Private
El Monte Private Direct Direct Direct Private Direct Direct
Irwindale Private Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
La Cañada LA County Private Private Private Private Private Private
Monrovia Private Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
Montebello Private Direct Private Direct Private Direct Direct
Monterey Park Private Direct Direct Direct Private Direct Direct
Pasadena Direct Private Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
LA County &
Rosemead LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County Monterey Park
San Gabriel Private Direct Direct Direct Private Direct Direct
San Marino Private Direct Direct Direct Private Direct Private
Sierra Madre Private Direct Direct Direct Private Direct Direct
South El Monte LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County Private
South Pasadena Private Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct Direct
Temple City Private LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County LA County
74
Several agency capital street programs include annual asphalt overlay and slurry sealing. Other
street infrastructure is repaired as problems occur or as demand increases. Several of the cities
provide daily regular and emergency street service and contract with private providers for larger
capital projects.
Street infrastructure needs in the MSR area include the following:
·
Alhambra - Concrete sidewalk, curb and gutter repair of 48,000 square feet of sidewalk
bounded by Los Higos St. on the north, Almansor St. on the west, and Valley Blvd. on
the south. In addition to street widening and improvements needed on Fremont Ave.
that includes street overlay/paving and installation of decorative median strips.
Table 4-4: Street Miles and Street Lights
·
Arcadia - Rehabilitation of
Street City Owned
Colorado Place and Huntington
Agency Miles Street Lights
Drive are needed as well as new
Alhambra 150.7 6,500
traffic signals at Live Oak and El
Monte Ave. Several street overlays Arcadia 148.0 1,700
are needed, as part of the cities Bradbury 3.4 None
Pavement Management Program as Duarte 50.0 550
well as intersection reconstruction at El Monte NP NP
Foothill and Michillinda Blvd.
Irwindale 27.5 None
·
Bradbury - Bradbury Road needs
La Cañada Flintridge NP NP
to be widened.
Monrovia 100.0 1,360
·
La Cañada Flintridge - The City
Montebello 125.0 3,682
maintains an annual resurface and
Monterey Park 119.3 365
slurry seal program with current
Pasadena 320.0 18,000
resurfacing needs in Old Town.
Curb and gutter improvements are Rosemead 76.8 61
needed on Baptiste Way and street San Gabriel 72.0 700
and traffic signal improvements are San Marino 62.6 1,949
needed at Foothill Blvd. and Angeles Sierra Madre 35.0 20
Crest Highway.
South El Monte 55.0 None
·
Monrovia - Street resurfacing and
South Pasadena 59.0 1,616
slurry sealing are needed in various
Temple City 36.0 1,000
locations citywide. Several streets
need to be widened including Washington Blvd., Wilcox Ave., and Vail Ave.
·
Montebello - Slurry seal and traffic signal improvements are needed in various locations
as well as street improvements to Garfield Ave.
·
Monterey Park - Street overlay is needed on Atlantic Blvd., Newark Ave. and Avondale.
The City's annual slurry seal program is maintained to extend the life of local streets.
·
Pasadena - Several asphalt overlays of streets are needed throughout the City. Alleys
and concrete street improvements are needed citywide as well as bridge rehabilitation
and retrofit of several city bridges.
·
Rosemead - Street improvements are needed on Ralph/Olney, as well as on San
Gabriel and Valley Blvd.
75
·
San Gabriel - The City budgets one million per year to fund street rehabilitation and
maintenance projects. In the next five years, street projects include gutter construction,
sidewalk and curb repairs, and pavement rehabilitation.
·
San Marino - Various locations throughout the City need street asphalt overlay and
slurry seal. During a recent assessment, 5.5 percent of street pavement was classified as
in poor condition. Street light improvements are also needed throughout the City.
·
Sierra Madre - Various street improvements are needed citywide, including
rehabilitation, slurry seal, and asphalt overlay.
·
South Pasadena - Street improvements are needed on Oakhill Ave. Various slurry
sealing and repaving are needed throughout the City.
·
Temple City - Citywide traffic signal upgrades are needed as well as traffic sign
upgrades. A new traffic signal is needed at the Rosemead and Hermosa intersection.
Resurfacing is needed on Baldwin Ave., Garibaldi, Hermosa, and Broadway. A recent
citywide streetlight master plan indicated the City is deficient by 1,095 streetlights.
Los Angeles County Public Works Department
The Los Angeles County Public Works Department provides street maintenance services to all
of the unincorporated areas in the MSR area and to the cities of Bradbury, La Cañada Flintridge,
Rosemead, South El Monte, and Temple City.
The County maintains over 3,100 miles of roads and local streets in the unincorporated areas
and over 1,700 miles in 22 incorporated cities. County Public Works maintains streets, signalized
intersections, traffic and street name signs, streetlights, as well as pavement markings, painted curbs,
and raised traffic markers. The street services include street sweeping, pothole repair, and tree
trimming. The County also provides road design and improvements, check plans, and road
inspections.
Service Challenges
Street maintenance service challenges in the MSR area include high traffic flow areas and
continued street damage from water flows. The City of Irwindale has several arterial roadways,
Arrow Highway, Foothill Blvd., Irwindale Ave., and Live Oak Ave. that need to be widened due to
deficient traffic flow.
The City of La Cañada Flintridge has several water tables and natural springs in the hilly areas of
the City that cause water to run down streets and cause damage.
The City of Monterey Park has several arterial roadways with poor traffic flow including Atlantic
Blvd., Garfield Ave., Pomona Blvd., and Potrero Blvd.
The City of Pasadena has deficient traffic flow areas along Lake Ave, from 210 Freeway to
California Blvd., along Arroyo Parkway from Glenarm St. to Colorado Blvd. and at Pasadena
College due to student parking impacts.
In the City of San Gabriel, traffic flow deficiencies exist on Del Mar Ave., Las Tunas Dr.,
Ramona St., and San Gabriel and Valley Blvd.
76
In the City of South El Monte, various street sections are deficient for the demands of current
traffic flows. The street sections include areas of Garney Ave., Peck and Durfee Roads, Fawcett
Ave., and Santa Anita Ave.
In the City of South Pasadena, traffic flow deficiencies exist on Fair Oaks Ave. at the Pasadena
Freeway.
Policy Alternatives
No policy alternatives have been identified regarding street maintenance services.
77
C H A P T E R 5 : COMMUNITY SERVICES
This chapter discusses the provision of community services—parks, libraries, transportation and
housing—in the West San Gabriel area. The section is designed to address questions relating to the
efficiency and adequacy of services, the adequacy of infrastructure, along with opportunities for
sharing facilities and reducing costs. The chapter provides an overview of the service configuration,
current service delivery challenges, and an analysis of any potential policy alternatives relevant to the
particular service.
PARKS
There are adequate amounts of park and open space resources in only a few of the cities in the
MSR area. Where there is inadequate park space, this is mainly due to lack of land available to the
cities. All of the residents have access to regional park space both within and adjacent to the MSR
area. Park and recreation service providers in the MSR area include the 18 cities, the County, and the
National Park Service.
REGIONAL PARK SERVICE
There are adequate amount of regional open space recreational areas in the MSR area. The
County maintains most of the large regional parks in the MSR area including:
·
Eaton Canyon Nature Center, Pasadena and Unincorporated - This is a 184-acre
natural park with five miles of nature trails and an equestrian trail. Other activities
include campfire talks, picnics, moonlight walks, bird watching, and guided hikes to the
falls. Camping is available for schools, group tours and youth groups.
·
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, Irwindale - This is a 836-acre park that includes a 70-
acre lake for sailing, swimming, and fishing; trails for biking and hiking; the newly-
opened Santa Fe Dam Nature Center (formerly known as the Peter Schabarum Nature
Center) as well as picnic areas and campsites for youth groups.
·
Peck Road Water Conservation Park, Arcadia - This is a 105-acre lake used for
groundwater recharge, located on the site of an abandoned gravel quarry. The park
provides opportunities for fishing, biking, hiking, bird watching, and picnicking. The
park is located at the headwaters of the Rio Hondo corridor and serves the communities
of Arcadia, Monrovia, El Monte, Irwindale, unincorporated County, and nearby Temple
City.
·
Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, Unincorporated - This is a 1400-acre park
located just outside the MSR area, but serves San Gabriel Valley residents and provides
fishing lakes, picnic areas, playgrounds, an equestrian facility, trails, a multi-purpose
athletic complex, a military museum, soccer fields, volleyball courts, and archery, skeet,
pistol and trap ranges. The park also features the Whittier Narrows Nature Center,
which includes over 200 acres of natural woodland and four lakes.
There are other significant regional recreational facilities including the Santa Anita Park and
Racetrack in Arcadia and the Huntington Library Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens in San Marino.
The Santa Anita Park and Racetrack is a popular tourist attraction that opened to the public in 1934.
78
The racetrack is open from December through April of each year. The Huntington Library Art
Gallery and Botanical Gardens is a 150-acre private, nonprofit institution that houses a library, art
collection, botanical gardens and is a research institution.
The National Park Service maintains the Angeles National Forest, which is partly located within
the MSR area. The nation forest mostly occupies territory north of the San Gabriel Valley. The
Angeles National Forest contains 650,000 acres of open space and accounts for 72 percent of the
open space in Los Angeles County. The Forest’s 656,000 acres provide 557 miles of trails, 66
campgrounds, 36 picnic areas, boating and fishing on three lakes, fishing only on two additional
lakes, day use at three major recreation areas, four ski areas, managed target shooting areas, five
visitor centers, and several off-highway vehicle areas, as well as hunting, stream fishing and sight-
seeing opportunities. The Forest coordinates public safety efforts with various local agencies
including the CHP and LA County Sheriff and Fire.
LOCAL PARK SERVICE
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has developed widely-used municipal
park space standards. The 1996 NRPA minimum standards for park acres per 1,000 people, park site
size, and service area are as follows:
Type of Facility Minimum Acres Ideal Site Size Radius of Area
Per 1,000 People Served
Mini Parks 0.25 acres 0.5 – 1.0 acre 0.25 miles
Neighborhood Parks 1.00 acres 5.0 – 10.0 acres 0.25 – 0.5 miles
Community Parks 5.00 acres 30 – 50 acres 0.5 – 3 miles
Table 5-1: Municipal Park Acres per 1,000 People, 2004
Total Park Park Space Per Population
All of the cities maintain
neighborhood and community Agency Acres 1,000 People Density
parks, except for the City of Total MSR Area 3,105.7 3.3 6,096
Bradbury. Although there is ample Alhambra 249.5 2.9 11,457
open-space within the Bradbury Arcadia 272.1 4.9 4,976
city limits, due to the large area of
Bradbury 0.0 0.0 405
sloping terrain the space is not
Duarte 49.5 2.2 3,369
suitable for development.
El Monte 44.8 0.4 11,944
Bradbury residents have access to
Irwindale 95.0 4.6 2,153
these open space areas, which
include equestrian, bicycle, and La Cañada 294.3 12.6 2,702
hiking trails. The City of Bradbury Monrovia 99.8 2.4 3,084
General Plan designates 55 acres Montebello 76.0 1.2 7,379
to open space land use. Monterey Park 107.5 1.8 7,788
Pasadena 484.8 2.9 7,172
Although most of the cities
Rosemead 58.0 1.1 10,241
have park space, there are
San Gabriel 26.0 0.7 9,519
jurisdictions that do not meet the
San Marino 185.0 15.1 3,263
neighborhood parks standard of 1
acre of park space per 1,000 Sierra Madre 143.8 14.2 3,429
residents. In some cases, these South El Monte 636.0 21.9 10,190
occur in areas of high population South Pasadena 77.6 3.4 6,750
Temple City 22.0 0.8 7,095
79
density, such as El Monte and San Gabriel. The City of South El Monte, although high in density,
contracts for use of school facilities for park and recreational space. Other areas of relatively high
population density that lack park and recreational facilities include Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead and Temple City.
Very few cities within the MSR area meet the NRPA Community Parks criterion of at least five
acres of park space per 1,000 residents. The only four cities that exceed the NRPA ratio are La
Cañada Flintridge at 12.6 acres, San Marino at 15.1 acres, Sierra Madre at 14.2 acres, and South El
Monte at 21.9 acres per 1000 residents. Only two other cities are approaching that benchmark –
Arcadia and Irwindale.
All of the cities provide a recreation center or some sort of recreational facility, except the City
of Bradbury. The cities of San Marino, Montebello, and South El Monte contract for use of school
facilities. The various recreational programs include youth and adult programs. Ten of the 18 cities
operate a senior center, while the City of La Cañada Flintridge has a privately operated senior center
within its city limits. Additional recreational facilities include skate parks, municipal pools, fitness
centers, sport fields, and playgrounds.
For most of the cities, park maintenance services are provided directly. The cities of Arcadia,
Duarte, La Cañada Flintridge, and Temple City contract with private providers, while the cities of
Monterey Park and South Pasadena provide services directly and contract with private providers for
part of the services. The City of Bradbury contracts with the City of Monrovia and private providers.
Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies
Table 5-2: Park Facility Needs and Deficiencies
Agency Facility Needs/Deficiencies
The City requires replacement of playgrounds with ADA accessible equipment, replacement of
Alhambra picnic tables and benches, irrigation lines, and a roof on various park structures.
ADA upgrades to playground equipment, a new gymnasium, and a new multi-purpose sports
Arcadia field.
Duarte Replacement of playground equipment which are out of compliance with new safety standards.
Playground equipment replacement and improvements and new trail construction in Cherry
La Cañada Canyon.
Grand Avenue Park needs irrigation improvements and Recreation Park needs baseball field
Monrovia improvements; no available funding has been identified.
Montebello Grant Rea Park restrooms are in need of renovation.
Playground equipment safety upgrades and replacements. Inadequate space at Robinson Park
Pasadena facilities for recreation activities; needs a new recreation center.
San Marino Lacy Park is in need of irrigation improvements.
Sierra Madre Memorial Park restrooms are in need of renovation.
South Pasadena Security lighting is needed at Eddie Park, as well as new playground equipment.
Damaged concrete at Temple City Park needs to be replaced, as well as renovation of athletic
Temple City field.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Parks Recreation operates a variety of local parks in
unincorporated communities, with the exception of Arcadia Park, which is a County facility in the
City of Arcadia:
80
·
Charles C. Farnsworth Park, Altadena – This site provides sport facilities, a recreation
center, picnic areas, and playgrounds.
·
Arcadia Park, Arcadia – This site provides sport facilities, a recreation center, picnic
areas, and playgrounds.
·
Pamela Park, Duarte – This site provides basketball courts, a recreation center, picnic
areas, and playgrounds.
·
Michillinda Park, Pasadena – This site provides picnic areas and playgrounds.
There are four County golf courses, four municipal, and one private golf course in the MSR area.
The County golf courses include Santa Anita, Eaton Canyon, Altadena, and Whittier Narrows. The
private golf course is the San Gabriel Country Club; the municipal public golf courses are the
Montebello Country Club, and the Alhambra, Arcadia, and Pasadena Public Golf Courses.
Policy Alternatives
No policy alternatives have been identified regarding parks and recreation services.
LIBRARIES
Library services in the MSR area are provided by the cities of Alhambra, Arcadia, Irwindale,
Monrovia, Monterey Park, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena, the Altadena
Library District, and the County of Los Angeles. The other nine cities in the MSR area contract with
the County for library services.
Library Resources50
Table 5-3: Library Resources
Library Service Book
Service Librarian Total Pop Served Area Per Book Volumes Per
Service Provider Outlets FTE FTE Per FTE Outlet Volumes Capita
Alhambra 1 8 32.2 2769 7.63 154,001 1.73
Altadena Library District 2 6.5 22.9 2142 0.00 136,632 2.78
Arcadia 1 11.5 29.25 1881 11.11 152,709 2.78
Irwindale 1 1 3.48 445 9.63 23,393 15.11
Monrovia 1 9.5 18.57 2049 13.75 122,247 3.21
Monterey Park 1 6.71 32.12 1985 7.74 165,972 2.60
Pasadena 10 39 123.02 1139 2.31 757,748 5.41
San Marino 1 4.5 17 781 3.77 104,073 7.84
Sierra Madre 1 4.5 11.35 958 2.96 56,708 5.22
South Pasadena 1 7.4 21.5 1162 3.42 105,181 4.21
LA County 89 250 1,182 8396 34.19 8,195,062 2.31
50 California State Library, Library Development Services Bureau, 2004.
81
Facilities
The County operates 11 library facilities in the MSR area while, 20 library facilities are operated
by direct providers. The city and County library facilities with needs and deficiencies include the
following:
·
Arcadia - Exterior improvements are needed to the library to allow better vehicular and
pedestrian circulation.
·
Monrovia - The City recently completed an EIR for a new Library building to replace
existing structure, which is 41 years old.
·
Monterey Park - The City's Library building needs renovation; in December of 2003
the California State Library Bond selected Monterey Park for an $8.9 million bond
grant, which covers 65 percent of the construction costs to double the size of the library.
·
San Marino - The current library facility is beyond capacity and needs to be expanded or
replaced and only minimal funding has been identified.
·
Sierra Madre - The library building is in need of expansion or replacement.
Service Demand
Table 5-4: Library Service Circulation, FY 02-03
The cities of San Marino
and South Pasadena have the
Total Circulation
highest circulation per capita.
Service Provider Borrowers Circulation per Capita
The City of Pasadena has
Alhambra 68,316 537,775 6.03
almost four times the amount
Altadena Library District 32,413 153,112 3.12
of borrowers than the City of
Arcadia 56,925 642,942 11.69
Alhambra, which has the
second largest amount of Irwindale 683 7,557 4.88
borrowers. The City of Monrovia 30,456 175,825 4.62
Pasadena also has the most Monterey Park 40,968 536,692 8.42
library facilities in the MSR Pasadena 270,768 1,544,153 11.02
area, behind the County by
San Marino 15,130 177,557 13.38
one. The County and the
Sierra Madre 11,334 100,278 9.22
Altadena Library District
South Pasadena 29,333 332,563 13.32
have the lowest circulation
LA County 2,201,150 15,912,865 4.48
per capita.
Policy Alternatives
No policy alternatives have been identified regarding library services.
TRANSPORTATION
Regional transportation providers include the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
and the Foothill Transit Authority (FTA). MTA public transit services include fixed route bus
service and a light rail system that provider service throughout Los Angeles County. The FTA
provides fixed route bus service throughout the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.
82
Transportation providers are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
83
Table 5-5: West San Gabriel Valley Public Transit Services
Service Area Transportation Provider Name Service
Alhambra Private Alhambra Community Transit (ACT) General public fixed route transit
Private Southland Transit Inc. General public fixed route transit and senior rides
Arcadia Direct City of Arcadia Transit General public fixed route transit
Private Southland Transit Inc. General public fixed route transit
JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
Bradbury JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
Duarte Direct Duarte Transit System General public fixed route transit
JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
El Monte Private Southland Transit Inc. General public fixed route transit and Dial-A-Ride
JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
Irwindale JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
La Cañada Contract with City City of Glendale, Beeline Transit System General public fixed route transit
Monrovia JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
Private Southland Transit Inc. Dial-a-Ride and fixed route trolley service
Montebello Direct Department of Transportation General public fixed route transit and Dial-A-Ride
Monterey Park Private Parking Concepts, Spirit Bus Service General public fixed route transit
Pasadena Direct Pasadena Area Rapid Transit System General public fixed route transit
Direct Dial-A-Ride Dial-A-Ride service for elderly and disabled
Rosemead Contract with City City of Montebello General public fixed route transit and Dial-A-Ride
Direct Rosemead Shopper Shuttle fixed route transit
San Gabriel Direct Senior Dial-A-Ride Dial-A-Ride
San Marino Contract with City City of Pasadena Dial-A-Ride service for elderly and disabled
Sierra Madre Private Laidlaw General public fixed route transit
South El Monte JPA Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
South Pasadena Direct South Pasadena Gold Link General public fixed route transit
Temple City Private Diversified Paratransit Dial-A-Ride Service
Foothill Transit Authority General public fixed route transit
84
HOUSING
This section covers housing affordability, housing needs, and housing construction in the MSR
area.
Affordability
Figure 5-6: Median Price Home, 2000
Generally, housing prices in the MSR area is
consistent with what is occurring countywide. Alhambra
The cities of Bradbury, La Cañada Flintridge, Arcadia
and San Marino are significantly higher than the Bradbury
countywide median, as demonstrated in figure 5-
Duarte
4. The median price for an owner-occupied
El Monte
home countywide was $209,300, according to
Irwindale
the 2000 Census. In Bradbury, the median home
La Canada
price was $644,900. In La Cañada Flintridge, the
median home price was $587,800. In San Monrovia
Marino, the median home price was $690,800. Montebello
The cities that were 25 percent lower than the Monterey Park
county median were the cities of El Monte and Pasadena
South El Monte.
Rosemead
San Gabriel
Housing Needs
San Marino
The Regional Housing Needs Assessment Sierra Madre
(RHNA) quantifies the need for housing within South El Monte
each jurisdiction between 1998 and 2005. South Pasadena
RHNA is determined by SCAG based on
Temple City
growth forecasts, vacancy needs and
LA County
replacement needs. Growth forecasts are based
on the most current Census data, general plan
$0 $150 $300 $450 $600
information, historical growth patterns and
Thousands
projected job creation. The RHNA future
housing needs project the needs for families at different income levels.
85
Table 5-7: RHNA Housing Needs, 1998-2005
Income Level
For the cities in the West San
Gabriel area, RHNA projected a Very Above
need for 8,053 new units to be Agency Total Low Low Moderate Moderate
constructed between 1998 and 2005. Total Cities 8,053 2,000 1,350 1,601 3,102
Most of the needed housing Alhambra 973 263 185 214 311
construction was allocated to the Arcadia 460 55 32 46 327
cities of Alhambra, El Monte, and Bradbury 12 2 1 1 8
Pasadena. Duarte 354 78 64 85 127
El Monte 1,186 320 214 237 415
For all of the cities, the actual
Irwindale 27 6 5 6 10
housing constructed through April
La Canada 133 20 15 21 77
2004 was available. In the cities of
Monrovia 304 76 52 70 106
Arcadia, Bradbury, La Cañada
Montebello 563 163 107 118 175
Flintridge, Monterey Park, Pasadena,
Monterey Park 312 94 53 59 106
Sierra Madre, and Temple City,
actual housing unit construction has Pasadena 1,777 462 284 338 693
already exceeded the RHNA Rosemead 776 202 132 155 287
housing needs.51 The cities of El San Gabriel 300 78 57 63 102
Monte and Monrovia are within ten San Marino 0 0 0 0 0
percent of meeting their housing Sierra Madre 89 15 13 17 44
need. All of the other cities still need South El Monte 111 31 20 21 39
additional housing constructed in South Pasadena 206 35 31 45 95
order to meet the RHNA projection.
Temple City 161 34 31 35 61
Collectively, the housing need for all
of the cities in the MSR area was met.
Housing element law, enacted in 1969, mandates that local governments adequately plan to meet
the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the community. The law
acknowledges that, in order for the private market to adequately address housing needs and demand,
local governments must adopt land use plans and regulatory systems, which provide opportunities
for, and do not unduly constrain, housing development. As a result, housing policy in the State rests
largely upon the effective implementation of local general plans and, in particular, local housing
elements. Housing element law also requires the Department of Housing and Community
Development (HCD) review local housing elements for compliance with State law and to report its
written findings to the local government.
51 Source for actual housing unit construction is U.S. Census Bureau Building Permit database.
86
Municipalities are required to update the housing element of their respective general plans every
five years.52 Of the 18 cities in the MSR area, 60 percent are in compliance. As of June 4, 2004, the
cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Montebello, and Temple City were not in compliance.53
52 California Government Code §65588.
53 HCD Housing Element Compliance Report, June 4, 2004. Duarte, Irwindale, San Marino, and South Pasadena submitted updated
housing elements to LAFCO in response to the Request for Information.
87
C H A P T E R 6 : MSR CONCLUS IONS
This chapter sets forth recommended findings with respect to the nine service-related evaluation
categories based upon this review of municipal services for the West San Gabriel MSR area.
INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OR DEFICIENCIES
This determination refers to the adequacy of existing and planned public facilities in
accommodating future growth and the efficient delivery of public services. The adequacy of public
facilities depend on supply factors—location, regulatory and environmental constraints on the
facility, capacity, condition, and other quality indicators—and demand factors—current and future
customer base size, customer characteristics affecting service demand, proximity to related service
providers like hospitals, and complexities such as terrain and elevation. In addition, the analysis
considered infrastructure duplication among neighboring providers.
Police Service
Among the 13 police service providers in the MSR area, the Irwindale, San Gabriel and Altadena
stations were described as in need of replacement. None of the three jurisdictions has identified
financing for facility replacement. Three jurisdictions—El Monte, Irwindale, and Monterey Park—
described their dispatch technology as outdated, and indicated that infrastructure needs include
upgrades in dispatch technology. Irwindale also needs a new dispatch center. South Pasadena
indicated that dispatch mobile data terminals are outdated and need to be upgraded. The Sheriff’s
Temple police station indicated that the dispatch center is in poor condition and needs to be
upgraded.
Fire and Paramedic Service
Montebello and Monterey Park identified areas that could not be properly served without
additional fire stations. Montebello plans to finance the new station through development fees, but
Monterey Park has not identified financing.
Among the existing 46 fire stations in the MSR area, five were described as deficient and in need
of replacement. The deficient stations include a Montebello fire station, two fire stations in
Monterey Park, a fire station in Pasadena, and a fire station in San Gabriel. The CFPD fire station in
La Cañada Flintridge is also deficient, and in need of capital improvements. Pasadena’s training
facility is deficient, according to the Insurance Services Office. Both San Gabriel and Sierra Madre
identified fire stations in need of renovation or expansion.
Water
According to a detailed MSR study of water providers in the MSR area prepared by Dudek and
Associates (“Water MSR”), water supply is adequate to meet expected future demand. Although no
infrastructure needs or deficiencies were identified that would affect the ability of the agencies to
provide service, there are infrastructure needs, according to the Water MSR.
88
Wastewater
The wastewater trunk lines serving the MSR area are at or approaching capacity. An Alhambra
study found that its trunk sewers are at capacity, and Pasadena reported that its trunk lines block and
back up often. San Gabriel and Monterey Park also reported frequent sewage back-ups in their
systems.54
The capacity of the Los Angeles-Glendale Water Reclamation Plant has been reduced in order to
remove nitrogen from the effluent prior to discharge into the Los Angeles River. This reduced
capacity could affect the western portions of La Cañada Flintridge, where a sewer collection system
is being installed for conveying waste to the Los Angeles-Glendale facility. South Pasadena reported
that its western areas also flow into the City of Los Angeles system, and that the City of Los Angeles
has recently lifted a moratorium on new sewage connections in the area.
Portions of Bradbury, Sierra Madre, and unincorporated areas near San Marino are on septic
systems, which are subject to failure and potential groundwater contamination, if not properly
maintained.
Solid Waste
The MSR area, like the County as a whole, is rapidly exhausting landfill capacity. The primary
landfills where solid waste is disposed will be closing between 2013 and 2019. Beginning in 2010,
waste generated in the MSR area will begin to be exported by rail to remote landfills outside the
County.
Stormwater
The jurisdictions in the MSR area are under new requirements—the Clean Water Act and related
Regional Water Quality Control Board regulations—to install, inspect and maintain catch basins in
their storm drains to prevent trash from flowing into Long Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
The jurisdictions are also responsible for monitoring commercial and industrial discharges into
the stormwater system, and identifying illicit wastewater connections into the stormwater system.
The agencies face significant challenges in financing the infrastructure and staffing levels to meet the
regulatory requirements.
Streets
All of the cities face ongoing needs for resurfacing, slurry-sealing, traffic signals, and street
widening in high-traffic areas. The cities address these needs through capital improvement
programs, and have access to special funds to finance ongoing needs. La Cañada Flintridge faces
particular challenges in hillside areas where water damage is extensive. A recent Temple City study
found that city has extensive street light deficiencies.
54 The primary provider of wastewater trunk lines, treatment and disposal services is the County Sanitation Districts. The County
Sanitation Districts span multiple MSR areas, and are being reviewed in a separate MSR report focused on all County Sanitation
District operations.
89
Parks
Park availability in six cities does not meet national guidelines for at least 2.5 acres of park land
per 1,000 residents. Specifically, El Monte, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel and
Temple City do not meet the guidelines. Rosemead and El Monte are located adjacent to South El
Monte where there is a surplus of park land. Monterey Park and San Gabriel generally lack available
parcels. Potential park sites exist in hillside areas in Temple City and wildland areas in Montebello.
Libraries
San Marino and Sierra Madre reported that existing library facilities are deficient in meeting
service demand, and require expansion or replacement.
Housing
Municipalities are required to update the housing element of their respective general plans every
five years to plan to meet the existing and projected housing needs of all economic segments of the
community. The cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Montebello, and Temple City were not in
compliance with this requirement as of June 4, 2004.
GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS
Over the next 20 years, the MSR area population is projected to grow at about one percent
annually, roughly the same rate of growth as in the County as a whole. The MSR area population is
currently 935,000, and is expected to reach 1,092,000 by the year 2025.
The most rapid growth in the residential population is anticipated in the unincorporated
communities, Monterey Park, San Gabriel, El Monte, Irwindale, and Bradbury. The pace of growth
in the unincorporated areas and El Monte is expected to slow in the long-term.
The daytime population (job base) is projected to grow most quickly in Irwindale, Alhambra and
Arcadia.
Most of the cities identified residential growth areas and opportunities as primarily involving
infill development and redevelopment. Specific growth areas include Arcadia areas near the Race
Track and in hillside areas, Irwindale growth on inactive quarry sites, Montebello growth on an 800-
acre wildland site being developed, Monrovia growth in the Santa Fe Depot and Myrtle Avenue
areas, Monterey Park growth on Corporate Center Drive, Pasadena growth in the Arroyo Parkway
area, and Temple City growth in the Mission Street area.
Non-residential growth areas include downtown Alhambra, entertainment potential between the
Santa Anita Race Track and the Santa Anita Fashion Park mall, southern Arcadia industrial areas, the
800-acre wildland site in Montebello that is being developed, former gravel mining pits in Irwindale,
and the Olive Pit site in Irwindale. In unincorporated territory adjacent to South El Monte, the El
Monte U.S. Army Reserve Center may be decommissioned in the long-term, which would open up a
potential growth area.
Most of the jurisdictions cited a shortage of vacant, developable land as a significant growth
constraint. In the foothill cities, topography and related concerns about fire, flood hazard, and street
90
access in hillside areas were also cited as growth constraints. Community preferences in Bradbury,
La Cañada Flintridge, San Marino, and Temple City were also cited as growth constraints. The area’s
growth is constrained by an environmentally degraded watershed, and related regulatory constraints
imposed on stormwater and wastewater services.
Police Service
Serious crime tends to vary over the course of the business cycle, rising along with
unemployment. Crime and calls for police service in the MSR area have declined in recent years.
Over the same time period, paradoxically, the resident population has increased. Future demand for
police service is unknown, but is expected to grow during times of relatively high unemployment.
Fire and Paramedic
Service calls for fire and paramedic providers have been increasing, and are expected to continue
growing as a result of population growth and the aging of the population. Demand growth will be
affected by the availability of alternative services like primary care and telephone-based service, and
demand management practices, such as better fire prevention training, fire code improvements, and
building rehabilitation.
Water
In addition to residential population growth, water demand is affected by economic growth
among commercial and agricultural water users, temperature, rainfall, household size, conservation
efforts, and pricing.
Wastewater
Wastewater service demand is affected by growth in the residential and visitor populations as
well as rainfall. Wastewater demand is expected to grow over the next several years along with the
population.
Solid Waste
The amount of solid waste disposed has declined over the last decade. Assembly Bill 939
mandates that cities must have 50 percent less trash going to landfills in the year 2000 than it was
estimated to be sending in 1990, although not all of the cities in the MSR area have achieved this
goal. Solid waste demand is expected to decline at a more rapid rate in the coming years.
Stormwater
The demand for stormwater facilities is projected to increase due to population growth and
growth in the proportion of the surface paved. Rainfall is unpredictable, and has a significant effect
on stormwater demand.
Street Maintenance
The use of streets is expected to increase along with the projected residential population and to
also be affected significantly by the daytime population.
91
Parks
The use of parks is expected to increase along with the projected residential population.
Libraries
The use of libraries is expected to increase along with the projected residential population.
Transportation
The use of public transportation services is expected to increase due to population growth and
growth in the senior population receiving Dial-a-Ride services.
FINANCING CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Under this determination, a community’s public service needs are weighed against the resources
available to fund the services. The municipal service review identified the financing constraints and
opportunities that have an impact on the delivery of services.
General fund revenues per capita are most ample in Pasadena, Irwindale, Bradbury and San
Marino where revenues per capita exceed the countywide average of $552. In the remainder of the
cities in the MSR area, revenues per capita are less than the countywide average. In Rosemead,
Temple City, and South El Monte, general fund revenues per capita were less than half of the
countywide average.
Contingency reserves and unreserved fund balances are one indicator of the financial health of a
local agency. Bradbury, Duarte and Montebello did not maintain contingency reserves. The
remainder of the jurisdictions maintained fund balances that meet Government Finance Officers
Association recommendations.
Long-term debt per capita was highest in Pasadena and Sierra Madre. Seven of the 18 cities had
outstanding long-term debt from bonded indebtedness. The remaining 11 cities have no
outstanding bonded debt.
Financing constraints will affect the ability to finance not only major infrastructure needs such as
stormwater treatment and centralized wastewater treatment, but also infrastructure needs like fire
station construction, parks, street improvements and libraries.
Agencies providing municipal services are heavily dependent on State funding. Past and
proposed preemption of certain revenue sources (i.e., VLF and property tax) has made major
revenue streams vulnerable.
In FY 2002-03, $4.9 billion statewide was shifted from local agencies to local schools due to the
State Education Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) created in the 1990s. As a result, city
property tax shares are an average of 25% lower.
Cities rely heavily on a portion of the State-collected VLF. Since 1998, these revenues have been
steadily reduced and backfilled by the State. Some State-proposed changes to VLF, and to VLF
related revenue programs might further reduce this critical revenue source.
92
Municipal service providers are constrained in their capacity to finance services by the inability
to increase property taxes, requirements for voter approval for new or increased taxes, and
requirements of voter approval for parcel taxes and assessments used to finance services.
Financing opportunities that do not require voter approval include imposition of or increases in
fees to more fully recover the costs of providing services, including false alarm fees, development
impact fees, land dedications for fire station sites and fire infrastructure construction, and other fees
to recover the actual cost of services provided. Agencies may also finance many types of facility
improvements through bond instruments that do not require voter approval.
Financing opportunities that require voter approval include special taxes such as parcel taxes,
increases in general taxes such as utility taxes, sales and use taxes, business license taxes, and
transient occupancy taxes. Agencies may finance facilities with voter-approved (general obligation)
bonded indebtedness. Communities may elect to form business improvement districts to finance
supplemental services, or Mello-Roos districts to finance development-related infrastructure
extension.
Additional financing opportunities involve the issuance of parking and moving citations. The
cities ranged from issuing a low of 21 citations per 1,000 population to a high of 683 citations per
1,000 people. Cities with relatively inactive citation programs may wish to consider collaborating
with another service provider, such as the traffic enforcement that Calabasas conducts on behalf of
its neighboring cities.
Stormwater infrastructure financing opportunities include bonded indebtedness. The City of
Los Angeles is submitting a ballot measure to use this approach to finance stormwater system
improvements to the voters in November 2004.
COST AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITIES
This determination relates to identifying service duplication issues, inefficiencies related to
overlapping boundaries, and cost reduction opportunities related to economies of scale. The
municipal service reviews shall identify cost avoidance opportunities by assessing duplicative
services, duplicative costs, and other inefficiencies.
Law enforcement agencies indicated that regional collaboration efforts have reduced costs and
provided the agencies access to service they could not otherwise afford. The agencies identified a
number of opportunities for additional regional collaboration that could potentially lead to cost
savings.
Several fire service providers indicated that regional sharing of training facilities and classes
could reduce costs.
There may also be opportunities to reduce stormwater-related water quality regulatory costs
through regional collaboration by reaping economies of scale.
93
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RATE RESTRUCTURING
Municipal service reviews describe the existing rate structure and compare it with those of
neighboring service providers, where relevant. Service reviews identify strategies for rate
restructuring, which would further the LAFCO mission of ensuring efficiency in providing public
services. Further, the service review will assess conditions that may impact future rates. The service
review may identify opportunities for rate reductions through annexations or other reorganizations.
Wastewater rates charged by the County Sanitation Districts are likely to increase in the long-
term to finance new regulatory requirements.
Solid waste disposal rates at the Puente Hills Landfill—the primary landfill destination for trash
originating in the MSR area—are expected to increase due to the gradual phase-in of more expensive
rail shipment of waste to remote landfills in Riverside and Imperial counties.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED FACILITIES
Under this determination, LAFCO may consider how sphere of influence changes could create
better opportunities for agencies to share facilities and eliminate costly duplications of service. The
service review identified facilities used by local government agencies providing municipal services on
the island as well as contract service providers. The service review evaluated whether efficiencies can
be achieved by accommodating the facility needs of adjacent agencies, and assessed the compatibility
between the facility needs of neighboring service providers. Options for planning for future shared
facilities and services were also considered.
Police
Law enforcement agencies already engage in extensive sharing of resources and facilities. Future
opportunities include regionalized dispatch, SWAT, and holding facilities. The City of Irwindale
offers use of its records and CAD storage.
Fire
Opportunities for shared facilities identified by the agencies include a training facility, currently
being constructed by the City of Alhambra that could possibly be shared with neighboring cities
through a JPA. The City of Monrovia offers the use of its training tower and hosts regional training
classes at the training tower.
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OPTIONS
Although the objective of the service review is to update spheres of influence, LAFCO may
determine that another type of policy change under its jurisdiction is warranted. LAFCO is
empowered to initiate certain reorganizations such as district consolidation, dissolution, mergers and
subsidiary district (Government Code §56375(a)). The Legislature has also encouraged the
Commission to recommend governmental reorganizations to particular agencies in the county, using
the spheres of influence as the basis for those recommendations (Government Code §56425 (g)).
94
No policy alternatives were proposed by the affected agencies. The service review identified one
government structure option.
Special District Formation
Special district formation for stormwater financing purposes is a remote, long-term option, and
is being studied by the County Department of Public Works, along with a variety of other options.
EVALUATION OF MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCIES
Where there are other potential service providers, the municipal service review shall consider the
effectiveness of an agency’s internal organization to provide efficient, quality public services.
Efficiently managed agencies contain costs and deliver adequate services.
Best management practices are exemplified by Pasadena and Monterey Park. These two cities
conduct performance-based budgeting, explicitly connecting measurable workload indicators to
department budgets on an annual basis.
Eight of the 18 cities conduct workload monitoring and performance evaluation, and were able
to provide recent examples of these efforts. These cities include Alhambra, Irwindale, Monterey
Park, Pasadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena. Monrovia indicated
that they also conduct workload monitoring and performance evaluation, but failed to provide any
recent examples of these efforts.
Three of the cities—Bradbury, Rosemead, and South El Monte—indicated that they neither
conduct performance evaluations nor workload monitoring. Three cities—Arcadia, Duarte, and
Temple City—conduct performance evaluations but do not monitor workload or productivity. La
Cañada Flintridge conducts workload monitoring, but does not conduct performance evaluation.
El Monte and Montebello did not respond to the LAFCO questionnaire regarding management
efficiencies.
LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE
This determination encompasses multiple policy-making goals. In evaluating spheres of
influence and other potential reorganizations, LAFCO will consider which agency best meets the
needs and desires of affected residents. In considering local governance issues, LAFCO will solicit
and give great weight to the policy proposals initiated by the affected agency. In determining which
agency is best poised to serve unincorporated territory, LAFCO shall also give weight to each
agency’s accountability to affected residents.
The service review documented the local agencies’ form of governance, accountability to
constituents and contract service recipients. The service review documented the agency’s
cooperation with LAFCO’s requests for information as an indicator of its public accountability.
95
The service review assessed the agencies’ decision-making and operational and management
processes, and found that, with few exceptions, the cities, the CFPD, and the independent districts:
(1) include an accessible and accountable elected or appointed decision making body and agency
staff;
(2) encourage and value public participation; and
(3) disclose budgets, programs, and plans.
The cities of La Cañada Flintridge, Montebello, and Temple City were not in compliance with
the requirement to update the housing element of their general plans every five years.
The cities of El Monte and Montebello did not cooperate fully with LAFCO inquiries. Neither
city responded to LAFCO agency-wide questionnaires, although both cities did respond to the
police and fire services questionnaires. Both agencies were non-responsive to repeated LAFCO
requests for information over the last 18 months. Agencies that did not provide complete data to
LAFCO were encouraged to do so during the 30-day period of public comment on the Draft MSR.
96
C H A P T E R 7 : SOI UPDATES
This chapter sets forth recommended findings with respect to the four agency-specific
determinations related to updating the spheres of influence for the local agencies in the West San
Gabriel MSR area.
CITY OF ALHAMBRA
LAFCO has adopted a coterminous sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Alhambra.
The City is completely surrounded by incorporated areas leaving no annexation or SOI
expansion possibilities unless areas were detached from one of the surrounding cities. The sphere is
bounded by the City of Los Angeles to the west, the cities of South Pasadena and San Marino to the
north, the City of San Gabriel to the east, and the City of Monterey Park to the south.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Alhambra is primarily a residential community with 69 percent of land use for
residential purposes. According to the 1987 General Plan, 12 percent of land use is for commercial
use and there are 53 acres of vacant land, of which 41 acres are zoned for residential use. Present
land uses in the City of Alhambra mostly include residential, commercial, and open space. Planned
land uses in the area include residential and commercial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
Due to the renaissance of downtown Alhambra and redevelopment activities, the pace of job
creation is projected to be much faster in Alhambra than in the MSR area as a whole. The City
anticipates that residential growth will primarily involve infill. The need for public facilities and
services will grow as the daytime population increases. Similarly, the need for fire, police, water,
wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to grow as the
City’s population is expected to increase.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive public safety, water, public works, and community
services from the City, receive wastewater disposal services from the County Sanitation Districts,
and receive refuse collection and transit from private companies.
97
For the most part, the municipal services provided in this area are adequate. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for wastewater service due to trunk lines being at capacity.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Alhambra is a dense urban community, with a long and rich history and a high
degree of community identity. Communities of interest include historic neighborhoods where the
City has set up policies in order for property owners to preserve and reuse historic structures.
Economic communities of interest include the City’s Central Business District.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing coterminous SOI for the City of Alhambra at
this time.
CITY OF ARCADIA
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Arcadia that includes
unincorporated territory to the west and to the southeast end of the city limits. The western SOI
area includes territory lying between the city limits of Pasadena and San Marino. The southeast SOI
includes territory lying between the city limits of El Monte and Monrovia. All of the SOI areas are
fully developed with mostly residential land use and are surrounded by neighboring cities’ SOIs.
In the western SOI area, a small area that encompasses Lombardy Road and Locksley Drive is a
joint SOI area shared with the City of Pasadena. The joint SOI was adopted by LAFCO in April of
1973 and is located west of Rosemead Boulevard between California Boulevard and Huntington
Drive. This joint SOI area is primarily residential, but includes a neighborhood retail center. The
joint SOI area can be viewed in Appendix A, Map 4.
The joint SOI area is not contiguous to the Arcadia city limits, and the City does not anticipate
annexing the territory that lies between the western city boundary and the affected area. The
affected area is primarily residential, and is contiguous to the Pasadena city limits.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Reduction of the City’s SOI to remove the joint SOI area is recommended at this time. Pursuant
to Government Code section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the
existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
Arcadia is primarily a residential community and is known as the “Community of Homes.” Over
half of the land in the city (69 percent) is zoned for residential development. Present land uses in the
City of Arcadia mostly include residential, commercial, which occupies seven percent of land use,
and public facilities, which occupy 13 percent of land use. Planned land uses in the area include
residential and commercial developments.
98
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. The municipal
services provided in this area are adequate. With regard to public services provided to the existing
sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited for stormwater in the growing
downtown redevelopment area. The City does not currently provide services to the affected joint
SOI area.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Arcadia has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
A community of interest includes the joint SOI area with the City of Pasadena, which includes
mostly residential development. The joint SOI area consists of low-density homes. The lots are
large, with homes for mostly higher income residents. There is a small amount of commercial
development at the corner of Rosemead Blvd. and Huntington Drive. With Arcadia’s western SOI
area dominant with residential development, there is little incentive for the City to annex the
territory and City planners do not see it likely that the City will propose the annexation. Annexation
proposals are more like to come from area residents or community groups. The residents in the joint
SOI area are more likely to identify themselves as Pasadena residents because 1) the high quality of
homes which are more consistent with the Pasadena and San Marino communities, 2) all of the
residents have Pasadena addresses, and 3) the territory is within the Pasadena Unified School
District.
Economic communities within the City include the Santa Anita Race Track and the Santa Anita
Fashion Mall, which attract several visitors to the City and offers horse racing events, shopping, and
restaurants, other visitor attractions include the Los Angeles County Arboretum and the Arcadia
County Regional Park and Golf Course.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO reduce the City of Arcadia SOI to exclude the joint SOI area
shared with the City of Pasadena at this time.
Since the joint SOI area was adopted by LAFCO in 1973, there has been no attempt by the City
of Arcadia to annex the territory, nor the adjoining SOI area that extends from the Arcadia city
limits at Michillinda Ave. to Rosemead Blvd. The majority of Arcadia’s western SOI boundary runs
along Rosemead Blvd. except where it extends west into the joint SOI area along East California
Blvd. and Huntington Drive. The joint SOI area is surrounded on three sides by unincorporated
areas that belong to the SOIs of the cities of Arcadia, Pasadena, and Temple City. The joint SOI
area is bordered to the west by the City of Pasadena and by an unincorporated area that does not
belong to any city’s SOI.
99
CITY OF BRADBURY
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Bradbury that includes a small
unincorporated territory to the south of the city limits, including the southern end of Deodar Lane
and the western portion of Bradbury Hills Road. The SOI area is completely surrounded by the
Bradbury and Duarte city limits and encompasses a senior housing development.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Bradbury is a residential community. Present land uses in the City of Bradbury
mostly include residential and open space, with no commercial use. Planned land uses in the area
include residential developments as well as retention of open space.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is expected to experience modest growth. Similarly, the need for fire, water, wastewater,
stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to grow modestly in the
future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. The municipal
services provided in this area are adequate. With regard to public services provided to the existing
sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited for wastewater. About half of the
community currently lacks central wastewater treatment services, and relies instead on septic
systems.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Bradbury has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity. The
City is a small residential community with no commercial or industrial development. A community
of interest is the Royal Oaks Manor senior housing development located in the City’s SOI.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Bradbury at this time.
100
CITY OF DUARTE
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Duarte that includes an area
southwest of the city. The area is bordered by the City of Monrovia to the north, the City of
Irwindale to the south and follows South California Avenue to the west. The Duarte SOI area is
completely surrounded by neighboring cities SOIs.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Duarte is a residential community, with commercial development located along
Huntington Drive. Present land uses in the City of Duarte mostly include residential, commercial,
and public facilities. Planned land uses in the area include residential and commercial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for wastewater due to trunk line capacity issues and septic system usage in the northern edge of the
City. The City did not maintain any contingency reserves in the most recent fiscal year, and the City
did not submit a capital improvement plan. Hence, the capacity and adequacy of public facilities is
unknown.
Based on the information submitted, wastewater and solid waste recycling services provided in
this area are not adequate. Further, the City does not appear to have financing available to extend
municipal services to unincorporated territory.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Duarte has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
Economic and social communities of interest include the Duarte Performing Arts Center and Civic
Center area, where a large portion of commercial development in the City is located.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Duarte at this time.
101
CITY OF EL MONTE
LAFCO has adopted a coterminous sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of El Monte. The
SOI is bounded by the cities of Temple City and Arcadia, and unincorporated areas to the north, the
cities of Irwindale, Baldwin Park, and Industry to the east, the City of South El Monte and
unincorporated areas to the south, and the City of Rosemead to the west. All surrounding
unincorporated areas belong in neighboring cities SOIs.
The City did not respond to the LAFCO Requests for Information as to whether it proposes or
anticipates proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of El Monte is a primarily residential community. Present land uses in the City of El
Monte mostly include residential and commercial development. Planned land uses in the area
include commercial, residential and mixed-use development projects.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, particularly along the San Bernardino Freeway. Similarly, the need for fire,
water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to grow in
the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
With regard to public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public
facilities is unknown because the City did not provide adequate information to make that
determination.
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. The City did not
respond to several LAFCo questionnaires for the MSR and SOI update process. Little information
was available on the City’s website. With regard to public services provided to the existing sphere
area, the present capacity of public facilities may be limited. It is unknown whether the municipal
services provided in this area are adequate.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of El Monte has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
Communities of interest include the recent developments, such as the Singing Wood Senior Housing
Project and the Pacific Towers Senior Apartments and Adult Day Healthcare.
El Monte is the home of several business centers including a row of auto dealerships, the Von’s
Distribution Warehouse, Wells Fargo Operations Center, and St. Gobain Glass Containers. Its main
business center of retail, restaurants, and auto dealerships is located on Peck Road north of Valley
102
Blvd. Several new commercial developments are planned along Valley Blvd., including a retail/office
and sports complex and the expansion of auto dealer lots.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing coterminous SOI for the City of El Monte at
this time.
CITY OF IRWINDALE
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Irwindale that includes an area
southeast of the city bounds. The area is bordered by Vincent Avenue to the east and railroad lines
to the south. The SOI area is completely surrounded by neighboring cities SOIs.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
In Irwindale, most of the developed land in the City is zoned for non-residential uses, primarily
industrial. Less than one percent of land in the City is zoned for residential use. Present land uses in
the City of Irwindale mostly include rock quarries, industrial, and open space. Planned land uses in
the area include residential and commercial developments as well as retention of open space.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. The City did not
submit a capital improvement plan. Hence, the capacity and adequacy of public facilities is
unknown. With regard to public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of
public facilities appears adequate. The municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Irwindale has a long and rich history with the overall community consisting of
mainly industrial and flood control areas. Communities of interest include the Town Center, the
Civic Center, and the Park Del Norte areas where the greatest concentration of homes are located.
Several acquisitioned gravel mining pit sites offer potential for more residential neighborhoods and
commercial centers in various locations throughout the City.
103
Economic communities within the City include the Irwindale Speedway and the City’s Town
Center area. Most commercial development in the City is interspersed throughout the City.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Irwindale at this time.
CITY OF LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City that includes 0.02 square miles of
annexable territory, mostly along its western boundary. All of the unincorporated areas bordering
the SOI belong to the City of Glendale’s SOI, except what is part of the Angeles National Forest to
the north.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City “prides itself on being a semi-rural community with tree-lined streets, abundant streams
and waterways, and undeveloped hillside properties dedicated as permanent open space.” Almost
90 percent of the City’s developed parcels are single-family residential uses on large lots. Most of the
City’s commercial land use is located along Foothill Boulevard. Present land uses in the City of La
Cañada Flintridge mostly include residential, commercial, and open space. Planned land uses in the
area include commercial developments and retention of open space.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future. Regulatory considerations affecting water quality increase the need for
wastewater collection systems.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for wastewater but otherwise adequate. The municipal services provided in this area are adequate,
except that the agency is not in compliance with the housing element update requirement.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of La Cañada Flintridge has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community
identity. The City has a natural and semi-rural environment. Communities include the hillside areas
104
where several development management policies are in place in order to protect the natural terrain
and minimize negative impacts.
Economic communities within the City are the commercial districts along Foothill and Verdugo
Boulevards, Old Town, Downtown, West Gateway, The Link, and Michigan Hill, and the NASA Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, the City’s largest employer, located in the eastern portion of the City.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of La Cañada Flintridge at
this time.
CITY OF MONROVIA
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City Monrovia that includes territory
south of the main body of the city. The SOI area is sandwiched between two incorporated areas of
the City, which constitute the north and south boundaries. California Avenue borders the SOI to the
east, and South Mayflower and Fairgreen Avenues border the area to the west. The unincorporated
areas that border the SOI belong to neighboring jurisdictions SOIs, except what is in the Angeles
National Forest north of the City.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Monrovia is primarily a residential community. Present land uses in the City of
Monrovia mostly include residential, commercial, and open space. Planned land uses in the area
include residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future. Regulatory considerations affecting stormwater discharge raise questions as to
the need for stormwater facility improvement.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for stormwater. The capacity of other facilities is unclear as the City failed to provide a capital
improvement plan. The agency did not submit sufficient information to determine whether the
municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
105
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Monrovia has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity. The
City has a small-town and historic environment, with several historic community neighborhoods.
Communities of interest include the central area of the City, between Monterey and Violet on the
west, Shamrock Avenue on the east, Foothill Boulevard on the north and Huntington Drive on the
south.
Economic communities within the City include Old Town with a 12-screen movie palace, the
Santa Fe Depot area, the Huntington Oaks Shopping Center, the Huntington Crossing’s restaurant
row, and a high tech firm corridor along East Huntington Drive.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Monrovia at this time.
CITY OF MONTEBELLO
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Montebello that includes 0.43
square miles of annexable territory outside the current city limits. The SOI areas include a portion of
the Whittier Narrows Dam Recreation Area to the east and two small unincorporated
neighborhoods to the north, located between Hill and Arroyo Drives. The SOI areas in the north
are fully developed and completely surrounded by neighboring cities’ SOIs. The open space SOI
area bordering Pico Rivera and the Whittier Narrows Dam Recreation Area could potentially expand
further into that area.
The City did not respond to the LAFCO Request for Information; hence, it is unknown whether
the City proposes or anticipates proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
In the City of Montebello, land use included 90 percent occupied by residential uses, with the
other 10 percent used for commercial and industrial use, according to the City’s 1973 general plan.
Planned land uses in the area include residential and commercial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
106
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is
unknown because the City did not provide adequate information to make that determination.
The City has not maintained any contingency reserves for the last several fiscal years, and has
recently acknowledged its financial predicament. The City’s general plan (1973) is dated. The City’s
management practices and service deficiencies are largely unknown, because the City provided very
little of the information requested by LAFCO. Although the adequacy of municipal services
provided in this area is unknown, the adequacy of the management of city services is questionable.
Further, the City does not appear to have financing available to extend municipal services to
unincorporated territory.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Montebello has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
The City has an urban environment with communities of interest that include a town center in the
northeast with shopping and housing, and commercial areas in the flatlands.
Economic communities within the City include the industrial uses, which are focused in the
southwestern part of the City and the commercial areas along Whittier and Beverly Boulevards.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO reduce the existing SOI for the City of Montebello to be
coterminous to its bounds due to the City’s financial predicament, local accountability deficiencies,
and failure to cooperate with the municipal service review.
CITY OF MONTEREY PARK
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Monterey Park that includes an
area east of the city. The area extends out to San Gabriel Blvd. and bordered to the north by the City
of Rosemead and to the south by Monterey Park city limits and Hill Drive. The SOI area is fully
developed with residential and commercial uses and is surrounded by neighboring cities SOIs. The
unincorporated community of East Los Angeles is located to the west of the City.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Monterey Park is predominately a residential community with present land uses
including 62 percent of land for residential use. Commercial development in the City included
mainly local serving retail concentrated along Atlantic Boulevard, Garvey and Garfield Avenues.
107
Other dominant land uses include public facilities and mixed use. Planned land uses in the area
include residential, commercial, and mixed developments as well as acquisition of open space for
recreation needs.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. The present
capacity of public facilities is limited for police services. The City did not submit a capital
improvement plan. Hence, the capacity and adequacy of other public facilities is unknown. With
regard to public services provided to the existing sphere area, the municipal services provided in this
area are adequate.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Monterey Park has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community
identity. The City has an urban environment with communities of interest that include a historic City
center and mixed use high-density neighborhoods on East Garvey and Baltimore Avenues.
Economic communities within the City include Downtown and the North Atlantic areas where
the City’s core retail and commercial businesses are located. There is also the Garfield Medical
Center and Saturn Park, the City’s newest industrial development.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Monterey Park at this
time.
CITY OF PASADENA
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Pasadena that includes an area
southeast of the City bounded by Rosemead Boulevard to the east and Huntington Drive to the
south. The SOI could potentially expand into the unincorporated community of Altadena located
north of the City or into an unincorporated area that lies south of the City and lies between the cities
of Pasadena and San Marino.
The southern portion of the SOI area, a small area that encompasses Lombardy Road and
Locksley Drive, is a joint SOI area shared with the City of Arcadia. The joint SOI was adopted by
LAFCO in April of 1973 and is located west of Rosemead Boulevard between California Boulevard
and Huntington Drive. This joint SOI area is primarily residential with some retail. The City’s SOI
could potentially expand further south into an unincorporated area not currently occupied by a
neighboring city’s SOI. The joint SOI area can be viewed in Appendix A, Map 4.
108
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
In the City of Pasadena, present land uses are 58 percent for residential use and nine percent is
allocated to commercial uses. A large amount of Pasadena land use (31 percent) is for open
space/parks, institutional uses, or is vacant. Planned land uses in the area include residential,
commercial, and mixed-use developments as well as retention of open space.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is
adequate. The municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Pasadena has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity. The
City has an urban and historic environment. Communities include several new residential urban
villages along Arroyo Parkway and Del Mar Blvd. with easy walking distances to the new light rail
line. Other historic communities include Old Pasadena, Fair Oaks, and Orange Grove.
Economic communities within the City include Old Town, which has several retail businesses
and restaurants. The Central District where the City’s primary business, financial, retail, and
government center is located. Several urban villages in and around the City’s Central District include
high-density housing, offices, and shops. There is also the Santa Fe Transportation Center where
new residential and commercial development is centered on the new light rail line. The City
maintains several visitor attractions that include the Rose Bowl and host of the annual Rose Parade
down Colorado Boulevard, which attracts several thousand visitors each year.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Pasadena at this time.
109
CITY OF ROSEMEAD
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Rosemead that includes two
areas south of the city. One located south of Rush Street, bounded to the west by San Gabriel Blvd.
The other is further south along San Gabriel Blvd, near the Pomona Freeway. The latter SOI area
has room to expand further east into the Whittier Narrows Recreational Area.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
In the City of Rosemead, present land uses include 65 percent for residential purposes and 17
percent is for commercial and industrial use. Public facilities occupy 13 percent. Only two percent of
territory is vacant, 60 acres. Planned land uses in the area include residential and commercial
developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is
unknown because the City did not submit any capital improvement plans to LAFCO. The
municipal services provided in this area appear to be adequate, with the exception of solid waste
recycling and waste reduction.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Rosemead has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
The City has a small-town environment with communities of interest that include the Valley
Boulevard corridor where an 180,000-square foot office building was recently renovated and
construction of two new office structures were completed. Additional economic communities of
interest include the Rosemead Place Shopping Center as well as commercial centers along Valley
Boulevard.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Rosemead at this time.
110
CITY OF SAN GABRIEL
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of San Gabriel that includes
unincorporated islands in the northeast portion of the city. The area is bounded by East Duarte
Road to the north, the City of Rosemead to the south, and the City of Temple City to the east.
Along the northern SOI boundary following East Duarte Road, there is SOI expansion potential.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI, but expressed interest in the annexation of
several unincorporated islands within its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
In the City of San Gabriel, present land uses include 52 percent of land use for residential and 13
for commercial use. Only 0.5 percent of land is vacant and 23 percent occupies streets, railways, and
flood channels. Planned land uses in the area include residential and commercial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City’s population is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City.
Similarly, the need for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library
services is expected to grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for wastewater, solid waste, fire personnel, and police. For the most part, the municipal services
provided in this area are adequate, except that police detectives are not solving serious crimes at the
rates achieved by most other jurisdictions.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of San Gabriel has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
The City has a suburban and historic environment. Communities of interest include the Village,
Washington School area, and North San Gabriel, each with their own unique traits.
Economic communities within the City include the City’s historic Mission District, where the
City’s Civic Center is located, and the San Gabriel Valley Medical Center area. The Mission District
also includes a Civic Auditorium and other cultural resources. Most retail and business activity in the
City is along Valley and San Gabriel Blvds., and Las Tunas Drive. The Valley Boulevard commercial
corridor is known locally for its ethnic cuisine.
111
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of San Gabriel at this time.
CITY OF SAN MARINO
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of San Marino that includes an
unincorporated area east of the city bounds. The area extends east until just past La Presa Avenue
and is bounded by the City of Pasadena to the north and East Halford and Durate Roads to the
south. At the SOI boundary along East Hartford Road there is room for the SOI to expand further
south. There is also room for the SOI to expand into an unincorporated island north of the City,
sandwiched in between the cities of Pasadena and San Marino.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of San Marino is primarily a residential community with no multi-family, industrial land
use, or wilderness areas. Residential land use occupies 88 percent and commercial occupies on two
percent. The other ten percent occupies historical/cultural areas and parkland. Planned land uses in
the area include residential and commercial developments as well as retention of open space.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. San Marino
consistently indicated that it lacks the public safety infrastructure needed to service any growth or
areas outside its existing city limits.
Further, the City indicated that adjacent unincorporated territory is served by septic systems and
would be difficult to annex.
The affected area is east of Eaton Wash and, if annexed, would be a difficult area for the City to
serve and access.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of San Marino has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
The City has a small-town and natural environment, with mostly large singe family homes.
112
Economic communities within the City include commercial centers along Huntington Drive
where the City’s Civic offices are also located. A visitor attraction in the City is the historic
Huntington Library and Art Collection.
The affected area lies on the same side of Eaton Wash as Temple City. Placing the affected area
solely in the Temple City SOI would promote logical boundaries.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO reduce the SOI for the City of San Marino to exclude the
overlapping SOI area shared with Temple City.
CITY OF SIERRA MADRE
LAFCO has adopted a coterminous sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Sierra Madre. The
SOI is bounded by the City of Arcadia to the east and south the City of Pasadena to the west, and
the Angeles National Forest to the north. The only unincorporated areas which could potentially be
added to the SOI are within the Angeles National Forest located north of the City.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Sierra Madre is predominantly a residential community with present land uses as 93
percent of land zoned for residential use and 85 percent of the residential land use is for low density.
The higher density housing is located near the City’s commercial areas in the downtown area along
Baldwin Avenue and Sierra Madre Boulevard. Planned land uses in the area include residential
developments and retention of open space.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for solid waste reduction and wastewater. The municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
113
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Sierra Madre has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community identity.
The City has a small-town environment with no large-scale commercial or industrial development.
Communities include Sierra Madre Canyon and San Gabriel and Santa Anita Courts.
Economic communities within the City include the Civic Center and Downtown District with
“village” type small commercial storefronts and offices. Unique structures include the Sierra Madre
Playhouse and Hotel. East Montecito Ave. is where the City has light manufacturing and industrial
uses, such as craft related businesses.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing coterminous SOI for the City of Sierra
Madre at this time.
CITY OF SOUTH EL MONTE
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of South El Monte that includes a
small island north of the city and two larger areas to the south, which extend south to the City of
Industry. Land use within the SOI areas is mostly residential with some public and industrial use.
From the two southern SOI areas, there is potential for SOI expansion into adjacent unincorporated
territory north of the City of Industry. The City is bounded to the west by the Whittier Narrows
Recreational Area.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI. According to the City’s 2000 General Plan,
the City will pursue annexation of the U.S. Army Reserve Base located on East Fawcett Avenue
along the Pomona Freeway should the base be decommissioned. The property is bounded on two
sides by the City has been designated by the City for low-density residential development.
114
Figure 7-1: South El Monte SOI Expansion Area
Expansion of the City’s SOI is recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of South El Monte includes a large portion of industrial areas. Residential use occupies
less than 50 percent of land in the City. Present land uses in the City of South El Monte mostly
include residential and industrial developments. Planned land uses in the area include residential,
commercial, and industrial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future. Regulatory considerations affecting water quality raise questions as to the need
for solid waste reduction services.
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is
uncertain because the agency did not provide a capital improvement plan. With the exception of
back-ups in the stormwater services, the municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
115
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of South El Monte has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community
identity. The City has an urbanized environment and does not contain expanses of open space
separating different land uses and several residential neighborhoods are interspersed with industrial
areas. Communities include the U.S. Army Reserve Base located south of the City, where the City is
planning to expand its residential community.
Economic communities within the City include several economic development focus areas,
along East Santa Anita, the Civic Center, and the Rosemead Blvd. and Garvey Ave. Corridors,
where the City is planning mixed use and commercial developments.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO expand the existing SOI for the City of South El Monte to
include the South El Monte U.S. Army Reserve Base site located at the corner of Potrero Avenue
and Lerma Road. The City of South El Monte has designated this territory to be low-density
residential and wishes to pursue annexation of the area should the army base be decommissioned.
The base is located within the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, which is operated and maintained
by the County. Police services within the recreation area are currently provided by the Los Angeles
County Office of Public Safety, Parks Services Division, under the direct management of the
Department of Parks and Recreation. Fire services are currently provided by CFPD.
CITY OF SOUTH PASADENA
LAFCO has adopted a coterminous sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of South Pasadena.
The SOI is completely bounded by incorporated cities, including Pasadena to the north, San Marino
to the east, Alhambra to the south, and Los Angeles to the south and west. There is no SOI
expansion potential.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of South Pasadena is predominantly a residential community with 62 percent of land
devoted to residential uses of varying densities; 21.4 percent of land is occupied by streets and
highways. Present land uses in the City of South Pasadena mostly include residential and circulation.
Planned land uses in the area include commercial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
116
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is
adequate. The municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of South Pasadena has a long and rich history, with a high degree of community
identity. The City has a small-town atmosphere and historical character. Communities of interest
include the Altos de Monterey area, where there are zoning policies to allow only one unit per lot.
Economic communities within the City include the downtown commercial district with retail
and professional offices dominating the area and the Metro Rail Blue Line station on Mission Street,
where new commercial projects are focused. The Mission Street plans include pedestrian oriented
projects, retail and friendly walkways, for those using the new rail line.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing coterminous SOI for the City of South
Pasadena at this time.
CITY OF TEMPLE CITY
LAFCO has adopted a sphere of influence (SOI) for the City of Temple City that includes a
small area east of the City extending east to Tyler Avenue, a small area west of the City extending
west to Acacia Street, and a larger area north of the City extending north to Huntington Drive. All
of the unincorporated areas bordering the SOI belong to neighboring cities SOIs.
In its response to the LAFCO Request for Information, the City indicated that it does not
propose or anticipate proposing any changes to its SOI.
Expansion of the City’s SOI is not recommended at this time. Pursuant to Government Code
section 56425, the following determinations are recommended to update the existing SOI.
Present and Planned Land Uses in the Area
The City of Temple City is predominately a residential community with present land use as 85
percent for residential purposes. Commercial and industrial land use occupies 8 percent. Planned
land uses in the area include residential and commercial developments.
Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area
The City is growing, as is the unincorporated area in the vicinity of the City. Similarly, the need
for fire, water, wastewater, stormwater, street maintenance, parks, and library services is expected to
grow in the future.
117
Present Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Service that the Agency
Provides or is Authorized to Provide
The properties within the City receive services from a variety of local agencies. With regard to
public services provided to the existing sphere area, the present capacity of public facilities is limited
for wastewater. The municipal services provided in this area are adequate.
Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest
The City of Temple City has a more recent history compared to its neighbors but still has a high
degree of community identity. The City has a suburban environment consisting of mostly a
residential community.
Economic communities within the City include the Downtown Business District located along
Las Tunas Drive, where the City’s Civic Center is also located.
Recommendation
It is recommended that LAFCO retain the existing SOI for the City of Temple City at this time.
118
C R E D I T S
This report benefited greatly from the guidance of the LAFCO Executive Officer Larry
Calemine. County Counsel provided legal analysis and review. LAFCO staff prepared all maps in
this report, and provided questionnaire administration and database support. The County of Los
Angeles CAO’s Urban Research Division assisted with parcel-based map verification and
preparation of the geographic basis for demographic estimates.
The County of Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department were equally generous
with their time and care in explaining service delivery.
Beverly Burr authored this report with the assistance of Cecelia Griego.
119
R E F E R E N C E S
BOOKS, REPORTS AND ARTICLES
California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles. Trash Total Maximum Daily Loads for
the Los Angeles River Watershed. September 19, 2001.
California State Library, Library Development Services Bureau. California Library Statistics 2004:
Fiscal Year 2002-03 from Public, Academic, Special, and County Law Libraries. Sacramento: California
State Library, 2004.
Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Fire and Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual, sixth
edition. Fairfax, Virginia: Commission on Fire Accreditation International, 2000.
Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century. Growth within Bounds: Planning California
Governance for the 21st Century. Sacramento: Commission on Local Governance for the 21st Century,
January 2000.
Dallman, Suzanne and Thomas Piechota. Stom Water: Asset Not Liability. Los Angeles: Los Angeles
& San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council, 1999. www.lasgrwc.org/publications/Stormwater.pdf
GeoSyntec Consultants, Inc. Landfill Facility Compliance Study Task 8 Report—Summary of Findings and
Comprehensive Recommendations. Report to the Integrated Waste Management Board, August 2004.
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Publications/Facilities/52004005.pdf
Kelling, George L., Tony Pate, Duane Dieckman, and Charles E. Brown. Kansas City Preventive Patrol
Experiment. Washington: Police Foundation, 1975.
Little Hoover Commission. Special Districts: Relics of the Past or Resources for the Future? Sacramento:
Little Hoover Commission, May 2000.
Marowitz, Leonard. Why Did the Crime Rate Decrease Through 1999? (And Why Might it Decrease or
Increase in 2000 and Beyond?). Sacramento: California Attorney General Criminal Justice Statistics
Series, December 2000.
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Regional Urban Water Management Plan for the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, December 2000.
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Report on Metropolitan’s Water Supplies: A Blueprint
for Water Reliability, March 25, 2003.
Miller, Chaz. Garbage by the Numbers. National Solid Wastes Management Association Research
Bulletin 02-02, July 2002.
Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc. Rio Hondo Watershed Management Plan. Public Review Draft. Report
to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, August 1, 2004.
National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 1710: Standard for the Organization and Deployment of Fire
Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire
Departments. Quincy, Massachusetts: NFPA, 2001.
120
Pitt, Leonard and Dale Pitt. Los Angeles A to Z: An Encyclopedia of the City and County. Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1997.
Radulescu, Dan and Xavier Swamikannu. Review and Analysis of Budget Data Submitted by the Permittees
for Fiscal Years 2000-2003, Los Angeles County Municipal Storm Water Permit. Report to the California
Regional Water Quality Control Board, Los Angeles Region, January 2003.
Sherman, Lawrence W. and Barry D. Glick. The Quality of Police Arrest Statistics. Washington: Police
Foundation, August 1984.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cleaner Water Through Conservation. Publication EPA 841-B-
95-002, April 1995. http://www.epa.gov/water/you/intro.html
Verdugo Fire Communications Center. Annual Report 2003. City of Glendale Fire Department,
2004.
Walker, Samuel and Charles M. Katz. The Police in America: An Introduction with PowerWeb. McGraw-
Hill, 2002.
Willdan. La Cañada Flintridge Sewer Collection System—Areas 3A, 3B, 4, and 5 Draft Initial Study,
Environmental Checklist, and Mitigated Negative Declaration. Report to the City of La Cañada Flintridge,
May 2003.
DATA SOURCES
Agency-specific data: responses to LAFCo Requests for Information, budgets, Comprehensive
Annual Financial Reports, Capital Improvement Plans, General Plans, official statements, and
miscellaneous plans
Crime statistics and clearance rates: California Attorney General, Criminal Justice Statistics Center
Demographic data: U.S. Bureau of the Census
Crime: Los Angeles County Sheriff Department; California Department of Justice
Demographic Data: U.S. Bureau of the Census
Long-Term Debt: California State Controller; MuniStatements; Moody’s; Standard and Poors;
Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports
Maps: LAFCO archives; Los Angeles County Public Works Department; Thomas Brothers
Population Projections: Southern California Association of Governments, Regional Transportation
Plan, 2004
Property Ownership: Los Angeles County Assessor
Revenue: California State Controller; Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports
Solid Waste Data: California Integrated Waste Management Board
Wastewater Data: California Regional Water Quality Control Board; U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
121
INTERVIEWS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Debbie Aguirre, Planner, L.A. County Fire Department
Hector Bordas, Senior Civil Engineer, LA County Department of Public Works
Lt. Scott Brikent, Crescenta Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff
David Bruns, Financial Planning Head, County Sanitation Districts
Toni Callaway, California Water Quality Control Board Los Angeles Region, Non-Chapter 15
Division
Maged Elrabaa, Senior Civil Engineer, L.A. County Department of Public Works City Services
Deputy Figueroa, Temple Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff
Chief Jack Garner, POST Management Counseling Services Bureau
Greg Mowad, Battalion Chief, City of Montebello Fire Department
Corkran Nicholson, Planning Services Manager, City of Arcadia
Chief Scott, Consolidated Fire Protection District
Captain Richard Shaw, Temple Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff
Deputy Jason Skeen, Los Angeles County Sheriff Contract Law Enforcement Bureau
Xavier Swamikannu, MS4 Stormwater Program Chief, Regional Water Quality Control Board
Lt. Scott Young, Altadena Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff
122