SIERRA MADRE EDITION
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2018
CITY TO CONSIDER PERMANENT WATER CONSERVATION RESTRICTIONS On Tuesday, September 11, 2018 at the Sierra Madre City Council meeting, the Proposed Ordinance No. 1403 relating to prohibited water uses, expanding permanent restrictions on wasteful water practices (including prohibiting watering of turf on medians and watering within 48 hours after precipitation or to cause runoff); expanding the prohibition on the period of time turf or landscaping may be irrigated to the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The proposed Ordinance also amends Section 13.24.230 of the Sierra Madre Municipal Code to expand the number of days each week that irrigation is permitted, from two days to three days of irrigation per week as a permanent conservation practice.
SIERRA MADRE MANAGEMENT ANALYST JAMES CARLSON AMONG SPEAKERS ON DISASTER PREPARATION
Mountain Views News
SMPD OFFICER TOM ONDERDONK HONORED
day to prevent runoff and meet turf weekly watering requirement. For irrigation systems with multiple controllers and settings this could be a complicated process. As a result some irrigation systems are applying water with the intent of maintaining landscape with little beneficial use.
Staff is recommending amending SMMC 13.24.230 making three days a week outdoor watering a permanent conservation practice. By allowing an additional day of watering, residents will be able to more efficiently and effectively apply water to landscape by spreading the weekly requirement over a three day period. This would also permit shorter watering periods (and less run-off potential) for each of the three days. According to the staff report prepared for the council, In addition, Staff is recommending that the ordinance Mandatory Water Conservation Regulations became include all permanent prohibitions on wasteful water effective on July 29, 2014 establishing prohibited water use. Permanent restrictions shall prohibit wasteful uses. On April 7, 2017 Governor Brown declared that practices such as: the statewide drought emergency had ended (although drought conditions persist in many parts of California) • Hosing of sidewalks, driveways and other hardscapes; and ordered permanent restrictions on wasteful • Washing automobiles with hoses not equipped with practices of water usage. The permanent prohibitions a shut-off nozzle; on wasteful use of water maintain conservation as a • Using non-recirculated watering a fountain or other way of life. decorative water feature; • Watering lawns in a manner that causes runoff, or The lifting of the drought emergency allows the City to within 48 hours after measurable precipitation; and implement its own water conservation strategy. Over • Irrigating ornamental turf on public streets medians. the past 4 years Sierra Madre residents struggled to keep turf areas healthy while they complied with the It is also being proposed that the city expand challenges of two days per week watering. The most prohibited use of irrigation to 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. notable challenge is meeting the weekly watering requirement without allowing wasteful runoff. In To view the full report, go to: http://www. many cases two days per week watering requires cityofsierramadre.com/common/pages/DisplayFile. irrigation systems to cycle irrigation multiple times per aspx?itemId=13953906
Designing for Disaster Saturday, September 8 at 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Dr, La Canada Flintridge, California 91011
VOLUME 12 NO. 36
Explore the ways home gardens and public spaces can help reduce the risk of fires, floods and other natural disasters. The seminar will be comprised of two sessions, which can be taken together or as individual classes.
Sierra Madre Police Chief Joe Ortiz recently presented Officer Tom Onderdonk with a Letter of Achievement for his outstanding performance as a Drug Recognition Expert. A member of SMPD since 2016, Onderdonk along with SMPD Officer Mark Deem received training in the national Drug Recognition and Classification Program. Their training is designed for the identification of abusers of prescripTom Onderdonk tion drugs, including narcotic analgesics such as those prescribed as anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. Operating motor vehicles under the influence of such drugs has increasingly become a problem as citations for Driving Under The Influence (DUI) is more than being impaired by either alcohol and marijuana. Onderdonk, as an expert, recently conducted training for CalTech's security team for which he was widely praised by the Cal Tech officials. A married father of two, Onderdonk managed to complete his Drug Evaluation training at the head of his class, No. 1 out of 98 participants. He and Deem are the first two SMPD officers to go through the DRE program courtesy of a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and was administered by the California Highway Patrol. The program is one of several sponsored nationwide by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The training includes a 72 hour classroom course and a separate 32 hour field certification course. S. Henderson/MVNews
80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285
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