[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6176322,"mediaKeyId","5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447","parentId",5349104,"title","Sierra Madre council weighs updated noise ordinance, landscaping-equipment limits","audioSeconds",2626,"startMs",3583000,"endMs",6209000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447&start=3583&end=6209","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447/thumbnail_3583000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6176322/Sierra-Madre-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Sierra-Madre-council-weighs-updated-noise-ordinance-landscaping-equipment-limits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176322-443fe78702effd648a1e72ca573843b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184820&Signature=b~kwVt4g4y4MBaBiHMNh0vP0XWS8jpzEBfyADwCmeXVWBSC~CaZRepGmt9gxnzlDaKPgMtJ~s-RvO2XSyas4QregK8ZaNWBRkS52UKJHCssXvycxAg1KGrpCsCoakbMKE56pLffqrVb8dZLYlc-QOskJXD2CaIB4KGtdgiThKqrWIc2ojpD6ZdErd6LKIn04xhVOcA445HlJbPbrVu-teETpjJvaqMZNPsWd~KW-uX9woM79H0z0luYrM21u94QOsiycZJx1x3kig4NmH6Y3cxb-q-2AJlIIUXfZNokv7MgU5jRUyZ5s3Pc0k85S4JcBFJo1dzxmnTidYIy~dNCU-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Sierra Madre CA","date","2025-07-10T09:01:02.51Z","article","Sierra Madre’s City Council on July 8 held a public hearing on proposed changes to the city’s noise ordinance and related landscaping-equipment rules that would add numeric decibel baselines, measurement procedures and updated hours for powered equipment.

Senior planner Caitlin Wong presented draft ordinance 14‑67, which would amend Chapter 9.32 (noise) and Chapter 8.4 (landscaping equipment). Wong said the draft narrows gaps in the 2009 code by adding definitions (for example, weighted decibels, ambient noise), establishing daytime and evening exterior noise thresholds and setting minimum measurement criteria for enforcement.

The draft sets a daytime exterior noise threshold of 60 dBA (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) and an evening threshold of 50 dBA, with measurements taken as 10‑minute averages using an ANSI Type 2 meter. Wong told the council the planning commission held two public hearings and recommended adoption of the municipal code text amendment (25‑01) to the council. She said Rincon Consultants helped draft the amendments.

Council members pressed staff on several details: whether DBA and DBC metrics were included (Wong said DBC captures low‑frequency sound), whether the city has meters to enforce the new numeric limits (staff said the police department would need to buy a meter and estimated ANSI Type 2 units at about $600–$1,000 each), and how the proposed rules would affect enforcement practice.

On landscaping equipment the draft would generalize prohibited machinery, remove a list of specific machine types, and align permitted machine hours with the city’s construction hours (7 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday–Saturday; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Sundays and holidays). The planning commission recommended syncing landscaping hours with construction hours; some council members urged keeping a more restrictive schedule for landscaping because lawn and garden work is more frequent and widespread than construction.

Councilmembers also asked why school activities (band practice, athletics) are listed in the ordinance’s exemptions. Wong said the exemption was intended to separate regularly scheduled institutional activities from “special events” and that school‑campus activities not governed by a campus conditional use permit would generally be treated differently in practice.

Council members and staff agreed the ordinance should include a practicable enforcement plan: numeric standards must be paired with the equipment and training to measure them. Several members supported buying at least one ANSI Type 2 meter so officers or code enforcement could take quantitative readings instead of relying only on warnings. Others asked staff to clarify how exemptions and construction provisions interact in the code text.

After public comment (one emailed submission, which staff distributed to council), the council closed the hearing and directed staff to return with amendments reflecting the council’s edits — including clearer wording about “landscaping machine or equipment,” the enforcement approach, and the construction/landscaping hours question. The council agreed to continue formal consideration at a later meeting so the revised ordinance can return for a subsequent reading.

Why this matters: numeric noise thresholds and measurement standards make enforcement more objective, but they also create practical demands (meters, staff training, documented procedures). Council members said they want the technical rules to be enforceable and to avoid a code that cannot be measured in the field.

The council scheduled the ordinances to return with the staff‑recommended refinements. If adopted, the amendments would replace portions of Chapters 9.32 and 8.4 with updated definitions, exterior noise standards, measurement criteria and revised landscaping‑equipment provisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Sierra Madre City Council | July 8, 2025 | Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Sierra Madre’s City Council on July 8 held a public hearing on proposed changes to the city’s noise ordinance and related landscaping‑equipment rules that would add numeric decibel baselines, measurement procedures and updated hours for powered equipment.","taxTitle","Sierra Madre City, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",72183,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6176311,"Council backs guidance for student commissioners as commission volunteers",1258,9277000,10535000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447&start=9277&end=10535","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447/thumbnail_9277000.jpg","/articles/6176311/Sierra-Madre-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-backs-guidance-for-student-commissioners-as-commission-volunteers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176311-881cdf9c6ce5e401db96a716b47c0e5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184820&Signature=nXvDIY3K6EjfSnSbKDp3uU3HYbXzdLBqFFNLvNjjSxdb8RTHZ9mYyX61e9g2wEuGYrZ02B33MhjZqeQ4IMzka-ZX~IgVW67unzU-TCM5qRqqhbLo3KyUFGGNAZ7pXUFSd~aetJ7RcA8WootUHF~xV737IrRqqqUPdb2Oj5B0-gqvnqUMN3IlFgZ-YHkiXHM7SPFD6q~3WgJLb81J8wK-M6TTFFyLTG84L8OQMp5YiqxlAbqSt4-fr1m8iK8KRFcFQ0voBvDTWaG~FIoahDs7tOTdN05JquHvDwVl5KfFUjTxR30rPXOVwE7GeumXNH4blH0Zh6d0MRthWt9e6V6F5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sierra Madre City Council on July 8 asked staff to prepare a policy enabling commissions to appoint student commissioners as non‑voting members and to develop outreach materials for schools and youth groups.

City Clerk presented staff research showing regional examples: Monrovia uses non‑voting youth commissioners who volunteer at events; Glendale appoints two student members to about half its commissions (some as old as 24); South Pasadena has one‑year student terms for ages 14–18. The YMCA’s youth‑in‑government program also offered to partner but noted its program runs August–March.

Staff recommended letting each commission appoint student commissioners for one‑year terms, asking appointees to volunteer at city events (for example, Earth Day or concerts) and tracking attendance. Suggested parameters included non‑voting status, an age range (proposed 13–21), a one‑year term and a recommended attendance threshold (staff proposed no more than 25% excused absences in a 12‑month period). Councillors discussed whether one or two student commissioners per commission made sense; several members favored allowing commissions to decide but suggested one is more manageable for smaller commissions.

Council members said a student‑commissioner program could help cultivate future volunteers and provide service‑hour opportunities for students. They also asked staff to prepare a short fact sheet and outreach plan for local schools, YMCA and youth programs to publicize the opportunity.

The council did not place student commissioners in municipal code; staff will prepare a formal policy and outreach materials and return to council with the proposed policy and implementation steps.","City staff proposed a voluntary student‑commissioner program. The council supported a policy enabling commissions to appoint non‑voting student members (recommended one per commission, one‑year terms, ages 13–21) and asked staff to produce outreach materials for schools and youth organizations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6176316,"Council approves 25‑year use agreement with Los Angeles County for Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park",10212,1382000,11594000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447&start=1382&end=11594","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5349104-60e7e36bee7bdfc5d77de2da45e99447/thumbnail_1382000.jpg","/articles/6176316/Sierra-Madre-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Council-approves-25year-use-agreement-with-Los-Angeles-County-for-Bailey-Canyon-Wilderness-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176316-b1e4f1e32b2cbefac590c6ec3f2c9cfe/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184820&Signature=L5MD8FyXKevpVgP87HaocIEUBdF-7ljUdmZ3-4HjisiNb8DdJVgtNAIJg-ST6CeqOXHujYNwIqIIuaHPk-wEtnfosVYq585gwtdjx8BsVUMChEaf5zpA8-GHxovNub~AipfQSpCm-jfBNWMxmVO9tbQRKdAnPM9PUkBzbUx5Mdwot5Zanjiy9xsqjxjV-LRRuTCkZqCHXQltBpHoh7rVA1fLOGqUrCxtQ4fMliSY9tBhcXpMYhFt16Z8eEWtD13cRHOZ8RHxSKly6Bcs0FGT2rOx5fZ400XnnpLeXdd4P2sQuQsRAUiobHLQ-JvLbg6aGEh9S16MhdZzh1etcyvUMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sierra Madre’s City Council voted on July 8 to approve a 25‑year use agreement with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District that formalizes how the city will maintain and operate Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park.

The agreement moves a long‑standing informal arrangement onto paper and clarifies responsibilities for the portion of the park within Sierra Madre city limits. City staff and the city attorney drafted the deal over several months with input from the county after recognizing the park had been operated informally “on a handshake.” The council removed the item from the consent calendar for discussion before voting.

Analyst James Carlson and staff told council members the city’s responsibilities would be limited to the Sierra Madre portion of the park shown in Exhibit A; the county retains ownership and responsibility for the debris basin north of that boundary. Carlson said the city is not taking responsibility for the debris basin and that the county road and debris basin would remain county‑maintained. The agreement permits the city to perform intermittent trash removal, minor shrub clearance along the access road and improvements to the park within the city portion.

Staff estimated a one‑time parking‑lot resurfacing and restriping cost at about $50,000–$60,000; staff described that as a conservative cost for resurfacing that has not been done in roughly 20 years. City staff also told council the annual landscaping and maintenance services the city currently pays under its existing contracts are already covering much of the work in the park; the city’s landscaper bid package showed citywide merchant/landscaping costs estimated at about $127,000 per year, with an incremental estimate of roughly $2,200 to include Bailey Canyon maintenance under an upcoming contract.

Council members pressed staff on scope and fiscal exposure. Several members asked whether the five‑year timing for completing enumerated improvements in the agreement was realistic given the city’s fiscal constraints. Analyst Carlson said the list of anticipated improvements initially focused on the parking lot and restrooms and that other work would only proceed if funding sources were identified. Staff said the city’s risk‑management authority (CIRA) would be notified so the city’s insurance obligations and premiums could be adjusted in the next renewal cycle if the agreement is approved.

Councilmembers also asked about the post‑fire condition of the canyon and trails. Carlson described significant washouts and damage in the canyon, saying FEMA and engineering work will be required for some trail repairs; a major washout was described as 6–9 feet deep and 25–40 feet wide in places, and the former footbridge site sits approximately 250 feet north of the point where the city’s maintained trail begins.

Opposition on fiscal grounds arose during discussion: one council member said the city is facing a future budget deficit and expressed reluctance to add potential maintenance and insurance liability. Supporters of the agreement said codifying responsibilities reduces the risk the county would close or grade the area and that formalizing the arrangement better protects public access and preserves the trailhead and oak grove.

After discussion the council approved the use agreement. Staff will notify the city’s self‑insurance pool (CIRA) and incorporate the park into the next insurance renewal; staff said any premium adjustments will be applied to the next fiscal year.

Why this matters: the agreement converts long‑standing informal maintenance into formal obligations and clarifies liability and cost responsibility between the city and the county. The deal gives Sierra Madre authority to improve and manage the park portion within city boundaries but also creates a potential long‑term maintenance and insurance commitment that council members said they considered against other city budget priorities.","Sierra Madre approved a 25‑year use agreement with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District to formalize maintenance and liability responsibilities for Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park. Council debate focused on the city’s potential costs, a one‑time parking‑lot resurfacing estimate of $50,000–$60,000 and ongoing maintenance obligations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sierra Madre council weighs updated noise ordinance, landscaping-equipment limits

Council backs guidance for student commissioners as commission volunteers

Council approves 25‑year use agreement with Los Angeles County for Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park