Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Repopulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sierra Madre approves repopulation Jan. 12 with parking ban and checkpoints north of Grand View
Summary
City Manager Jose Reynoso announced that residents may return beginning Jan. 12 at 4 p.m.; the repopulation order imposes a no-street-parking restriction on Grand View and northward, requires proof of residency at checkpoints, and urges safety precautions including N95 masks and avoiding fire-damaged properties.
Sierra Madre City officials announced Sunday, Jan. 12, that repopulation of the city's evacuation zones will begin that day at 4 p.m., with conditions intended to preserve access for emergency crews and public safety.
City Manager Jose Reynoso said the repopulation decision covers all evacuation zones within Sierra Madre and that an executive order is in effect imposing restrictions on residents returning north of Grand View.
The executive order bans street parking on Grand View and on streets north of Grand View to ensure unobstructed access for emergency responders and utility crews, Reynoso said. The ban will remain in effect "until further notice," and the city said additional parking is available at public parking facilities within Sierra Madre.
Residents returning to the evacuated area must pass through security checkpoints and present proof of residency, officials said. Police Chief Gasparientes asked for patience at the checkpoints, saying, "The lines may be a bit long, but your patience in this matter is critical to ensure public safety as we begin to repopulate our upper part of our city." Fire Chief Bartlett thanked residents for their cooperation, saying, "Your patience, understanding and cooperation was critical to our success."
Officials also urged returning residents to take safety precautions: wear an N95 mask because of potential air-quality concerns, and avoid re-entering any property that has sustained fire damage because of possible exposure to hazardous materials. The city said the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has prepared guidelines for returning to homes after a fire; those guidelines will be shared on the city's social media channels.
City staff additionally warned homeowners that beginning cleanup on a damaged property "may forfeit any claims under the state or FEMA," language provided by the city in its announcement; officials did not provide further detail about which specific claims or the legal mechanism involved.
The city emphasized the parking restriction, checkpoint identification requirement, and public-safety recommendations are designed to allow SoCal Edison and other crews unrestricted access to power lines and to permit emergency personnel to continue work on hotspots and fire suppression.
No council vote or other legislative action was recorded in the announcement; the measures were presented as an executive order and operational directives from city leadership and public-safety chiefs.
Looking ahead, the city said it will maintain the parking restriction and checkpoint requirements "until further notice" and will post return-to-home guidance from county health officials on its official channels.
