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Residents blame Edison lot for pest surge near Liberty Park; council urges faster abatement
Summary
Neighbors said weeds left on Southern California Edison property east of Studebaker have led to heavy bug infestations that moved into backyards around Liberty Park; residents and city staff described communications with Edison and ongoing vector-control steps but asked for quicker action.
Neighbors who live along Studebaker and near Liberty Park told the City Council that weeds and abandoned nursery operations on a Southern California Edison (SCE) parcel have created a pest and rodent problem that is spreading into residential yards.
"My pool was completely covered with these bugs," resident Elaine McGee told council members, listing false chinch bugs, German cockroaches, fleas and ants and saying pest activity worsened after weeds were left to grow and then mowed. She said residents had been contacting Edison and city staff since February and that pesticides available to residential exterminators were not effective against agricultural pests emerging from the lot.
City Manager Robert Lopez and staff told the council they had been in contact with Edison and submitted calls to vector control. Mr. Lopez said Edison performed weed abatement and planned additional measures and that code enforcement and staff would advise affected residents about next steps. The city asked Edison to accelerate abatement and to coordinate with county vector control and code enforcement.
Council members asked staff to collect contact information from residents and to press Edison for faster action. The mayor asked staff to make sure that Edison has a point of contact and that residents receive direct updates. Staff said they would document the complaints and provide the city council with follow‑up communications.
Ending: Staff said Edison had scheduled additional abatement and that residents should contact Code Enforcement with photos and videos; the council emphasized that Edison must act quickly to avoid further spread of pests and potential public health nuisances.
