Sierra Madre posts supplemental soils report as residents press for post‑fire testing and clearer communication

Sierra Madre City staff told the City Council on Jan. 27 that a neutral third‑party supplemental soils report commissioned by the developer Toll Brothers at the city’s request is now publicly available online, and that the city will review the findings prior to issuing any grading permits. The report and related documents were posted at sierramadreca.gov/meadows.

Council members and residents spent a large portion of the meeting on concerns tied to the Meadows at Bailey Canyon project, which neighbors say has seen recent tree removal, soil disturbance and dust following the Eaton fire. Several public commenters said private laboratory tests of yards near the project found elevated heavy metals — including lead, cadmium and mercury — and pressed the council for clearer oversight, an independent post‑fire environmental evaluation, routine updates and a dedicated city point of contact for residents.

The city said the supplemental soil study will guide any grading permits and mitigation. “Before any grading permits are issued, the city will review the report,” staff said, and if contaminants exceed county or state public‑health standards “appropriate mitigation measures will be required to protect public health and ensure regulatory compliance.” Staff also noted that Little League and Sierra Madre Girls Softball previously tested several public sites (Turtle Park, Sierra Madre Elementary, Memorial Park) and found “no exceedances.”

Residents urged faster, clearer publication of results and questioned dust‑control practices during active ground disturbance. Cheryl Fukuzaki, whose home is adjacent to work on the property, said her family remains displaced after the fire and described difficulty getting responses from the developer about fieldwork and a gas‑line strike reported during clearing. Dr. Christy Kadarian and other neighbors asked the council to require a post‑fire environmental assessment and a third‑party review before further disturbance, saying fire conditions can change soil chemistry and risk.

City Attorney and staff said the soils report arrived that day and will be evaluated by city‑retained engineers (TransTech or Willdan). Staff also reported new permit conditions being drafted for future grading and excavation permits that would include a soil‑management plan and dust‑control measures and that the project website has been reorganized to list permitting steps, timelines and relevant documents. The city added a publicly viewable condition language will require a soil management plan be published when ready.

The council did not take an immediate enforcement action during the meeting but reiterated that grading permits had not been issued and that permit conditions would be posted. Staff encouraged residents to use the city website for documents and said the city would publish a timeline of next steps, and indicated it will rely on its retained engineering consultants for recommendations.

The council also heard related concerns about evacuation and congested streets observed during the fire; several residents called for a published, neighborhood‑specific evacuation plan and better notification systems for canyon residents. The city flagged the topic for future discussion and said it is revising its public information steps for the Meadows matter.