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Leonardo Drive update: most permits approved; staff flags utility, landfill and easement work ahead of anticipated summer grading
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Summary
Staff told the Carson Reclamation Authority that most permits for Leonardo Drive are approved, recycled-water and domestic-water work is starting, and complex utility, landfill-mitigation and easement issues—especially Edison’s offer of primary power only—must be resolved before major street grading this summer.
Authority staff gave a detailed progress report on the Leonardo Drive construction project, saying most permitting is complete and that recycled-water work had begun while domestic water work was expected to start later in the week.
Staff walked members through legacy design issues at the "Leonardo Depression," explaining remediation already completed (including encasement of an existing sewer) and replacement of roughly 1,000–1,100 linear feet of storm drain with thicker pipe sized to carry the additional soil load. Staff said 13 landfill-gas vaults need installation and described a planned 8-inch landfill-gas header buried roughly 17 feet below grade that will connect cells across the site.
On water, staff said Cal Water is preparing plans and the system must loop across the Avalon bridge to avoid a dead end; West Basin required a recycled-water flushing station so occasional discharges (about 50,000 gallons when flushed) are routed to the sewer and not allowed to stagnate in the recycled line. Staff said the flushing event will occur about quarterly and that they reconciled initial LA County permit concerns.
Staff also said Southern California Edison will not deliver full internal distribution on the site and instead will bring primary power to the property edge, leaving the authority to construct the backbone conduits, vaults and switchgear needed to distribute power to future parcels. "They are going to deliver primary power to the edge of the site, and then you guys figure it out," staff said, describing the extra engineering and plan-check steps (TransTech) the authority must complete.
Other constraints noted included required easements from adjacent property owners for traffic signals and Caltrans’ decision not to relinquish a freeway ramp (the agency will provide access but retains ownership), which limits how the city can program the ramp or adjacent sidewalk for amenities.
Staff played a December drone video showing recent clearing, trenching and localized backfilling; staff said heavier street grading and visible roadway work should begin this summer once site grading and conditions allow. The board and developer discussed schedule sensitivity tied to financing windows.
Next steps: staff will continue permit tracking, finalize the backbone electrical design for plan check, coordinate easements for signal infrastructure and return to the board with updated budget figures and a revised permit/budget packet.
