Sierra Madre council affirms Meadows design review, adds soil testing record after residents raise dioxin concerns

Sierra Madre City Council on Tuesday heard hours of testimony about post‑fire soil testing and remediation at the Meadows at Bailey Canyon subdivision and ultimately approved the project’s design review permit while directing staff to include the recent soil testing and remediation documents in the official record.

City Attorney staff presented a timeline showing that Toll Brothers completed site testing in January and that, of 89 soil samples taken across the 17.3‑acre site, elevated contaminant levels were found at a location the materials refer to as "FS2." Staff said Toll Brothers excavated and removed the contaminated soil, hauled it to Soil Safe of California in Adelanto, and that the city has since confirmed remediation at FS2 is complete. "It wasn't true that this happened because of public comment," the City Attorney said in the presentation, adding the soil‑testing condition had been in place since May 2025 and had been triggered by the grading permit process.

Residents and health experts told the council they remain worried about the scope and methods of the testing. Rob Fukuzaki, who lives immediately adjacent to the Meadows site, said testing showed…