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Palos Verdes Estates council directs limited herbicide use and asks staff to craft IPM plan
Summary
After a 90‑day pause on herbicides, the Palos Verdes Estates City Council directed staff to adopt a restricted, map‑based approach (option 2a) for limited herbicide application and to work toward an integrated pest‑management policy and contract alignment.
The Palos Verdes Estates City Council on Jan. 14 directed staff to implement a restricted, map‑based herbicide program and to develop an integrated pest‑management (IPM) plan for future contracts. The motion — moved by Mayor Pro Tem Lozaro and seconded by Council member Quinn — adopted option 2a from staff’s presentation, which allows herbicide use only in narrowly defined areas where pedestrian access is limited and manual maintenance is impractical.
Public Works Director Oscar Antion described four options for the landscape maintenance contract after a 90‑day herbicide pause: full elimination of herbicides at current contract cost (with lower service levels), two variants of limited herbicide use (one without additional cost tied to a map, one with added labor and higher cost), a higher‑cost option to preserve current standards (approximately a 17% increase), and a no‑change option that maintains current chemical usage. Oscar said limited areas (medians, steep hillsides and traffic corridors) could be treated under option 2a to preserve safety and appearance while minimizing exposure in high‑use public spaces.
Residents urged a careful, evidence‑based approach: Adam Wagner and Kyle Daniels asked the council to adopt IPM principles and consider herbicide tiers based on mobility and runoff; Christian Campisi and others urged removing glyphosate (Roundup) products and continuing experiments with goats and organic alternatives. Council members balanced aesthetics, fire risk and fiscal constraints: some members said 2a reduces herbicide footprint with no added cost for the remainder of the contract, while others said a larger investment (option 3) could retain current service levels.
The council approved the motion to direct staff to adopt option 2a and to pursue an IPM plan, asked staff to emphasize the least‑harsh herbicides if any are used, and requested public communications about expected visual changes during growing seasons. Staff said the change would apply for the remainder of the contract (about ten months) and that staff would return with implementation details, a communications plan and options for insurance/chemical‑replacement questions if the council directs further changes.
