Residents press Sierra Madre officials on Meadows dioxin testing and air-monitoring concerns

Several Sierra Madre residents used the public-comment period to press the council for more transparency and action about environmental testing at the Meadows at Bailey Canyon development.

Cheryl Fukazaki read excerpts from public records and told the council that testing results showed dioxins and that she and other residents had videos and photos they said demonstrated trenching through contaminated areas. "This document shows a thorough testing of the land prior to development was never requested," Fukazaki said, and she argued the city should have halted grading when residents raised trenching concerns.

Deb Sheridan echoed calls for independent air monitoring and questioned why a testing firm in New Jersey had been used. "Dioxins are associated with severe damage to human health and are dangerous even at low concentrations," she said, urging the council to require perimeter air sampling during earthwork and to ensure an independent review of mitigation.

Philip Yao raised a separate financial concern about a prior Measure M special-election reimbursement commitment related to the same development and asked for a full public accounting of a post-election cost-sharing arrangement between the city and New Urban West.

City responses: staff and the city attorney addressed several points from residents. City staff said earlier references to a $40 testing fee applied to a limited lead-only test concept; later testing became broader. Staff also said a photo submitted showing trenching showed the trench in front of FS2 (a sampling zone) but not inside the FS2 area, and the city’s code-enforcement officer visited the site and confirmed trenching had not occurred inside the FS2 zone. The city attorney said the developer engaged Hillman for on-site testing and that the city hired an independent reviewer — Group Delta — which reviewed Hillman’s work, suggested edits to mitigation measures, and those edits were adopted by the developer.

Council follow-up and next steps: the mayor and city attorney asked residents to submit public-records requests for documents they had not received; staff committed to providing requested photos and to continue monitoring the site. Council instructed the city attorney to follow up on communications and transparency issues raised during comments and to report back when appropriate.

What residents should expect: staff said it will continue monthly inspections at the site, make available key documents in response to public-records requests, and coordinate any additional monitoring if recommended by the city’s independent reviewers.