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La Habra Heights liaison warns data centers could harm preserve; Habitat contract for fuel clearance reported
Summary
At the May 11 council meeting, Kathy Hallman, La Habra Heights’ CTAC liaison, told councilmembers the Puente Hills Habitat Authority is reviewing vegetation maps, wind direction and fire hotspots and is cautious about data centers’ potential impacts; she also announced a fuel-clearance contract with California Arborist for $185,450 this year (possible five-year total ~$584,634).
Kathy Hallman, La Habra Heights’ liaison to the Puente Hills Habitat Citizens Technical Advisory Committee, briefed the council on May 11 about CTAC’s recent work and concerns over proposed development in and near the preserve.
Hallman said CTAC is using vegetation maps and wind-direction data to identify high fire-risk “hot spots” and is recommending that potential data-center sites in or near those hot spots be evaluated carefully, not approved on a blanket basis. “They’re going through the vegetation…if the winds are blowing away from the habitat and towards wherever you’re having the centers, I don’t think there’s going to be an issue,” she said. “But if we learn from our maps that there’s an area that is very high probability of a bad fire…they might just say, not a good place to put one.”
She listed potential impacts CTAC has flagged if large data centers are sited near the preserve, including continuous 24/7 noise, large water use, strain on the electrical grid and disruption to wildlife and migratory birds. Hallman said the Habitat Authority’s responsibility is “to take care of the land, animals, and plants,” and that CTAC’s guidance aims to protect habitat values and visitor experience.
Hallman also announced a contracting decision for annual fuel-clearance services in the preserve, saying the authority has a contract with California Arborist for $185,450 this year and noted a possible five-year total in the vicinity of $584,634. She said the firm was selected in part because crews are local and familiar with the preserve’s topography. “They always have extra people at the job sites, and they’re quick to respond to the habitat whenever we need them,” Hallman said.
Councilmembers asked whether CTAC had formally opposed data centers; Hallman said CTAC is not issuing an outright ban but instead favors a site-specific approach that would exclude high-risk locations. Several members requested that a ranger—identified by council discussion as Ken Hughes or another habitat ranger—attend a future meeting to explain enforcement and to address resident concerns about off-road e-motorcycle use. Hallman said rangers have enforcement authority and noted that the first ticket for motorized-vehicle violations on preserve trails is $500.
Why it matters: The notes and recommendations CTAC offers could shape where, and whether, large industrial projects are permitted near La Habra Heights’ open space. Fuel-clearance contracts and enforcement practices also directly affect fire risk management for residents and the preserve.
What’s next: Council asked staff to request a ranger briefing and to coordinate with CTAC as vegetation and wind-direction mapping continues.
