By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

Pacific Palisades Recreation Center Park Advisory Board met for the first time following the Palisades fire to discuss recovery, remediation efforts and rebuilding the evening of Tuesday, February 18, via Zoom.

According to the CAL FIRE Damage Inspection map, the small gym at Palisades Recreation Center sustained no damage in the fire, while the tennis center and large gym are noted as “destroyed,” meaning they are at least 50% damaged.

Veterans Gardens and Field of Dreams—features of the rec center—remained largely intact, according to PAB board members, with some vegetation and dugout areas burned.

The meeting began with updates regarding remediation and repairs to damaged and destroyed park facilities from Recreation and Parks General Manager Jimmy Kim, who was joined by LA City Chief Recovery Officer Steve Soboroff.

“The department is committed to rebuilding and bringing back [the] park as quickly and expeditiously as possible,” Kim said, stating that, as of the time of the meeting, RAP was still “actively working” to develop a “comprehensive restoration plan.”

The city’s Bureau of Engineering has been tasked by RAP to determine which portions of the still-standing buildings are structurally safe, which will help determine the course of action, including whether to demolish structures like the big gym or rebuild.

The intent, according to Kim, is to replace the Tennis Pro Shop and maintenance service building with prefabricated buildings, which will “speed up the process to bring amenities back online quickly.”

Palisades Recreation Center is currently being used as a staging area by Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as it works to restore utilities in the area. Kim said LADWP is aware of RAP’s plan to reopen the rec center as future repopulation efforts become underway.

At the time of the meeting, Kim reported that RAP was meeting with Hagerty group, which has been hired as the city’s recovery consultant, to determine FEMA reimbursement eligibility for the park buildings.

“The assessment by Bureau of Engineering and our meeting with Hagerty group will really help inform us as a department and the city on a timeline in terms of rebuilding not only the gym, but also the two others that were burned down,” Kim explained.

Previous funding of about $883,000 for the restroom renovation project at the small gym had been committed to the Palisades. Kim said there is also interest from donors to help rebuild.

“We intend to leverage that allocated funding, as well as donor funding, to reinvent some of the spaces and really rebuild the park better,” Kim said.

Soboroff spoke after Kim, stating that the park is a “symbol of the community”: “It needs to be first,” Soboroff continued, as well as Palisades Branch Library and other buildings in the area, to serve as a community center as rebuilding efforts continue.

When Kim began taking questions, PAB Board Member Rick McGeagh cited that in earlier meetings, the board had been told the park was awarded $1.1 million in Quimby funds, but that in later meetings, PAB learned the bid for the restroom renovation project was $883,000.

“I expressed my concern then and I am now, because we can’t afford to waste money, and those restrooms should be no more than $200,000,” McGeagh said. “If we allow them to be renovated for $883,000, then we don’t have $900,000 left over for the playground.”

Kim responded that the pricing in the public sector is “always greater” than the private sector, because city departments like RAP “have to go through specific contractual agreements, as well as prevailing wages and different types of things.” He said that in a “perfect world” funds from a FEMA reimbursement to do the big gym and money from donors would be applied to costs of rebuilding.

Soboroff, who spearheaded fundraising efforts for the last time the playground at the rec center was replaced nearly 40 years ago, asked Kim if it would be an option for Palisadians to obtain a right of entry and complete rebuilding work. Kim said money through a foundation or a donation would have less restrictions: “We’re able to move a lot quicker.”

PAB Board Member Bob Benton then posed a question about the donations coming in from the city and county, noting the importance of transparency when it comes to the destination of raised funds.

“Where are they going?” Benton asked. “Who’s controlling them? Is there a central drive?”

Kim said that monetary donations are being requested to go through the Parks Foundation, while donors who are talking with the mayor’s office are separate. Donations being made to the Palisades should be ear-marked as such, but not for specific projects, like the playground or small gym, because then if more money than is needed is received, it is restricted in its use.

“The way the Parks Foundation works is that if it’s allocated to Palisades, that’s exactly where the funding will go,” Kim said.

There is also a Palisades-specific nonprofit, with PAB Board Member Mike Skinner as president and Benton as vice president, where PAB suggested donations be made to support ongoing work at the park, including Field of Dreams improvements: Pali Community Center Committee.

PAB Board Member Rob Weber asked for a timeline of RAP’s meeting with Hagarty and when BOE would be assessing the structures. Kim said he would return to a future meeting, potentially as soon as the next one, to provide updates to PAB.

Later in the meeting Weber posed a question to Soboroff, asking what Soboroff can do to get a plan and timeline in place for reopening parts of the rec center, especially those that were undamaged, in the near future. Soboroff recommended using “positive reinforcement,” that the “system does not respond well to finger-pointing.” He also suggested getting “as many entry permits” to take on rebuilding work as possible.

“The city’s not entirely sure what needs to be done, and they’re working on it, and this will be a work in process,” PAB Chair Andy Starrels said later in the meeting of PAB’s role in the rebuilding of the park. “I will again call on this PAB: We need to be the conscience, the eyes, the ears and the voice for this community, and continue to press on [RAP], receive it and continue to press, quantify what needs to be done and get it started in the most expeditious way we can.”

When it comes to obtaining rights of entry to do the work at the park, Starrels said he thought the city would be “more than” receptive to the assistance: “If it’s restrooms, if it’s programming, if it’s whatever, if we can do [it] and use the community to step up, we need to seize upon that as many times .. to get these things done.”

Also during the meeting, Senior Facility Director Jasmine Dowlatshahi was applauded for her efforts to continue programming following the fire, including temporarily relocating the youth basketball program with 70 teams playing to Robertson and Oakwood recreation centers, and running camps for displaced residents in the weeks after the fire started on January 7.

Toward the end of the two-hour meeting, PAB voted to support two motions related to remediation and rebuilding, including supporting a council file proposed by Councilmember Traci Park, which relates to rapid soil testing of city facilities, including the rec center, and to support the prioritization of lot clearance by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering in the area immediately surrounding the park.

PAB, which usually convenes on a quarterly basis, agreed to meet more frequently for the foreseeable future, with its next meeting slated to take place on March 18.

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Pacific Palisades Community Council hosted its first regular board meeting of the year on Thursday, February 13, inviting local officials to provide updates and discuss the road ahead for the Palisades following the fire.

Board of Public Works President Vahid Khorsand reported on what different teams have been doing, to ensure community members get what they need “while recovery is underway.”

“Overall, a lot of questions have come up, what’s the state of the infrastructure in the Palisades post fire?” Khorsand said. “The bureaus are still assessing the infrastructure. City teams are assessing streets, utilities, the drainage systems … and of course, there are immediate repairs that need to be done, so crews are already fixing some of those urgent issues.”

Because of the rain that week, Khorsand reminded attendees that there will be moments that will further test the community, city services and infrastructure in place. Khorsand said Los Angeles Sanitation had over 50 crews in the area that day, responding to flooding and sewer storm drain calls.

Khorsand also said the Bureau of Street Lights was putting up solar lights in the area, and Streets LA was working with Clean Harbors to conduct debris removal.

“We’re here to help,” Khorsand said. “We want to make sure we get the Palisades back up and running as quickly as we can.”

Assistant Director of LA Sanitation Julie Allen also joined the meeting and provided updates on facilities in the area. Allen said sewer pump stations and water pump stations have sustained fire damage, and LA Sanitation is working on making sure the infrastructure is functional.

She also explained that there is work being done in regard to flood control of the area.

“We’ve been ensuring that we meet the mission of protecting life, property and the environment,” Julie said.

Following Julie, Ted Allen of the Bureau of Engineering spoke to attendees of debris removal. He explained that he is serving as lead of the Debris Removal Task Force. He spoke of the debris removal program and progress being made.

“We’ve had a lot of great movement this past week,” Ted said. “Progressing to actually seeing things removed, which is great.”

The first phase—Household Hazardous Waste Removal—is managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under executive orders. It involves “assessing and safely removing hazardous materials,” including paints, cleaners, pesticides, fuel, propane tanks, batteries and more from impacted parcels.

As of February 13, Ted said EPA was more than halfway through properties as part of Phase 1. Crews had reached 99% completion on February 25, according to a statement from Governor Gavin Newsom.

Phase 2—Comprehensive Debris Removal Program—can begin at a parcel when Phase 1 is complete. Residents have two options for Phase 2: opting-in to the county’s debris removal program, which is being led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Colonel Eric Swenson, or opting-out of the county-run program and hiring a private contractor.

Ted said the Army Corps is working through Phase 2 and clearing properties “rapidly.”

PPCC will host its next regular board meeting on Thursday evening, February 27. A link to the agenda and the Zoom are available at pacpalicc.org.

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Los Angeles Sanitation released guidance for managing swimming pools in fire-impacted areas, including Pacific Palisades.

Residents should not use their swimming pool until it is in accordance with guidance from the LA County Department of Public Health, according to LA Sanitation.

Debris removal steps will depend on whether or not residents are eligible for Phase 2 of the Debris Removal Program.

For residents who opt in to county-run removal program for Phase 2, it is not advised to proceed with draining the pool—the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is leading the removal program, will remove debris and may utilize water in the pool for dust control.

For residents opting out of Phase 2 and hiring a private contractor, an authorized contractor is responsible for proper removal and disposal of debris from the pool.

For residents who are not eligible for Phase 2 of the removal program (if their home is still standing), it is not advised to drain the pool if it can be properly cleaned, in accordance with Public Health.

This process includes cleaning the pool’s skimmer baskets of debris and the surface of the pool with a net to remove floating debris; brushing the sides and bottom of the pool to loosen contaminants, then vacuuming the pool; checking pH levels and adjusting them to fall between 7.2 and 8.0; checking chlorine levels and adjusting the level to a minimum of 2.0 ppm for a pool and 3.0 ppm for a spa; and ensuring the recirculation system is operating by checking the filter pressure and/or flow meter.

If it is necessary to drain the pool, residents are asked to call 323-342-6268 or 323-342-6201 prior to drainage, to schedule an approved drainage start date. Residents will receive a confirmation with details on when the drainage is approved within one business day, according to LA Sanitation. Pool draining reservations will not be issued within 24 hours of forecasted rain or 48 hours after it rains.

Residents are asked to not discharge pool water to the driveway, gutter or storm drain system because the contaminated water would “discharge directly into the ocean with no treatment.”

To drain the pool, LA Sanitation requires a submersible pump, a hose that connects to the submersible pump and is long enough to reach from the pool to the sewer clean-out, and a filter basket or screen with openings no larger than one-quarter of an inch.

“Open the cover of the sewer clean-out and cover the opening with the screen/filter basket,” LA Sanitation explained. “Lower the pump into the deepest area of the pool, near the drain and place the hose discharge into the sewer clean-out. As you drain, monitor flow into the clean-out port to ensure water doesn’t back up into your home’s sink and shower drains.”

If back-up does occur, a plumber should be contacted.