City and LA County Hosting Public Forum on Highland Place Debris Wall

The city of Monrovia and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works are hosting a public forum Thursday night to discuss plans to build a temporary debris wall in the Madison Fire burn area.

In August, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorized the county's chief engineer for the Flood Control District to move forward with installing post-fire debris barriers at a cost not to exceed $920,000.

The Madison Fire happened in April 2013. 

The city and the county's Public Works Department worked together on a post-fire assessment of the hillside burn area in an effort to deal with safety issues for homes, according to the city's website. County staff also has met with homeowners individually about safety concerns. 

An evaluation was made about the risks of mudflow in the area, which could happen in the next five years with any moderate or severe rainstorms, according to city officials.

The barriers will be designed to deal with this mudflow and give vegetation five years to grow back.

"The safety of the people of the neighborhood below the 2013 Madison Fire area requires the District to take immediate action using Public Work forces to install temporary debris barriers above the neighborhood in anticipation of the significantly increased debris flow impacts that may occur until the burn area has recovered," wrote Gail Farber, the county's public works director. 

The debris wall will be located above the Highland Place cul-de-sac on city property.

"The timber rail wall will serve as a debris dam, allowing water to flow through, but not large rock, dirt and other hillside debris," city officials wrote on the website.

Monrovia staff, as well as representatives from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, will be at the forum to answer residents' questions. The event will include a brief power point presentation followed by a question-and-answer period.

PUBLIC FORUM
Thursday, September 19, 7:00pm
Library Community Room
321 S Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016

For any other comments and/or concerns, call 626-932-5575 or email pwcomments@ci.monrovia.ca.us.