La Canada Flintridge to Explore Idea of Hookups With Neighboring Sewers

La Canada Flintridge will hold talks with Glendale and the Crescenta Valley Water District to provide sewer hookups for land parcels near existing sewer lines.

Accepting the recommendation of a citizens committee, the La Canada Flintridge City Council voted Monday to have its staff represent at least 13 properties near sewer lines owned by Glendale and the water district.

The owner of each parcel would pay hookup costs, treatment costs and any engineering charges.

The recommendation was included in a 13-page report submitted to the council by the committee, which was formed in March to examine a proposal for a sewer-assessment district in a mile stretch of land along Foothill Boulevard.

At Monday’s meeting, the council voted to abandon the proposal for a new district after committee Chairman Walt Downhower said opposition to the plan was too strong.

Petitions to form the district were presented to the City Council in 1985 by several property owners along Foothill Boulevard between Palm Drive and Briggs Avenue. After city officials discovered it would cost at least $1.6 million to install the system, many residents, fearing expensive assessment costs, turned against the plan.

La Canada Flintridge Public Works Director Fullmer Chapman said 59% of the property owners in the proposed district were opposed to its formation.

Septic Tanks in Use

With a few exceptions, most of the city’s homes use septic tanks for sewage disposal, but there have been frequent problems with leaking tanks and improper sewage disposal.

Mayor Joan Feehan said she was optimistic about tapping into the existing sewer lines. She said Glendale Mayor Carl Raggio told her that his city probably would support the plan if a coordinated effort surfaced among the property owners and the city.