WOODLAND HILLS : Judge Lifts Ban on Transfer of Soil
A judge on Thursday lifted a ban on the planned transfer of 425,000 cubic yards of soil from the Warner Ridge housing project to the Pierce College farm, provided no rodent poisons are brought to the farmland.
The ruling by Superior Court Judge Robert O’Brian clears the way for crews to begin preparing a section of the Pierce College farm for fill dirt, which is expected to be moved there starting sometime next month, said Robert McMurry, attorney for the Warner Ridge developer.
Gophers, squirrels and other rodents will be trapped and the soil on Warner Ridge will be tested for poisons before it is moved, McMurry said.
O’Brian temporarily blocked the dirt transfer on Monday at the request of the Coalition to Save Pierce College Farm, a group of local residents and environmentalists.
As part of a lawsuit against the dirt hauling project, the group claimed that the poison could have harmed Canada geese, which migrate to the farm each winter.
A hearing is set for Nov. 8 to determine if the ban on using poisons during the project should be made permanent.
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