Tujunga Wash Agreement Sought

Confusion over who is responsible for cleaning storm debris out of the Tujunga Wash cost the city $540,000, according to a report issued Friday by City Controller Rick Tuttle.

The muddle of city, state and federal agencies that have jurisdiction over the wash forced the city in 1997 to take the lead and move to dredge the area to prevent flooding and avoid liability, the report said.

“The last-minute emergency actions would not have been necessary if all parties involved had met and agreed in advance to their respective roles . . . who does what and when, and who will pay for what,” Tuttle’s report said.

A Lake View Terrace reclamation company had agreed to clear the wash at no cost to the city, but the opportunity was lost because the Department of Public Works did not properly inspect the wash, the report said. As a result, faced with forecasts of El Nino rains, the city paid for the emergency work, Tuttle said.

In Tuttle’s report to the mayor and City Council, he recommended that the city call for a cooperative agreement among the agencies that would clarify responsibility and avoid last-minute emergency costs.

Tujunga Wash is also among the areas targeted by the Los Angeles Fire Department’s brush clearance program. All the agencies with jurisdiction were sent noncompliance citations Wednesday, giving them 20 days--the same deadline as area homeowners--to complete work, Fire Capt. Paul Quagliata said.

Last week, the Fire Department issued 272 brush clearance notices to government agencies, notifying them to clean up hazardous conditions on their property.

Among the recipients were the State of California, the United States Government, the Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles County and Caltrans.

“They all have parcels from Chatsworth to Long Beach and everywhere in between,” Quagliata said.