Water tank issue examined

One of the many attributes that make Oak Park an extraordinary place to live and raise a family is its locality adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains. How many locations can claim the trailhead to a National Park in their backyard? Monuments have been erected at National Parks but none like the water tank that will be our shining beacon to the Santa Monica Mountains National Park.

I would like to address the cost and safety in an emergency situation. The cost of the A8 location seems substantially lower than the A7 site, but what is the real cost of situating the tank so far from the area that it will serve? There was great concern after the fires that we have adequate water in case of such an emergency, but who will supply the Conifer zone if the across-town pipelines do not stand up in a major disaster? Have all adjacent options been sufficiently addressed?

There have been questions raised about the gas lines in the vicinity of the A8 site and the cost that we will incur if those pipes need to be relocated. Have those numbers been worked into the total development of the A8 site, and is a tank located so close to major pipe lines a safety issue that we may have to contend with in the future?

Lastly, from a national resource standpoint, it would be an irresponsible act locating the tank in the area where a new population of the endangered Astragalus brauntonii species has been discovered. We have the responsibility of preserving and restoring native habitats that have been depleted by urban development and habitat fragmentation. We have the asset of education on our side- let's not screw it up. Dani Brusius Oak Park