Calabasas residents fear sewer expansion will spur development
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

Calabasas City Council members gave staff members the go-ahead to begin researching expansion of the city's sewer system, despite opposition voiced by two residents at last week's meeting.

The council voted 5-0 to look into providing sewer access to the rural areas of the Highlands, Old Topanga Road, South Mulholland Highway and Dry Canyon Cold Creek.

Toby Keeler and Hal Helsley both warned the council that extending sewers to more rural areas of Calabasas could increase population density and development. They prefer to continue using a septic tank system, which Anita Davidoo of the public works department argued against.

Davidoo said that Calabasas' poor soils, high groundwater and bedrock aren't conducive to efficient operation of septic tanks. Also, she said, the topography is dominated by hillsides, conditions in which runoff from development drains to the creeks below.

A presentation revealed that since 1998, the staff has identified 14 septic tank failures or problems, two at the same address.

"The environmental concerns of the systems suggest the potential for bacteria into water bodies causing contamination of surface and groundwater," said Davidoo, who used McCoy Creek as an example. The local creek has been listed as tainted by fecal coliform according to the limits set by the Clean Water Act.

Keeler, an Old Topanga resident and former City Council candidate, argued in favor of septic systems, stressing the importance of maintenance and inspections.

"Septic systems, when they are properly installed, work," Keeler said. "And they don't contaminate the groundwater. I would urge restraint toward the possible destruction of the quality of life in the rural community, based on potential."

Helsley, who sits on the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission, stressed preservation of the rural quality of life in Calabasas.

"Sewers and water expansion put heavy loads upon the rural character of the city. We have struggled for years to try to maintain some control on development," Helsley said. "Septic tanks are part of that control because it requires a larger lot size. . . . As soon as sewers are brought in you increase the number of lots-per-acre ability, which means we have a higher density of people within the area."

In February 1990, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors implemented the construction of sewers on Poppy Drive, and in August 2002, a sewer extension was approved on Blackbird Way, according to Davidoo's report.

Keeler said those areas don't compare to the conditions of his neighborhood. "The two examples that were cited in the report are dense communities--the Highlands and Bird streets," Keeler said. "Old Topanga is not dense, but if such a sewer were put in place, that would change. Agreed that we can't use septic systems forever to control land use, but given the fact that septic systems work and most of us . . . have the tendency to report (leakage), I would urge that Old Topanga be included last in any plans to install or develop sewers."

Staff members from the public works department presented their plans to study the possibility of expanding the sewer system in areas of three existing conditions: areas with access to a sewer but not connected (Highlands); areas where a sewer is available but the main line needs to be extended to connect (Highlands, South Dry Canyon Cold Creek); and areas (off Old Topanga Canyon Road, South Mulholland Highway and South Dry Canyon Cold Creek) where sewer service has not been established.

"In the past, it's been the responsibility of the developer to bring the sewer lines forward, not (something) promoted by the city," Helsley said. "This should be continued; the city's pressure upon the rural community . . . becomes an undue burden."

Helsley encouraged compromising with a plan for a septic tank maintenance program. "Septic tanks have been around for a long time," he said. "They work if they are maintained. If you want to do something that is related to the concern of bacterial contamination, develop a program of maintenance, inspection. But don't put the sewer in."

The council approved the staff's request to proceed with coordinating the expansion effort with the Los Angeles Municipal Water District and the Los Angeles County Sanitation District.

Public Works Director Robert Yalda said a report should be brought back to the council within six months.