LOS ANGELES – Councilmember Ysabel Jurado today introduced a resolution opposing the Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project, a Pasadena and South Pasadena proposal that would significantly alter the character, accessibility, and use of Los Angeles-owned parkland near San Pascual Park – an area with deep ecological, cultural, and spiritual significance to Kizh Nation representatives and local community members.
Read the resolution here.
“A project that has excluded the Kizh Nation and the local community while proposing the destruction of sacred land is unacceptable,” said Councilmember Jurado. “Public land belongs to the public, and communities deserve more than being informed after decisions are already moving forward. They deserve transparency, accountability, and meaningful participation from the beginning. This resolution reflects what we heard directly from residents and Tribal leaders, and we are proud to stand in solidarity with the people who organized and advocated to protect a place that means so much to so many.”
The proposed project would install underground stormwater diversion and treatment infrastructure across approximately one-half acre of City of Los Angeles parkland within the Arroyo Seco corridor, including areas adjacent to San Pascual Park. It would also require construction staging areas, access roads, and subsurface piping affecting mature tree stands and riparian habitat.
The resolution urges both cities to abandon the proposal permanently and reflects growing concerns about the use of City-owned open space for infrastructure development, the protection of sacred Indigenous sites, and the long-term environmental impacts to the Arroyo Seco watershed.
While the City of Los Angeles is not the project proponent, Pasadena and South Pasadena are proposing to locate infrastructure on LA-owned parkland through interjurisdictional agreements that have not yet received final approval from the Los Angeles City Council. The City retains the authority to approve or deny any easements or land-use permissions required for construction on its property.
The resolution formally sets forth the City’s position on the proposed project and establishes clear protections for Los Angeles parkland, cultural resources, and environmental assets along the Arroyo Seco corridor:
Formally opposes the Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project as proposed by the Cities of Pasadena and South Pasadena on City of Los Angeles-owned parkland;
Declares that City-owned parkland along the Arroyo Seco corridor, including San Pascual Park, must remain protected public open space;
Recognizes and defers to the Kizh Nation for full avoidance of the project, as the San Pascual and San Rafael sites constitute sacred land with profound cultural, spiritual, and historical significance, and reaffirms the City’s commitment to government-to-government consultation and Indigenous sovereignty;
Raises serious concerns regarding the loss of century-old trees and irreplaceable habitat that sustain the Arroyo Seco ecosystem and contribute to the environmental health and quality of life of surrounding communities; and
Urges the Cities of Pasadena and South Pasadena to permanently abandon the proposed project out of respect for the Kizh Nation’s sovereignty and requests, the ecological value of the Arroyo Seco’s tree canopy and habitat, and the concerns raised by Los Angeles communities about long-term environmental and neighborhood impacts.
The project was initially advanced through a Mitigated Negative Declaration, and a Draft Environmental Impact Report was subsequently prepared following litigation challenging the adequacy of the environmental review process and raising concerns about community outreach and participation. Outreach to Los Angeles residents has been limited and insufficient, excluding local stakeholders from a meaningful role in shaping the project.
Councilmember Jurado has consistently elevated community voices throughout this process and has called for meaningful engagement, transparency, and accountability in decisions affecting public land and neighborhood spaces along the Arroyo Seco corridor.
The resolution will now be referred to the City Council’s Rules, Elections, and Intergovernmental Relations Committee for consideration before advancing to the full City Council for a vote.