JPL campus (Photo – jpl.nasa.gov).
The Pasadena City Council met on Monday, November 10, reviewing previously shelved items and contracts.
By Andrew Sweet
Before beginning the meeting, Mayor Victor Gordo and public speakers recognized Pasadena veterans in honor of Veterans Day, acknowledging Vice Mayor Jess Rivas (District 5) for her service in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Pasadena Continues Caltech Lawsuit
In a closed session, the Pasadena City Council continued discussions regarding California Institute of Technology v. City of Pasadena, et al., filed in 2023. The City of Pasadena sued over the runoff of toxic chemicals from fuel experiments at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory into the Arroyo Seco groundwater. The city receives about 40% of its water from groundwater sources.
According to the city, these runoffs continued into 1990, with an estimated 600,000 gallons of wastewater discharged that year alone. The experiments date back to the 1940s.
While there was no video coverage of the lawsuit discussion, Councilmember Steve Madison (District 6) addressed his recusal from the open session due to his past experience as an attorney for Caltech.
Citywide Tree Planting Contract Approved
The Council approved authorization of a contract with United Pacific Services Inc., a planting contractor, for a citywide tree planting initiative under a cost of $297,000.
During public comment, one speaker expressed concern about inflated budgets and argued that the proposed planting timeline was inappropriate. He recommended planting the trees in late fall or early spring to avoid the risk of tree loss.
Councilmember Rick Cole (District 2) noted that the Council had already increased the forestry budget by 50% and expected the contract to include a guarantee of planting success.
“I’m increasingly frustrated as we enter into a time of fiscal austerity at our ability to spend money and our seeming lack of rigor in making sure that we get our money’s worth,” Cole said.
Building Codes Passed
After being discussed in last Monday’s meeting, the Council passed a motion adopting the 2025 California Building Standards Code. The ordinance, introduced by Councilmember Jones of District 3, was reviewed and swiftly approved.
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