PVE Community Newsletter

Serving Lunada Bay, Malaga Cove, Montemalaga and Valmonte

PVE Fire Risks INCREASED by Negligence

Our families and properties are near and dear to everyone. Yet, the city is neglecting to provide rudimentary safety which places our loved ones at risk:

1. CA rated PVE as a VERY HIGH FIRE Zone

2. Replicating the Palisades disaster:

   • 2021: Council notified PVE Hydrants are no longer flow/pressure tested and took no action

   • PVE and PV Reservoirs are empty.

   • Few Palisades residents are able to rebuild, causing burned lots to be sold at a discount to investors LINK

   • New CA law will authorize LA County to replace burned homes with high-density, low-income and luxury apartments

3. Council ignores their own survey results. City survey shows Residents placed Fire Safety as the #1 priority and REJECTED new Fire and Police Stations. Council IGNORED resident priorities and pursues new Fire and Police Stations at the expense of fire safety.

4. Council prioritizes their development agenda at the expense of our safety.

   Council no longer requires County Fire to test hydrants or asks for County funding for Fire Abatement. Instead, Council implored County to help fund a fire station that does not make us safer.

5. Council chooses NOT to inform residents of critical safety risks:

   • Hydrants have not been tested for 15 years

   • Reservoirs are dry

   • LA’s Fire trimming standard is 200’ from buildings yet PVE only provides 20’

What is it going to take for Council to CARE about the Safety our OUR families?

Correction to last issue: 1920 CC&Rs state:

“Over a quarter of the City’s 3,038 acres is permanently protected as parkland and maintained in its natural state to preserve the rural atmosphere”.

CA rates PVE a “Very High Fire Zone”

PVE Fire Hydrants are Not Tested

• The Standard: The NFPA (National Fire Protection Assoc) Code 291 LINK requires hydrant flow/pressure testing to validate water water can reach nearby homes. CalWater claims they follow AWWA standards LINK, which requires our wet barrel hydrants LINK are tested at 400 PSI LINK, which is also not occurring.

• LA County Fire is contractually required to the Flow test hydrants LINK (page 2).

• 2021: LA County notified PVE Council they no longer test hydrants LINK, and discontinued 10 years ago. Council took no action.

• Feb 2025: City acknowledged only a visual inspection is conducted on hydrants, while no flow/pressure test LINK is included.

• Sept 2025: City Manager confirms the city has NO records of hydrants being inspected, tested or repaired.

A Recipe for Disaster: Hydrants Failed in Palisades, Altadena and Maui Fires

Residents’ #1 Priority: Fire Safety

Residents’ 2025 survey results LINK:

Shows residents’ #1 priority is fire abatement trimming. A new fire station overwhelmingly lacks resident support because it does not make us safer.

Council Pursues Development of Parkland at the Expense of OUR Safety

• LA County Fire:

  • Residents pay for LA County to flow/pressure test hydrants, as noted in their contract with the PVE LINK (page 2

  • Has a standard of 200’ defensible trimming standard

  • PVE acknowledges LETTER LA County offers funds for City fire trimming

• PVE Council’s Actions: LETTER

  • Decides to only provide a 20’ defensible barrier, unless taxes are approved, even though the County is willing to pay for it.

  • Does NOT ask that County fulfill their contractual obligation to flow/pressure test hydrants that residents pay for

  • Does NOT ask the County for funds for fire abatement trimming

  • Implores the County to instead provide funding for a new Fire Station that does not make us safer

  • Sends out a survey to residents SCARING them that Council will reduce police patrols unless residents approve a tripling of taxes

  • Hides from Residents their plans to develop parkland and force residents to pay for new fire and police stations that benefits developers, not residents

• 2023: Council authorizes CMs Lozzi and McGowan to meet with County Fire to discuss their escalating costs, but CM McGowan repurposes the meeting to talk LA County into helping fund the new fire station VIDEO in his AECOM study LINK

• 2023: CM McGowan says the new city tax has to include funding a new Fire Station VIDEO

  Ethical Leadership would place OUR Safety and Economic Security as a Priority - Above Personal Agendas

NEW LAW TO AUTHORIZE LA COUNTY TO REPLACE BURNED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH HIGH-DENSITY, LOW-INCOME AND LUXURY APARTMENTS

Nine months after LA’s fires burned 12,000 parcels: LINK

• 300 building permits issued

• Fire insurance is skyrocketing and does not cover rebuilding costs

• Residents can not afford to build with new codes and requirements

  Communities were destroyed and homeowners bankrupted

How PVE Residents are Impacted:

• CA introduces Bill SB549 LINK: creates “The Authority” (a politically appointed commission) to seize private property and repurpose LA property taxes to redevelop burned into 40% low-income and 60% market-rate luxury view condos and rentals.

• Once PVE has a fire, SB549 allows “The Authority” to seize burned PVE parcels for nonprofits [NGOs] and government-backed developers like AECOM and can force a local tax (assessment) to provide additional funding.

Hydrant Testing and Fire Abatement Trimming Remain Unaddressed

Generous Grant Funds are available to Place Power Lines Underground to Reduce Fire Risks

PG&E’s modeling shows burying lines reduces their risk of igniting wildfires by approximately 99% LINK

2022: Rolling Hills received $4.15 M to underground cables and relocate transformers to mitigate fire risks: LINK:

• $3 million in grants: Eastfield Drive project: LA County $1 million & nearly $2 million from a federal grant

• $1.15 million in grants: Crest Road East undergrounding project

WHY HASN’T PVE APPLIED FOR GRANT MONEY?

PV Reservoirs are Empty

Local control of water provides safety for emergency access to water for fires and earthquakes

Local Control Provides Safety

All PV water comes from off the hill and requires pumping.

• Are there backup generators for all pumps and alert communication towers?

• Have the the generators been live tested?

• How long can the generators operate?

• Do we have adequate water capacity to provide water pressure (PSI) to all the hydrants in the city if there is a major fire?

• Did we implemented lessons-learned from Maui fires to maintain water pressure? LINK

  Regarding LA Fires: “Had the [San Ynez] reservoir been full, it would likely have provided more water pressure hydrants in the [LA] area.” LINK

Why Is Council Focused on Development, Not Safety?

County and Fed funds for Risk Mitigation:

COUNTY:

PVE acknowledges LA County provides fire clearance funding to Cities LINK but has never asked for it.

FEDERAL: FEMA provides billions to cities for:

• Preparedness LINK LINK

• Hardening and Resilience LINK

  Example: FEMA funded fire clearance in Sacramento County LINK

For Emergencies of: LINK

• Floods: Like the water intrusion issues around Malaga Cove Plaza

• Land Slides: PVE has had 3 slides and is currently restoring Bluff Cove again

• Earthquakes: PVE is on a fault line

• Fires: PVE has had many fires and is within a Very High Risk Zone

FEMA will train Staff for free, to learn how to apply for grant funding: LINK

Homeowners and businesses cannot apply for a grant. However, a local community [City] may apply for funding on their behalf LINK

WHY HASN’T PVE APPLIED FOR GRANT MONEY?