Public review period for Draft Environmental Impact Report on Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project.

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT. The City of Pasadena has completed the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed Arroyo Seco Water Reuse Project (Project). The Draft EIR has been prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA) as amended (PRC Section 21000 et. seq.) and the State CEQA Guidelines (CCR Section 15000 et. seq.). The Draft EIR is available for online public review and a hardcopy of the Draft EIR will be available for public review at the locations specified below during regular business hours. Written comments on the Draft EIR will be accepted by the City during the following public review period. PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD: Monday, May 4, 2026 Wednesday, June 17, 2026. COMMENTS: Comments must be received in writing during the 45day public review period no later than 5:30 P.M. on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Written comments must be sent to: City of Pasadena Department of Public Works, Attention: Christina Monde, P.E., 100 North Garfield Avenue, Suite N306, Pasadena, CA, 91101, cmonde@cityofpasadena.net. PROJECT LOCATION: The Project site encompasses a total of approximately 3.6 acres on two sites in the Lower Arroyo Seco that are situated adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Channel the northern, San Rafael site (1.4 acres) in the City of Pasadena; and the southern, San Pascual site (2.2 acres), in the cities of South Pasadena and Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County. Both sites are comprised of vacant, open spacezoned lands primarily within the cities of Pasadena and South Pasadena, respectively, with a portion of the San Pascual site (approximately 0.5acre) within the City of Los Angeles. Both sites are immediately adjacent to the concrete Arroyo Seco Channel (Channel) that is under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD). The San Rafael site is southwest of the San Rafael Avenue overpass on the west side of the Channel, adjacent to Pasadena's southern boundary, within the San Rafael Creek easement (LACFCD). The San Pascual site is southeast of the San Pascual Avenue overpass on the east side of the Channel, bounded by San Pascual Avenue and Stoney Drive. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Project would develop two regional stormwater capture and treatment facilities located within existing open spacezoned areas near the Arroyo Seco Channel. Additionally, as part of the Project, an offsite water harvester and related infrastructure would be installed within the existing, gated maintenance yard at the public Arroyo Seco Golf Course in South Pasadena. The Project would provide water quality benefits for multiple jurisdictions within the 5,005acre drainage area in which the two sites are located. Both Project sites would include native landscaping; hardscape elements; informational signs as a watershed education opportunity; and expand the existing trail network to enhance regional trail connectivity through the Lower Arroyo Seco. The Project sites are within the Upper Los Angeles River Watershed (ULAR); the Arroyo Seco Channel is a major tributary to the Los Angeles River. In July 2010, the RWQCB adopted a TMDL for indicator bacteria in the Los Angeles River watershed, identifying the San Rafael Creek outfall as a priority source. Under the Project, runoff would be diverted to the San Rafael site for pretreatment and partial infiltration, with treated flows conveyed downstream to the San Pascual site for further infiltration and treatment prior to discharge to the Channel. In addition to fulfilling regulatory obligations to provide cleaner water in the Arroyo Seco and Los Angeles River channels, the Project would also result in increased habitat and reestablishment of native plant communities, improved trails, increased public access to open space areas, and educational opportunities utilizing interpretive materials focused on hydrology and native habitat. ANTICIPATED ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS: The Draft EIR identified potentially significant impacts to Biological Resources, Cultural and Paleontological Resources, Noise, and Tribal Cultural Resources; with mitigation, the Draft EIR found that all impacts would be reduced to less than significant. HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES: The Project site is not identified on the lists of hazardous waste sites compiled pursuant to Section 65962.5 of the California Government Code AVAILABILITY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION: The Draft EIR may be viewed on the City of Pasadena website at: [https://www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/environmentalnotices/]. Hardcopies are available during regular business hours at the following locations: City of Pasadena Permit Center, 175 North Garfield Avenue, Pasadena, CA, 91101; San Rafael Branch Library, 1240 Nithsdale Road, Pasadena, CA; Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library, 6145 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA; and South Pasadena Public Library, 1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, CA. ADA: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), listening assistive devices are available with a 24hour advance notice; call (626) 7444009 or (626) 7444371 (TDD) to request use of a listening device. Language translation services may be requested with 48hour advance notice by calling (626) 7444009. Pasadena StarNews Published: 5/4/26