I am a resident (tenant or property owner) in Pacific Palisades. As you are aware, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has proposed to construct a new electrical distribution substation in our community.

I understand that LADWP previously identified an approximate 1.17 acres of State Park property located immediately behind Fire Station 23 at Los Lions Drive/Sunset Blvd as its "preferred" and environmentally desirable site. However, following vocal opposition from a few stakeholders, LADWP backed away from this site and turned focus to another site adjacent to our local public elementary school serving approximately 600 children ages 4-10, even though LADWP's environmental consultants had determined the geology at the elementary school site to be "Grade F" and "fatally flawed." Earlier this year, the fragile geology of the school area was underscored when the school grounds experienced land movement causing cracks along most of its extensive northwest perimeter. This resulted in the closure of three classrooms and the northwestern playground. Students impacted by the classroom closures were moved to the opposite end of the campus.

While I am/we are strong supporters of open space and parks (and in fact, that is a big reason for our family's choice to live in this area), we oppose placing a power distributing station into a geologically “fatally flawed” area next to an elementary school. Indeed, a previous survey by Palisades Patch (the local on-line news service) showed that over 70% of the responding public preferred the Fire Station 23 site over the school site.

Thus, I/we respectfully ask you to consider making the identified 1.17 acres of State Park property located immediately behind Fire Station 23 available to LADWP for acquisition as a potential distributing station site.

Coalition to Keep Marquez Charter Safe
keepmarquezchartersafe@gmail.com

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