Soil Removal/Replacement at Multiple District Properties
Summary
SCH Number
2026030159
Public Agency
Pasadena Unified School District
Document Title
Soil Removal/Replacement at Multiple District Properties
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/4/2026
Document Description
The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) will remove and replace engineered soils and landscaped surfaces identified as containing fire derived contaminants (fire analytes) of potential concern that present an imminent health and safety threat to children and workers resulting from the Eaton Fire and Weather Event (Eaton Fire) of January 2025. Removal and replacement activities will occur at eleven District-owned properties, including Franklin ES, San Rafael ES, Longfellow Magnet School, Blair HS, Cleveland ES, Field ES, John Muir HS, Octavia Butler Magnet School, Washington ES, Jefferson Children’s and Teen’s Center, and the District Education Center. The District will remove and replace approximately 8,000 cubic yards of impacted soil from the Affected Properties before mid-August 2026 to allow for reopening in time for the 2026-27 school year. The foregoing work will require the removal and reasonable replacement of trees and may require the removal and replacement of certain infrastructure such as planters or sprinkler/plumbing systems, as needed. The District will replace all of the foregoing with like materials or items.
Contact Information
Name
Michael Dunning
Agency Name
Pasadena Unified School District
Job Title
Director of Facilities, Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Email
Location
Cities
Pasadena
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide
Schools
Multiple
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Declared Emergency
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(3); 15269(a)
Reasons for Exemption
The activities are statutorily exempt pursuant to PRC Section 21080(b)(3), Emergency Projects, as it is considered an emergency repair of facilities that have been destroyed or damaged by a wildfire. On January 7, 2025, the Governor of the State of California proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to fire and windstorm conditions that caused multiple fires, including the Eaton Fire. The removal and replacement of in-kind landscaping and related features at affected PUSD facilities that have been identified as containing fire derived contaminants (fire analytes) of potential concern is a direct result of the Eaton Fire. The removal and replacement of impacted soils at the Affected Properties is deemed necessary and critical in order to maintain public educational services that are essential to public health, safety, or welfare. These emergency repairs include those that have required a reasonable amount of planning to address an anticipated emergency. In this case, extensive soil testing at District properties and preparation of the resulting FRCA reports constitutes necessary planning efforts within a reasonable time. Therefore, the proposed project is statutorily exempt pursuant to PRC Section 21080 (b)(3).
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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