SORRY, BUT ... RIORDAN APPROVES SUNSHINE CANYON LANDFILL.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Scorning the fears and arguments of San Fernando Valley residents, Mayor Richard Riordan signed into law Friday measures allowing massive expansion of the Sunshine Canyon Landfill into Granada Hills.

In a carefully worded, six-paragraph letter to the council, the mayor did not acknowledge the toll it will take on the community or address concerns that the city lacked a comprehensive trash policy, failed to explore alternatives and faced no urgent need to act now. But he did call for greater recycling efforts.

His decision, which he had foreshadowed last month, sparked outrage and disappointment across the Valley.

``Even though we knew he would do this, it's still a big disappointment,'' said Councilman Hal Bernson, who led the fight against the dump and has pledged $1,000 toward the lawsuit to block it. ``I know he thinks he's doing what's best for the city, but I just think this is wrong.''

Riordan, in a brief interview, said he was sympathetic with Granada Hills residents but didn't feel he had any options.

``If I lived there, I'd be angry with the mayor who signed this,'' Riordan said. ``But when you're mayor for the entire city, you sometimes have to make decisions that are not popular in a specific community. I take no pleasure in that.

``I did this reluctantly but felt there was no choice. The alternatives had costs so astronomical that I didn't think the city could afford it. And there's the question of being a good neighbor. I didn't think we should send our trash somewhere else.''

Acting just two days after the council voted 8-7 to expand Sunshine Canyon into city limits from unincorporated land, Riordan ordered city officials to report back in 45 days with plans to expand the city's recycling efforts from homeowners to businesses and apartment dwellers.

His action did nothing to soothe the concerns of Granada Hills residents and other landfill opponents who plan to sue the city to block the landfill expansion.

Mary Edwards of the North Valley Coalition said the lawsuit will challenge the city's decision on grounds the landfill is not needed and more environmental studies are needed.

``We've tried to meet with Mayor Riordan, but he's too busy with his millennium planning,'' she said. ``He's like Nero, fiddling while Rome burned,'' she said.

``He's so busy planning those parties that he doesn't have time to meet with us,'' Edwards said.

Riordan's letter to the council called for expanded recycling programs and embraced mitigation efforts.

He said he has been reviewing the plan for several months and ``after much consideration'' was approving its reopening.

``With more than 200 conditions imposed to mitigate environmental impacts . . . the decision to reopen Sunshine Canyon ensures that all residents of the city of Los Angeles will continue to have reliable and affordable disposal services for the future,'' Riordan wrote.

The City Council on Wednesday, with the bare majority of an 8-7 vote, approved reopening the landfill that had been closed nearly 10 years.

If it opens in mid-2001 as planned, the 394-acre facility would take in trash for 26 years.

Riordan said in his letter that he recognized the city had to do more to get away from use of landfills through recycling, and he used the letter to instruct city agencies to begin developing a recycling program for apartments and businesses.

``In recent years, the city has taken impressive steps to reduce the amount of solid waste diverted to landfills, to the point where we now recycle nearly half of our refuse,'' Riordan said. ``However, the recent debate has convinced me we must do more.''

The mayor said he wants a report within 45 days on what steps need to be taken to achieve a citywide recycling goal of 70 percent by 2020.

However, others said it was not enough and questioned the need for the landfill.

State Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, also questioned the mayor's action and said the Audit Committee on which he serves as vice chairman will be looking into the project.

``We have some questions on whether the city followed all the proper procedures,'' Alarcon said. ``This is absolutely the wrong decision.''

BFI spokesman Arnie Berghoff, however, said he believes the landfill will win court approval.

``On the county portion, the North Valley Coalition hit us with seven lawsuits - seven,'' Berghoff said. ``The courts found in our favor in every case.

``We expect a lawsuit. Unfortunately in California, with the California Environmental Quality Act, it provides for lawsuits. I don't think there has been a major development in the state that hasn't had a lawsuit.''

For others, who are exploring creating a new city in the San Fernando Valley, the mayor's action is being used as a rallying cry.

``The action by the mayor and the council will be cited prominently as reasons why the Valley needs to become a separate city,'' said Richard Close, chairman of the Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment group seeking a study on separation.

``In making this decision, the mayor was more concerned about the area south of Mulholland than the area to the north. If there was a separate Valley city, there is no way one area would have been asked to take so much of a burden.''

But, he added, it could help build support for his effort.

``This is an unfortunate act that will strengthen the resolve of businesses and residents to become a separate city to prevent something like this from ever happening again.''

BY THE LETTER

Text of the mayor's letter to council members explaining his decision to sign the bill authorizing the expansion of Sunshine Canyon Landfill into Granada Hills:

Honorable Members:

Over the last several months, I have carefully reviewed the proposal to reopen Sunshine Canyon. Today, after much consideration, I am approving the ordinance that permits this reopening.

In recent years, the city has taken impressive steps to reduce the amount of solid waste diverted to landfills, to the point where we now recycle nearly half of our refuse. However, the recent debate has convinced me that we must do more.

Accordingly, this letter serves as a directive to the heads of the Department of Environmental Affairs, General Services, the Bureau of Sanitation, and the city's recycling program to commercial and multifamily residential properties, by implementing nonexclusive franchise agreements with private waste haulers requiring them to recycle.

This plan must also include analysis of the benefits of voluntary vs. mandatory recycling requirements; the impact of incorporating low-emission vehicles into refuse collection fleets; examples of successful franchise agreements from throughout the country; appropriate auditing and enforcement mechanisms to achieve recycling goals; an outreach program to educate the public; and strategies to achieve the citywide recycling goal of 70 percent by 2020. This detailed implementation plan must be submitted to my office within 45 days.

In addition, I will be issuing an executive directive which demands that department heads do a better job of recycling within their respective departments. City government must take a more active role in recycling efforts and lead by example.

With more than 200 conditions imposed to mitigate environmental impacts, as well as the expansion of the private sector and city's recycling efforts, the decision to reopen Sunshine Canyon ensures that all residents of the city of Los Angeles will continue to have reliable and affordable disposal services for the future.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Riordan

CAPTION(S):

Photo, box

Photo: (color) RIORDAN

Box: BY THE LETTER (See text)