By Julie BUTCHER

The Glendale City Council had a busy Tuesday, meeting for its regular meeting in the evening and a special daytime meeting.

At the Tuesday night meeting, the Council approved a competitively bid construction contract with ARC Construction Inc. of $12,680,138 for the construction of the new Central Park project, planned in conjunction with the new Armenian American Museum and Cultural Center. It includes a 15% construction reserve and a professional services agreement with Maestro Development LLC for $750,000 for project management work, construction inspecting, quality assurance and control, and materials testing.

The project includes the creation of a central lawn connecting the new museum and the library, an outdoor amphitheater for live performances, a children’s park with playgrounds and splash pads and outdoor recreation amenities for the community.

The Council also heard an update on plans for the closure of the Scholl Canyon Landfill and approved plans to reduce tipping fees (according to the internet, this is a charge levied by a landfill, transfer station or recycling facility per unit of waste –usually by weight, like a ton, or volume – to accept waste material) and to consider amending plans for materials used to cover the closed landfill.

Due to a decline in the incoming tonnage and an increase in the operating costs anticipated post-closure, staff conducted a study evaluating the feasibility of opening the wasteshed. Senior civil engineer Luke Chen reported that the current annual tonnage of 239,065 tons resulted this year in a loss of $2,302,692. The landfill could close in less than two years if it were operating at full capacity.

A flexible member or geosynthetic clay liner, commonly called a composite liner, made of plastic and clay could be placed over the landfill to keep out rainwater and function as a waterproof barrier to protect the environment long-term. It could support more intensive uses such as buildings, roads, parking, utilities and solar installations. Certain areas of the landfill have been capped and lined with such a liner and currently support a golf course, tennis courts and baseball fields, for instance.

The current closure cost estimates assume this type of post-closure cover.

Alternatively, an ET or evapotranspiration cover is soil and vegetation-based and manages rainwater naturally through absorption and plant uptake. The ET cover does not use a plastic liner and is considered best for open space, passive park habitat, trails and low-impact solar uses. Portions of the landfill’s slopes currently use this type of cover.

In April 2025, the city reported a post-closure fund balance of $62.4 million. The current post-closure cost estimate is $86.9 million using a composite cover. Since the fund balance is lower than the required amount, the city pledged $2.89 million per year for 30 years. Switching to an ET cover would reduce the total cost. 

Glenoaks Canyon resident Dr. Jackie Gish reminded the Council that the closure of the landfill is no closer now than it was four years ago. She indicated support for the proposed changes. 

“I am in favor of reducing tipping fees to shorten the time to closure and to increase revenue to Glendale,” she said. 

Gish questioned if the 10% reduction would be sufficient to attract more haulers, highlighted the discrepancy in anticipated closure dates between the consultant and staff reports, and questioned the efficacy of the various cover materials being contemplated.

Current estimates set the closure at between 4.8 and 5.1 years from now.

The Council approved the 10% reduction in tipping fees and authorized a $30,000 contract for updates and regulatory support.

“We want to make sure that we close it in a way that has utility for many years to come and will not cause any harm, that what we do is the most useful for the community,” said Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian.

Councilmember Dan Brotman wanted more community outreach to assess the desires of those living in the neighborhood of the landfill; he recalled that historically the neighborhood wants passive recreation, more walking trails than baseball fields, adding that he does not believe it wants the traffic those types of uses would entail. City Manager Roubik Golanian supported those recollections, adding that city staff will coordinate additional outreach.

Recently enacted state law SB 79 remains a hotly debated issue, statewide and locally. City staff updated the Council on the law, subtitled the “Abundant & Affordable Homes Near Transit Act.” Signed into law on Oct. 10, 2025 and set to go into effect on July 1, 2026, the law is intended to address the current statewide housing crisis by promoting increased residential housing development near public transportation stops in major urban areas. It allows for increased development, increased height, density and floor area ratios, based on the type of transit and the proximity to transit stops. The state law overrides local zoning. Cities cannot opt out.

After much debate and numerous comments from the public, the Council instructed staff to continue to review options including the possibility of enacting a “delayed effectuation ordinance.”

In response to concerns that the rapid bus system (BRT) planned to connect North Hollywood to Pasadena through Burbank and Glendale will trigger SB 79 upzoning along the route, Mayor Ara Najarian indicated that Metro is working to exempt the BRT from SB 79 treatment. He responded to criticism saying that the “BRT was passed by a supermajority of the voters of L.A. County. It was as democratic as anything in this system of government can be. To go back on what voters have voted on, that’s what’s undemocratic.”

Earlier in Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Council issued a proclamation celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day.

Additionally, the Council acted to adjust its CalPERS calculations to comply with the requirements of the state’s pension program covering retired city employees. In response to questioning from Councilmember Brotman, Human Resources Director Paula Adams reported that overtime pay is excluded from pension consideration under California’s pension rules, that it is not “pensionable,” as Brotman suggested others have alleged.

Finally, a representative of the community group Friends of Griffith Park invited the public to A Celebration of Bette Davis Park on Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to noon at the park, located at the intersection of Riverside Drive, Victory Boulevard and Sonora Avenue. The event will feature birdwatching, a visit to the Miyawaki micro forest, opportunities to learn about the local equestrian community and a chance to hear about the history of this little slice of Griffith Park off the 134 Freeway near Glendale. More information about the free event can be found at https://friendsofgriffithpark.org/event/come-celebrate-bette-davis-park/.

At a special meeting of the city council on Tuesday afternoon, the Council adopted a draft legislative agenda, highlighted critical funding goals, approved funds to remove up to 104 Ice Bear units, and authorized funds to extend the rental of facilities that house the Verdugo Jobs Center through September 2027.

The Ice Bear units were installed primarily in commercial spots between 2010 and 2014, and they created ice during off hours that could be used for cooling during peak times. 

Councilmember Brotman responded to criticism that the city had acted precipitously in installing the devices, noting that innovation sometimes means taking risks. 

“We have to be innovating,” he said. “That’s the kind of city I want to be. I don’t want to be a stick-in-the-mud city.”