Pasadena Completes Sierra Madre Boulevard Median Renovation in Wake of State Water Restrictions

The City of Pasadena has completed a landscape renovation project of the center medians on Sierra Madre Blvd., from New York Drive to Hastings Ranch Drive, according to Koko Panossian, Director of Pasadena Parks, Recreation, and Community Services.

The project, which was undertaken as a short-term solution to address the effects of state water restrictions on ornamental turf irrigation, included weed and gopher abatement, soil grading, irrigation system upgrades, planting, and mulching. The work was completed by in-house staff working weekends from February through May.

In 2017, the California State Water Board adopted restrictions prohibiting the irrigation of ornamental turf on medians using potable water. As a result, the City turned off the irrigation to the turf areas and installed drip irrigation to continue watering the trees, leading to dead turf, overgrowth of weeds, and poor aesthetics.

The Hastings Ranch Homeowners’ Association requested the landscape enhancements, which Panossian described as a temporary measure while the Public Works Department conducts a Master Plan to redesign all the medians on Sierra Madre Blvd.

The Parks Maintenance Division designed and completed the installation of the landscape enhancements, addressing the immediate concerns of the community while allowing time for a more comprehensive, long-term solution to be developed.