DROUGHT IN THE SAN GABRIEL VALLEY : La Puente Bans Residential Construction

La Puente: Shortly after granting tentative approval to a 14-unit condominium project, the City Council ordered the city attorney to draw up an emergency ordinance banning residential construction during the drought.

All four council members present at Tuesday’s meeting backed the plan initiated by Councilman Charles Storing, who said the proposed moratorium should remain in place until the water crisis is over.

City Atty. Scott Nichols said the ordinance could be enacted and put into effect as early as the next council session on March 12. He added that the moratorium could halt housing construction already under way, depending on the discretion of the council.

Minutes before the moratorium was proposed, the council voted 4 to 0 to tentatively approve development of a 14-unit condominium complex to replace three single-family homes on Beckner Street.

Storing said the condo project would probably not be affected by the ban.

* Glendora: The City Council will consider stopping all new water hookups and may ask residents to cut water usage by about 60%.

At its Tuesday meeting, the council asked city staff members to draft an ordinance that charges users the current rate for the first 300 gallons they use each day, twice as much for the next 225 gallons, three times as much for the next 225 gallons, and four times for any amount over 750 gallons. The amounts are averaged over the two-month billing period.

City Engineer Richard Cantwell said the average Glendora household now uses 750 gallons a day, or 58 “units” per billing period. Councilman David Bodley, who requested the moratorium on water hookups, asked that the ordinance require those who use more than 600 gallons a day to face additional--as yet undetermined--sanctions in addition to the higher rates. The ordinance will be considered at the council’s March 12 meeting.

* El Monte: Residents will receive a letter from the city urging them to reduce water use by 10%, city officials announced Tuesday. The 10% figure keeps El Monte in line with the goals of most other cities in the region, said Robert Pinniger, director of public works.

The conservation plan is voluntary, and no date has been set for the mailing.