City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: April 7, 2026
From: Freddie Agyin, Director of Health and Environmental Control Department: Health and Environmental Control
Submitted by: Veronica Petrosyan, Deputy Director of Health and Environmental Control
Subject
Memorandum of Understanding for the Maintenance and Operations of the John Anson Ford Park Infiltration Cistern Project
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Administrator to execute the Memorandum of Understanding by and between the Cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, and Vernon, in substantially the same form as submitted, for the maintenance and operations of the John Anson Ford Park Infiltration Cistern Project.
Background
On November 8, 2012, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board approved the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit, which took effect on December 28, 2012.
This permit requires cities to reduce pollution in stormwater runoff. To meet these state requirements, the City Council approved the City’s participation in the Gateway Water Management Authority (GWMA), a regional partnership formed to help cities comply with the MS4 Permit.
On June 4, 2013, the City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among GWMA, the Los Angeles River Upper Reach 2 (LAR-UR2) subgroup cities, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. The LAR-UR2 Watershed Management Area (WMA) Cities include the Cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, and Vernon.
This partnership allows the cities to work together to meet stormwater permit requirements more efficiently.
On June 27, 2013, the LAR-UR2 group submitted a Notice of Intent to develop a Watershed Management Program (WMP) and a Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program (CIMP). The WMP and CIMP programs were approved by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board on August 13, 2015, and February 12, 2016, respectively. The WMP identified six regional water quality improvement projects, with the John Anson Ford (JAF) Park Infiltration Cistern Project identified as the highest priority. Due to the project’s high cost, the partner agencies pursued outside grant funding.
On December 1, 2017, GWMA was recommended for a Proposition 1 grant from the State Water Resources Control Board to help fund the project. In January 2018, the Water Board approved an MOU requiring matching contributions totaling $1,100,538 from the participating agencies.
Under this agreement, GWMA’s role is limited to grant administration and execution.
On March 6, 2018, the Vernon City Council approved a Sub-Recipient Agreement committing $212,743.82 toward the project’s design, construction, and long-term maintenance. The funding agreement also required that the seven participating cities enter into a separate Maintenance and Operations (M&O) MOU following construction. To reduce costs, the cities agreed not to contract GWMA for ongoing maintenance and operations of the system. Instead, the City of Bell Gardens was designated as the lead agency responsible for operating and maintaining the project for its useful life.
Annual M&O costs are shared by the seven LAR UR2 WMA Cities. Costs are calculated using a two-part formula: 50 percent is divided equally among the cities, and 50 percent is allocated based on each city’s land area within the watershed. Bell Gardens prepares the annual M&O budget and invoices each city, with payment due within 60 days. These costs include equipment and data collection needed to report project performance to the Water Board as part of the LARUR2 WMP.
Current estimated M&O costs are as follows:
To maintain compliance with MS4 Permit requirements through regional watershed projects, the Department of Health and Environmental Control recommends approving the proposed MOU, effective as of September 2025, for M&O of the JAF Park Infiltration Cistern Project. Approval of the MOU is essential for ensuring ongoing compliance and the long-term functionality of the project.
The proposed MOU has been reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney’s Office.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact as the M&O cost is a qualified expenditure under the Los Angeles County Safe Clean Water Program and covered annually by Measure W funds.
Attachments
1. JAF Park Infiltration Cistern Project MOU