Proposed Duarte Ordinance Seeks to Further Deter Bear Pillaging of Trash Containers

It’s been two years since Duarte, in an effort to control pillaging bears, imposed an ordinance modifying the permitted time that trash containers may be placed curbside by residents of the hillside Duarte Mesa area. While the restrictions have proved somewhat successful in deterring trash day bear activity on the Duarte Mesa, it hasn’t stopped the bears from wandering further down the Duarte hillsides to other residential areas in search of trash day goodies.

On Jan. 26, the Duarte City Council will vote on expanding the area covered by the ordinance to include portions of the Hearthstone and Fish Canyon neighborhoods. Residents of those neighborhoods would also be barred from placing their trash receptacles that do not exclusively contain recyclable materials to be placed on any street, alley, highway, or parkway prior to 6 a.m. on the day of the regularly scheduled collection.

“Bears are now present not only in the Mesa area, but bears are now seen regularly in portions of the Hearthstone and Fish Canyon neighborhoods. The further incursion of the bears into other residential areas as they search for food presents an increased threat to the public health, safety, and welfare because of actual and potential bear-human interactions,” said City Manager, Darrell George.

According to the State Department of Fish and Game, removal of food sources is the only permanent, long-term solution to bears in residential areas that abut bear habitat.

If adopted, the amended ordinance would apply to portions of the Fish Canyon area of the City, specifically the 200 Block of Greenbank Ave., 200 Block of Bettyhill Ave., 200-300 Block of Melcanyon Rd., 100-300 Block of Opal Canyon Rd., 3200-3400 Block Tannencrest Dr., 200 Block Mountaincrest Rd., 3200-3300 Block of Shady Lawn Dr., 2800 and 3100-3500 Blocks of Brookridge Rd., 3400 Block of Fallcreek Rd., 2900-3000 and 3300-3400 Blocks of Deerlane Dr. Also portions of the Hearthstone area of the City, specifically: 400 Block of Woodbluff Ave., 2500 Block Westvale Court, 2600 Block Sunnydale Dr., 2500-2600 Blocks Starcrest Dr., 10-90 Block of Crestview Court, 60-100 Blocks of Cedarwood Ave., 2700 Block Briar Summit, 50-300 Blocks of Las Lomas Rd., 40-90 Blocks of Westvale Rd.

For more information, call the City of Duarte, (626) 357-7931.