Most Simi Quake Repairs Completed, Report Says

SIMI VALLEY — Three years after the Northridge earthquake caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and public facilities in Simi Valley, nearly all other repair and reconstruction work has been completed, according to a report by City Manager Mike Sedell.

In all, more than $18 million in federal funds has been spent to help homeowners, business operators and city staff put the town back together. So far, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has reimbursed the city for 79% of the money it has spent on earthquake repairs.

The city’s building and safety division found 175 structures to be unsafe for occupancy as a result of the earthquake. Today, just six of the structures remain on the red-tag list. Five are vacant residences; the sixth is Bottle Village.

FEMA approved a $485,000 restoration of the popular attraction and had offered to fund 90% of the project. The remaining $48,500 would have to be raised by backers of Bottle Village, said Sedell.

But on Jan. 7, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) introduced a bill to block the federal funding, and Councilwoman Sandi Webb has launched a petition drive to ensure that no taxpayer dollars be spent on repairing Bottle Village.

In all, 11,351 safety inspections have been made since the earthquake. In addition to the six remaining red-tagged structures, 142 structures still have yellow tags, meaning some repair is required. The overwhelming majority of structures--11,203--are now green-tagged, meaning no work is required.

Some of the financial issues still facing the city include FEMA reimbursement of costs associated with processing earthquake-related building permits and the upgrading of the Simi Valley police building to current standards.

A water treatment plant in Tapo Canyon was destroyed in the quake and a report on the repair and replacement options has been submitted to FEMA, according to Sedell. The design phase will begin upon approval by the agency.

Some of the projects that have been paid for but not fully reimbursed include repairs to water wells throughout the area. Sedell’s report, to be formally presented to the City Council at its meeting Monday, shows that the city will not receive any of the $4,000 it spent on an evaluation report on the Ward Street Well because no damage was found at the well site.

In addition, emergency repair work to water mains has gone $30,000 over budget, and has not been reimbursed by the federal government, according to Sedell.

Reconstruction of earthquake-damaged Tapo Street from Cochran Street to Fort Worth Drive is finished. The second phase of the project, which will repair Tapo Street from Los Angeles Avenue to Cochran Street, is set to begin this summer.