The Pasadena Unified School District is taking the City of Pasadena to court over contaminated soil that contains lead and arsenic at levels exceeding state safety thresholds on 11 school campuses.

PUSD filed the lawsuit Friday, July 17, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking a court order to stop the city from enforcing its Tree Protection Ordinance at campuses where crews must excavate roughly 8,400 cubic yards of fire-contaminated soil before school opens Monday, August 17. The soil volume figure comes from district estimates included in the petition.

The lawsuit seeks a writ of mandate, declaratory relief, and a permanent injunction barring the city from interfering with the cleanup, according to Pasadena Now, which reported the filing details on Thursday, July 24.

The contamination traces back to the January 2025 Eaton Fire. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control concluded the soil presents "an imminent and substantial threat" to students, teachers, and staff, and agreed that removing soil, trees, and vegetation is the most protective approach, according to the lawsuit.

What's at stake

The district says 193 trees must come down across 11 properties to reach the contaminated ground. The campuses include John Muir High School, Blair High School, San Rafael Elementary, Washington Elementary STEM Magnet, Octavia E. Butler Magnet, and several others. The remediation project carries an estimated price tag of $6.6 million.

Not all 11 sites will reopen in August. Longfellow Magnet is shuttered for renovations, Franklin Elementary closed in 2020, Cleveland Elementary closed in 2019, and the city occupies Jefferson Elementary.

About 80 trees had already been removed as of mid-July, according to Pasadena Star-News reporting citing local tree advocates. Of the 84 remaining, 42 are mature or native trees protected under city criteria.

How the standoff escalated

City officials initially told the district in June that the tree ordinance would not apply because the project involved hazardous material removal. The city reversed course on Thursday, June 25, notifying PUSD that tree removal permits would be required.

City Manager Rick Cole acknowledged the reversal on July 15. "That was a mistake — and we own it," Cole said, referring to city staff's earlier conclusion that an emergency exemption applied.

The city posted stop-work orders at seven campuses on Tuesday, July 1. On Thursday, July 10, the city obtained a warrant in Los Angeles Superior Court to inspect district property after PUSD blocked inspectors from campuses.

District crews ignored the orders. School officials had city inspectors removed from sites where tree cutting continued.

On Wednesday, July 16, the PUSD Board of Education voted 7-0 in closed session to authorize litigation, then voted 5-2 in open session to pass Resolution No. 2896, declaring city zoning ordinances inapplicable to district property. Board President Tina Fredericks and Trustee Scott Harden voted no.

"Not one conversation. I refuse to believe that we have no responsibility in that," Fredericks said at the July 16 meeting, explaining her no vote after learning staff had held no informal discussions with the city about limiting tree removal.

PUSD argues it is a sovereign public entity governed by state law and not subject to city tree, building, or zoning ordinances. The lawsuit cites California Supreme Court precedent holding that public school districts are matters of statewide concern.

The district also alleges the stop-work orders failed to specify violations and improperly halted all tree removal, not just work on protected trees.

City's response

Lisa Derderian, the city's chief communications officer, said Thursday that the city "does not believe the petition is appropriate at this time and declines to comment further on this pending litigation."

City officials have maintained they do not dispute the need to clean contaminated soil but say the district must obtain permits before cutting protected trees.

The city had not filed a formal response to the petition as of July 24. No court hearing date has been announced. The school year begins in less than four weeks.