This is a digital rendering of the Temescal Valley monument.

County representatives told a group of about 50 people at the Feb. 12 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting that freeway monuments identifying Temescal Valley should be erected in July.

Vince Coffeen and Vince Yzaguirre, with the county’s Economic Development Agency, showed photos of the two 14-foot by 24-foot signs to be constructed of concrete and metal, and will feature the Temescal Valley logo and mountains that will be back-lighted at night.

The signs will be placed at the north and south entrances to the Valley adjacent to the Interstate 15 — just north of Weirick Road for the southbound monument and just north of Indian Truck Trail for the northbound monument. While Indian Truck Trail is north of the Valley’s southern boundary at about Lake Street, Coffeen explained finding suitable property was challenging.

How monument will be lighted at night.

The monuments have been discussed for several years and were first suggested in the county’s Temescal Valley Design Guidelines approved by the MAC and Board of Supervisors in 2007.
(See the Design Guidelines HERE)

The cost of each monument is $250,000 and will be paid for by the Temescal Community Fund. The fund was established years ago  by former 1st District county Supervisor Bob Buster.

It was created through litigation between the county and Synagro, a Temescal Valley business that manufactured fertilizer made from human waste. According to Sandy Isom,  who at that time was a field representative for the supervisor, it was decided that during Synagro’s five-year phase out the company would pay the county for response to complaints of odor pollution.  Additionally, Synagro paid the county for each ton of human sludge it received. The supervisor set up the Temescal Community Fund account with the Environmental Health Department which was collecting the money, thus assuring the funds would be designated to the community and not be rolled into the county general fund.

The focus of the MAC meeting was on Valley identity with the news of the monuments’ July placement and an announcement later in the meeting of the United States Postal Service recognition of a “Temescal Valley” designation within the 92883 ZIP code. (Read related story HERE.)