Westside Costa Mesa In Peril?
DID YOU SEE THIS?
I suspect many of you, while flipping the pages of your Daily Pilot Friday, failed to notice the following advertisement that appeared in the lower left quadrant of my paper on page B7. Click on the image to enlarge it, if necessary.
PROXIMITY?
This advertisement should cause every Westside Costa Mesa resident to snap to attention. Here's a little map that includes the area involved. The Hixson Metals plant is in the lower section, on Production Place:
SOME HISTORY
For some history, Hixson Metal Finishing has been cited for high emissions of hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing pollutant. You know, that stuff Erin Brockovich uncovered a couple decades ago in the drinking water in Hinkley, California. The Orange County Register wrote about Hixson a couple times last May. You can read one of the articles HERE.
PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR BRUSHED IT ASIDE
At a Costa Mesa Planning Commission meeting last June a resident, having read that article and others, expressed concern to the commission about airborne cancer-causing pollutants invading the Westside of Costa Mesa, in response to which Chairman Rob Dickson assured her that it was a situation in Newport Beach, and that the Air Quality Management District has responsibility for any nuisance odors and referred folks to the AQMD.
WHAT ABOUT NEW HOME BUYERS?
Well, take a look at their chart in the ad, then look at the map. If you're one of the folks thinking of buying one of those $700,000+ stacked homes along 17th Street or nearby on Industrial Way, are you comfortable with the proximity of airborne cancer-causing pollutants? Is that something you think should be disclosed?
THE FIRE...
A little more history. Back in 1987 an in-plant electrical fire resulted in a disaster at that site. According to reports at the time, HERE, more than 500 people were evacuated and public safety folks were injured. And, again to subsequent news reports, Newport Beach first responders, HERE, HERE and HERE, were reported to have suffered life-ending exposure to toxic chemicals while responding to that blaze, like Newport Beach Police Sergeant Steve Van Horn, who died 10 years later of leukemia.
THE NOTICE WARNS YOU... KIND OF
According to the report issued to Hixson Metal Refinishing on May 8, 2015, HERE, the company is required by the AQMD to issue an annual public notice, which I assume is why they placed that ad, above. Part of that report includes this exhibit. I also visited the AQMD site and found a page, HERE, that provides an extensive background on its interaction with Hixson Metal Refinishing. Compare this to the map above. Again, click to enlarge. If you still can't read it, go to that link I provided in the first sentence of this section and see it in full size.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
Thanks to a friend who saw this ad - I confess that I did not - and brought it to my attention Friday. I think it's important for those folks living nearby understand what's happening, and has been happening, at that site for decades and continues today.
I suspect many of you, while flipping the pages of your Daily Pilot Friday, failed to notice the following advertisement that appeared in the lower left quadrant of my paper on page B7. Click on the image to enlarge it, if necessary.
This advertisement should cause every Westside Costa Mesa resident to snap to attention. Here's a little map that includes the area involved. The Hixson Metals plant is in the lower section, on Production Place:
For some history, Hixson Metal Finishing has been cited for high emissions of hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing pollutant. You know, that stuff Erin Brockovich uncovered a couple decades ago in the drinking water in Hinkley, California. The Orange County Register wrote about Hixson a couple times last May. You can read one of the articles HERE.PLANNING COMMISSION CHAIR BRUSHED IT ASIDE
At a Costa Mesa Planning Commission meeting last June a resident, having read that article and others, expressed concern to the commission about airborne cancer-causing pollutants invading the Westside of Costa Mesa, in response to which Chairman Rob Dickson assured her that it was a situation in Newport Beach, and that the Air Quality Management District has responsibility for any nuisance odors and referred folks to the AQMD.WHAT ABOUT NEW HOME BUYERS?
Well, take a look at their chart in the ad, then look at the map. If you're one of the folks thinking of buying one of those $700,000+ stacked homes along 17th Street or nearby on Industrial Way, are you comfortable with the proximity of airborne cancer-causing pollutants? Is that something you think should be disclosed?THE FIRE...
A little more history. Back in 1987 an in-plant electrical fire resulted in a disaster at that site. According to reports at the time, HERE, more than 500 people were evacuated and public safety folks were injured. And, again to subsequent news reports, Newport Beach first responders, HERE, HERE and HERE, were reported to have suffered life-ending exposure to toxic chemicals while responding to that blaze, like Newport Beach Police Sergeant Steve Van Horn, who died 10 years later of leukemia.THE NOTICE WARNS YOU... KIND OF
According to the report issued to Hixson Metal Refinishing on May 8, 2015, HERE, the company is required by the AQMD to issue an annual public notice, which I assume is why they placed that ad, above. Part of that report includes this exhibit. I also visited the AQMD site and found a page, HERE, that provides an extensive background on its interaction with Hixson Metal Refinishing. Compare this to the map above. Again, click to enlarge. If you still can't read it, go to that link I provided in the first sentence of this section and see it in full size.
Thanks to a friend who saw this ad - I confess that I did not - and brought it to my attention Friday. I think it's important for those folks living nearby understand what's happening, and has been happening, at that site for decades and continues today.
Labels: AQMD, Erin Brockovich, hexavalent chromium, Hixson Metal Refinishing, Newport Beach, Steve Van Horn
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 10/24/2015 12:44:00 AM
7 Comments:
I wonder if the realtors are informing potential buyers of the hazardous condition?
Dickson and his buddies on Planning need to brush the Newport bosses' boot polish off their tongues and take action.
ahhh... breathe in the wonderful air as the prevailing wind blows onto your rooftop deck, and the pretty pretty colors as your fire pit burns away the airborne particulates...
Does the California Coastal Commission know that the cancer risk contour extends over a part of Banning Ranch where housing is planned to be built?
What a lame attempt to pass the buck, Mr. DICKson! And, no (unless these cancer causing pollutants miraculously stop spreading at the NB/CM cities' border), it IS a Costa Mesa issue TOO! This major problem should absolutely be disclosed on the CAR Seller's Disclosure Form.
I agree, Disgusted Republican.
Airborne pollutants will indeed cover Costa Mesa as well
as Newport Beach. To say it's NB's problem alone is
irresponsible.
That was poorly handled by the Chairman of our CM PC.
All residents in those areas are at risk.
Action needs to be taken to mitigate the damage.
One person, a NB Police Sergeant, has died from exposure
to those toxins.
That's one person too many!
We all know that the Planning Commission gets its marching orders from the male dominated City Council, and if they tell them not to care, then there will be no caring for the residents or visitors to the the City.
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