Councilmember Agran's Planning Commissioner Calls for Health and Safety in Irvine’s Development Projects
On Thursday, October 21, the voices of approximately 40 Irvine residents caused the Irvine Planning Commission to postpone decision-making on a new neighborhood in Orchard Hills until November 4th. Councilmember Agran’s appointed Planning Commissioner Mary Ann Gaido channeled the community’s voice when she said, “Orchard Hills is a beautiful neighborhood, but we should remove the plant, period, so the community can enjoy health and safety and all the benefits of living in a master-planned city.”
Community members gave over two-and-a-half hours of testimony, providing data about the toxins All American Asphalt has released into north Irvine. This convinced the Commission to continue discussion on the Irvine Company’s application for tract map and master plan approval. On a 3-2 vote (Commissioners Gaido, Limb, and Knowland supported, while Commissioners Pierson and Huang opposed), the Planning Commission decided there was need for further air toxin studies and a review of the status of the City’s pending litigation. All of the Planning Commissioners showed concern for the health and safety of the residents.
The City filed a lawsuit for public nuisance abatement in July 2020. In the lawsuit, the City alleges the plant has repeatedly violated air quality regulations and emitted contaminants and noxious odors. Residents have bolstered this claim by noting that the All American Asphalt plant is the largest known industrial polluter of benzene and other known human carcinogens in Irvine.
Commissioner Gaido and Councilmember Agran are invested in seeing the City’s longtime partnership with the Irvine Company result in the construction of more Irvine homes, but they insist that new development should occur only when the air is safe to breathe.
Thank you to all the Irvine residents and the organizers of Non-Toxic Neighborhoods for expressing concerns about the issues surrounding the asphalt plant. It was especially encouraging to see so many student speakers engaging the Commission and involving themselves in local government.
Thursday’s meeting demonstrated the value of community engagement and constructive dialogue.
A Public Nuisance: City of Irvine v. All American Asphalt
