Councilwoman Moves Quickly to Reduce Massive Asphalt Mound in Lake Balboa

LAKE BALBOA-Councilwoman Nury Martinez led City Hall in supporting her motion to reduce and cover the large mound of citywide reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) that has created environmental concerns in the Lake Balboa community. With an unanimous vote the Bureau of Street Services (BSS) will cover the existing mound by December 12, 2014, continue to reduce the size of the mound and report back on a long term environmentally-sustainable solution.

After hearing from residents and seeing the 30-foot mound of asphalt abutting neighborhoods, local businesses and the Van Nuys Airport in the Sixth District, Councilwoman Martinez and her staff moved this motion through City Hall rapidly, waiving it out of Committee and requesting it be heard only two Council meetings after it was introduced.

In conjunction with the Councilwoman, the Bureau of Street Services is working to eliminate this eyesore that is creating air quality and other environmental concerns in the community. Already, there are ongoing efforts to reduce the pile and improve local air quality concerns such as ceasing delivery of additional RAP, delivering existing RAP to alternative sites and watering the mound to harden it. Their work has already reduced the height of the asphalt mound from 30 feet to 17 feet.

“It is not okay that my District stores so much of the City’s reclaimed asphalt when it comes at the expense of the well being of the local community,” said Councilwoman Nury Martinez. “But this isn’t the only environmental concern in my District. I regularly see children riding their bikes in their neighborhoods and passing waste processing facilities and breathing in air from waste hauling trucks. This is unacceptable and unfair and I will continue to work with residents to ensure that this problem doesn't spread into our other neighborhoods.”

The Councilwoman has seen firsthand the impact of poor City planning and zoning on residents in the San Fernando Valley. As the former Executive Director of Pacoima Beautiful, she worked to transform polluted areas into sustainable ones. The Councilwoman will continue to develop solutions that mitigate environmental problems (such as poor air quality and an overconcentration of waste processing facilities) and restore open space in our community as well as transform these sites into economic development opportunities.

 

(Linda M. Serrato-Ybarra is Communications Director for Councilwoman Nury Martinez … whose office provided this report.)

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CityWatch

Vol 12 Issue 96

Pub: Nov 28, 2014