Escondido water plant decision delayed
Roughly 150 residents packed the Escondido City Council meeting this week to rally against the city’s plan to build a large recycled water treatment plant in their neighborhood.
The group turned out, even after hearing that Wednesday’s hearing would be delayed indefinitely so that further study could be done about how plant would affect their property values. City Manger Graham Mitchell said the study would also include other possible sites where the plant might be built.
“We decided the staff needs to evaluate the whole project and needs more time,” Mayor Sam Abed told the gathering early in the meeting. “We need to explore every alternative to minimize the impact on the nice neighborhood.”
The hearing was continued as planned, but Diane Belnap — the leader of the opposition group — loudly told the audience not to move. An hour and a half later, just prior to adjournment, Belnap and several others were given time to speak.
“There are some very significant issues with the location of this, whether it is our neighborhood or some other neighborhood,” Belnap said. “It’s an industrial facility. It belongs in an industrial neighborhood.”
The city has been working for years on a system that would bring recycled water to eastern Escondido and to farms on that side of town.
The city wants to build the water plant on a 3.52-acre parcel of city-owned land that sits in the middle of two subdivisions. Few residents were aware of the plan until a few months ago.
Belnap and others quickly organized an opposition campaign and were able to convince the city’s Planning Commission to unanimously deny the proposed plan late last month. The panel cited the damage the facility would do to the quality of life for nearby residents.
The city’s public works department is now appealing that decision to the City Council. They say changing course now would cost millions of tax payer dollars and probably delay the water project by years.
The plant would process 2 million gallons of water a day and would include two large, 37-foot-tall buildings that would essentially be the size of a football field. It would be in operation at all times, night and day.
Neighbors have said they’re not only worried it would be an eyesore, but about the noise, visual and possible chemical pollution it might create.
“I am a single mother of two children,” said U.S. Marine Chief Warrant Officer 3 Bethzaida Flores, who said she moved to the neighborhood eight years ago with plans on retiring in Escondido.
“This facility will literally be in my backyard,” she said. “I have invested because I plan to retire here. That’s how much I love Escondido. I implore that you look at somewhere else for this facility because it is not what’s in the best interest of the community.”
Belnap thanked the council for the delay.
“While the city is doing it’s investigation we will be ramping up,” she said. “We will not be subsiding... All these people have come together. I didn’t know any of these people. I’ve lived in my home for five years so thank you, you brought us together. You’ve shown me what the community can do when they really band together.”
Abed closed the meeting saying the council understands the community’s concerns.
“Your points are well taken,” he said. “We will not put any chemicals that would risk children or family’s health. This would not happen. We’ve got it. We’ve responded. Let us do the homework and come back to you.”
