Suggested Policies

Thanks to readers San Marcos and steveinotay for your great comments. Both of you suggested a policy position that the Environmental Health Coalition has promoted for nearly 20 years: required separation of toxic pollution sources such as industries and major roadways and residential areas including schools and parks.  

Incompatible mixed-use development poses health and safety risks, results in additional exposure to industrial and vehicular air toxics and prevents significant investment in communities due to its aesthetic impacts as well. The California Air Resources Board has developed a guidance document that suggests appropriate distances between these uses.  This policy guidance resulted from CARB’s work in Barrio Logan and recognizes the hazards.  

EHC opposes repeating the same mistake in the proposed Otay Mesa Community Plan which does include housing directly adjacent to the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and thousands of trucks.  

EHC also strongly supports portions of the Economic Prosperity element and the Collocation Policy in the General Plan Update draft. The policies that promote the separation of residential and industrial uses in the GPU are critical to avoiding the creation of new incompatible mixed-use development and the hazards that result. 

— DIANE TAKVORIAN