Water District’s Plan for Facility Criticized

I am outraged at the insensitivity of the Metropolitan Water District and its plans to build a maintenance facility in a residential area. Metropolitan believes it has special privileges and doesn’t need an environmental impact report or a conditional-use permit from Monterey Park. I vehemently disagree and was extremely upset to learn that many residents were not informed of Metropolitan’s meeting on July 27, nor did all residents receive packets describing the expansion plans.

Metropolitan evaded telling residents at the meeting that there would be a chlorine room, a sandblasting room and a painting room.

We believe storing chlorine in a residential area is bordering on stupidity. Montebello and Monterey Park residents vividly remember being evacuated last year due to a toxic chlorine cloud. Hillcrest Elementary School is directly across the street from Metropolitan’s reservoir, and the safety of children must never be jeopardized.

Approximately 36 years ago, Metropolitan stated that its land would be a beautiful lake, and that is all Monterey Park would have. Residents are determined and are organizing to make sure that that is exactly how the land will remain.

PHYLLIS RABINS

Monterey Park