HUNTINGTON BEACH
Despite concerns about a landfill under the proposed site of the sports complex at Central Park, the Planning Commission recently recommended approval of a report detailing the planned development’s environmental impact. “There’s a bunch of crud underneath there,” said Commissioner Gerald Chapman, the only one who felt strongly enough to vote against the report. “It’s been a dump for years.”
The 45-acre complex--featuring eight recreational fields, up to four roller hockey rinks, two playgrounds, a batting cage, restrooms and a parking lot--would sit on top of buried refuse, the report shows. The risk that methane will be released remains “significant,” the report states.
City staffers said they anticipated the problem and plan to minimize the danger by maintaining at least a 4-foot layer of soil over the landfill, a staff report states. The City Council is expected to review the report in August.
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