Printable VersionFor several residents on Curtis Drive, barbecues and outdoor activities have become a thing of the past.
 Construction crews kick up dust in September on Curtis Drive. Residents nearby claim several zoning ordinance violations have occurred on the property for months. City staff is meeting with the residents Monday. Submitted Photo. |
Kim and other residents in the neighborhood complained to city staff for several months of dust and noise from SJ Louis Construction, a local company that has set up operations to continue work on the Neptune Sewer Staging Area. Several residents also appeared at recent City Council meetings, wrote letters of protest and called city staff, upset with what they say are violations of city zoning ordinances. Their voices were heard as city officials have granted a meeting at 5:15 p.m. Monday at 3020 Curtis Drive.
Kim, who is hosting the meeting, said she invites all residents to attend and speak about their issues.
“This is a hard-won meeting that we have been working on since June to have the construction site removed from our neighborhood,” she wrote in a release. She also said the company is violating several conditions set by the city.
A Public Works letter to SJ Louis dated March 24, states the contractor must provide notice to all surrounding properties before construction, work only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and provide appropriate dust control. Kim said the company has met none of those requirements.
“At first I thought it was just me that wasn’t notified but I asked around and found out it was everyone,” Kim said. “Many of us signed a petition saying we never received notice.”
Kim said dust levels have recently gone down but was not controlled for months.
“Now they’re finally getting better but it looked like a huge dust storm here for a while,” she said. “I also have photos of them working at night and on weekends and there are a lot of us who have seen them out there at night and on weekends. … I feel like it’s too little too late at this point.”
Resident Leroy Winsor said he constantly sees dust outside of his house.
“The dust is terrible. Every time the wind blows even a little, dust flies all around the neighborhood,” he said. “I go four or five days before I need to replace my air filters and those things are supposed to last 30 days.”
The dust is also a problem for pets, he said.
“I go outside every day to clean out mud and dust in my dog’s dish. It’s getting to the point where it’s difficult to even let him out.”
Winsor said he’s also concerned about diesel fuel tanks sitting on the nearby construction property.
“They’re less than 50 feet away from me so it’s a big safety hazard,” he said. “It’s just messed up my whole life here as far as being able to enjoy my house and my yard. I’m concerned about this whole thing.”
Interim Public Works Director Mark Clark said he will attend the meeting Monday to listen to concerns and answer questions.
“We’ll discuss what is happening and we are looking for suggestions and concerns they might have,” he said. “The construction yards are a part of sewer program and the city feels it’s in best interest of the community to have yards be near the construction area.”
Clark said the main reason construction crews are allowed to use nearby properties is to limit travel.
“If they were off-site, everything has to be hauled into and off the site and that increases traffic to those areas,” he said, adding that he wants to be sure the crews are using the sites properly. “We recognize the concerns and want to address them. This is not the first time an issue has come up related to yards in general in sewer areas. We will be happy to talk to the residents and see what we can work out.”
You can contact the reporter at nbruttell@havasunews.com
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