Residents within a quarter-mile of certain hazardous-material facilities will receive notice
The Irvine City Council has unanimously approved new rules expanding public notification and zoning oversight for businesses that handle certain hazardous chemicals.
Quarter-mile notification requirement
Under the new rules, businesses required to maintain a Risk Management Plan must notify residents and property owners within a quarter-mile radius of the facility. New operators subject to the requirement also must obtain a conditional use permit from the city’s Planning Commission.
City staff identified more than 1,100 Irvine businesses registered as using hazardous materials, but only seven were identified as handling acutely hazardous materials at levels that place them in the state’s accidental-release prevention program.
Rules follow recent Orange County incidents
The changes were developed after chemical emergencies elsewhere in Orange County, including a May incident in Garden Grove that led to large-scale evacuations and a more recent chemical release in La Habra.
The city says the changes are intended to increase transparency and give local officials more authority to evaluate whether future hazardous-material uses are compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.
Sources: Voice of OC and City of Irvine meeting agenda.
