Ventura must enact a moratorium on gas stations and other toxic uses.

Gas stations and drive-thrus are not the benign background components of urban life we think they are.

IT’S NOT JUST THIS PROJECT! We became involved with a specific mix-use project project proposed for a site at Wells Road and Darling in Saticoy just because we thought that the gas station and the housing looked too close together.
But as we researched the issues, it became clear to all of us that our city is woefully out-of-date on the effects of these types of businesses on nearby sensitive uses, such as housing and schools. In fact, according to our city planners, they treat gas stations like any other storefront – like yogurt shops or art galleries. Not only can they poison people living close-by, but they are also possible threats to our water supply, which would affect all of us.

We are demanding that our city call an immediate moratorium on such construction until qualified experts, using the most up-to-date data and standards, can ascertain that we are maintaining safe setbacks from homes and schools. Since earthquakes can cause leakage from gas stations, we are also demanding that no gas stations ever be placed in high hazard zones, in corrosive soil, in soil prone to liquifaction, or near local water sources. All these conditions occur at the Saticoy project site.

A group from Saticoy for Sensible Development has met with each city council member separately, along with City Manager and staff from Assemblymember Bennett’s office and now we need your voices as well.

ACTION: Write to Ventura City Council members and communicate to them your thoughts about the development.

council@cityofventura.ca.gov

Powerpoint presentation – We do not need a gas station and drive-thrus here.

“A” is the apartment building, “C” contains (2) drive-thrus and a sit-down restaurant, and “B” contains a market on the right and an eight pump/16 nozzle gas station on the left.

The plan of the apartment building is fine.

It’s with part “C” that the problem starts.

It takes a while for us to truly understand all the dangers surrounding us, especially if they’re funded by large corporations.

Gas stations have been part of our city-scape and there is nostalgia for them.

Not so much here. For this project, the gas station has basically disappeared. All the other structures are shown in 3-dimensions.

The gas station is on the last page, and isn’t even noted in the drawing index. It’s not labeled as a gas station, but as a “canopy.” It’s also only rendered in 2-dimensions, a format that many people can’t understand well.

So we added it, so people could see it more clearly.

Contrast and compare – a presentation that de-emphazies the gas station, and one that doesn’t.

We had to ask the obvious question…

Here’s another obvious question.

No.

So…they leak!

This leak will cost the city of Ventura about $5 million dollars

Yeah, the $2 million figure was out-of-date.

If it were just water it was leaking, we’d all be fine… but it’s not.

So…how far should your house be from a gas station? The above was the answer from twenty years ago.

Benzene is more agile than we thought back then.

A lot of the studies come from Europe, which is not as captive to the fossil fuel industry as we are. That also means we have to navigate meters when talking about setbacks

We are not the first city worried about this.

The warnings are right on the pumps, for godsakes!

This is what the EPA recommended for a setback from sensitive uses like schools.

We are a bit closer than that in Saticoy

That 50 meter setback in the Italian study lands us right in the children’s play area in this project.

However, the influence of benzene spreads beyond the property lines of this project

Remembering that this isn’t the only case station in the area…

So how close are we?

Tell us that the conditions noted by the County (light blue area) do not apply to our site right next door.

Gas stations and drive-thrus also do not fit within the city’s General Plan.

In 2009, the residents of Saticoy made their own plan. This project’s components don’t comply here either.

People could be physically harmed by this project. The awards could bankrupt our city.

Geological Study Review

(Addressed to our City Manager) “You’ve been given the air pollution concerns for the citizens around the Wells and Darling Area. Now, we wonder why no one seems very concerned about a gas station that is .2 miles away from the City’s East End Water Wells. We have grave concerns about the knowledge of the staff who feed you all information to make important decisions.

1. LOCATION: To understand this information, assume you are standing at the site and below your feet in layers from top to bottom is soil, sediments and rock.

2. QUAD TITLE PAGE All soil and geology maps that I have in the talk are digitized maps available on the web thru the USGeological Survey and the USConservation Dept. These maps exist over just about every square foot of the US They are Legal and Binding. THis Saticoy Quadrangle was completed in 2004.

3. UWCD BLOW-UP OF SATICOY QUAD SHOWING Groundwater basin in discussion.

Green line shows the Santa Paula Groundwater Basin limits in the alluvial (old riverbed) sediments.

Black lines are Faults Look at the Oak Ridge along S.Mtn heading out towards Montalvo to the ocean. Est 6 to 8 mag. Earthquakes whenever we get one. We are long overdue. Foothill Fault along Foothill Rd.

Neon Blue line Wells corridor

Point out Brown Barranca

Talked with the Hydrogeologist there, The Grounddwater Basin is adjudicated by a judge. Meaning Ventura, UWCD, Santa Paula Pumpers could not agree how to share the water. Gina Dorrington with the City and Hydrogeologist are on the Technical Committee formed because of this legal agreement. (yet no one asked Gina about this project) City supposedly has a Groundwater Consultant (Hobson Grdwater) for Water Pure. Have they consulted him?

4. BLOW-UP of SATICOY QUAD

Qht Alluvial river beds no age,

Qhfy Alluvial fan coming off the mountains formed by streams, carrying Clayey Silts/ Silty Clays, sands and gravels. Based on Geotechnical Report this fan comes down into the property.

Explain grain size, porosity, permeability

5. SOILS MAP: Pico Sandy Loam mix of mostly sand, silt and minor amounts of clay. About 5 feet thick here. Great for agriculture.

Highly permeable.

6. CORE SAMPLE MAP: Geotechnical Report for engineering/building purposes 2018 requested by previous owner. Not valid, too old and site plans have changed. I’ve heard Ghaderi has a new report, but the public is not allowed to see it. Report shouldn’t be different, Geology doesn’t change, except for building requirements. 18 samples, drilled down 25 feet. None taken where the tanks and pumps would be. They found Silty Clays and Clayey Silts. Very fine grained, Hit groundwater at 18 feet. Could be higher or lower any given year. Based on rain in the last 4 years, I’d bet it’s higher.

Chemical Analysis of these sediments shows to have a high sulfate content which is highly corrosive. Could be natural, could be pesticides. I talked with an Engineer from this company. Have to be very careful about what piping and tanks are used to build the gas station as tanks can be anywhere form 8 to 15 deep.

These sediments are highly expansive because of the higher clay content.

That means the ground will swell and shrink depending on how much water is in the sediments. There was a special addendum written to mitigate this problem for buildings, not written for gas stations. Very costly process. Will they do it right. Too many issues where the developer could cut corners or screw up that would have a direct effect on the water wells and the Santa Clara River since Brown Barranca is an open ditch right across the street.

7. HOW WATER TRAVELS TO AQUIFER BELOW 300 FEET.

Public Works Employee Peter Schellenbarger, told me there was no issue with contamination ever happening. No permeability, no water penetration at dept. That’s incorrect based on what UWCD told me (experts). There is no clay cap stopping surface water from penetrating down to the aquifer the city uses. It gets replenished by surface water all thru the basin traveling south and west and from where the San Pedro Fm outcrops in the mountains.

8. LIQUEFACTION MAP from the CA. Seismic Hazard Map

White areas were not evaluated because they were already built on when the map was made. Now, the State lets everyone build on liquefaction sites. No one really knows what’s going to happen till it happens. All of

the Oxnard Plain is in the liquefaction zone, but I’ll bet there aren’t gas stations being built less than a quarter mile away from City Water Wells.

No major earthquake has happened in modern day to really know what will happen. It isn’t going to be pretty.

Look at the Front St. issue that developed when they hit groundwater.

9. BROWN BARRANCA LIQUEFACTION MAP: point out Retirement home, Parkland Apts and soon to be new gas station.

CONCLUSIONS: LEGAL REASONS WHY THE CITY CAN STOP HIM

AB130, SB35 / SB423 all have clauses that stop easy approval process when environmental health hazards exist and property is on seismic hazard maps.

Gas stations face serious scrutiny in other cities.

Our city calls it a storefront?

Gina Dorrington on the Tech. Committee for the Grdwater Basin isn’t consulted

Groundwater Consultant, consulted?

Public Wrks employees either ill-informed or trusting sketchy reports by this developer? I just don’t know. I dont’ get it . ..why we haven’t told this guy he can’t build a gas station.

RWQCB Complaint Form (Regional Water Quality Control Board )

I am representing a small grassroots group (Saticoy for Sensible Development) that is fighting a proposed 16 pump gas station and 2 drive-thrus in the portion of the City of Ventura known as Saticoy. Everyone is very concerned about the potential contamination of groundwater in the area and the air and noise pollution that would develop from this project. We have hundreds of citizens supporting our efforts. We recently turned in a petition to the City with over 160 signatures of residents living around the area.

For identification purposes, the City’s project number is Proj-23-0424, the Developer calls it Saticoy East Village. The area is located at the SE corner of the Wells Rd/Hwy 118 and Darling Rd Intersection. It is a 4.7 acre plot.

The developer/owner is Amad Ghaderi. He owns A & S Engineering and Ashdon Development companies. He is known throughout S. California for building gas stations and drive-thru fast food restaurants. It appears he owns 30 other parcels of land in California and one parcel in Parker, Colorado.

The City has denied Ghaderi’s plans at least twice in the last 10 years. He has now come back tying California’s Affordable Housing Acts (AB130, SB35 and SB423) to his gas station and drive-thru proposal. He plans to add a 68 unit/4 story building with just enough affordable units to comply with state regulations. He thinks that keeps him from having to create an EIR and/or comply with CEQA. We don’t believe allowing polluting businesses attached to affordable housing was the intent of those laws.

Our group has met with each of the 7 City Council members, Planning Dept Manager and the City Manager of Ventura and the representatives to Senator Limon and Assemblyman Bennett to share our powerpoint presentations on the dangers of Gas Stations in general and this one specifically to people’s health in the area and the city’s water source for the East end of town. We have also presented to the Municipal Advisory Council for the county portion of Saticoy. The local Supervisor for District 1 doesn’t seem too interested in the issue. I have also met personally with the United Water Conservation District (UWCD) Hydrogeologist who is on the technical committee for the Groundwater Basin. We feel like few members of Staff in the City are either ill-informed or uninformed of this project. The Water Dept. Manager (Gina Dorrington) was not informed of this project and she sits on the Technical Committee for the Adjudicated Santa Paula Groundwater Basin. One of the Public Works staff believes misinformation about the groundwater/soils and geology in the area and is basing approval decisions on this. While told by City Officials that no one likes this project, they make it sound like the Developer will get his way.

We don’t think that should happen. THis is why I would like to file a formal complaint against this project.

The major concerns to deny this project are:

The station is less than ¼ mile SW of the City of Ventura’s water wells at the intersection of Telephone Rd and Wells Rd/HWY 118. The wells are in a SW direction from the station. The groundwater in the Santa Paula Basin flows in a westerly direction. This groundwater basin is adjudicated with UWCD, City of Ventura and the Santa Paula Pumpers.
Brown Barranca is an open ditch directly west and across Hwy 118 of the proposed gas station. Brown Barranca flows right past the City’s water wells and directly into the Santa Clara River. At times of heavy rainfall, this barranca transports a vast amount of water.
Brown Barranca is in the 100 year floodzone on legally binding State Maps. The proposed gas station is in the 500 year floodzone on these same maps.
The Santa Paula Groundwater Basin is surrounded by major faults that are just waiting to shift. The Oak Ridge Fault is approximately 0.6 miles south of the proposed gas station. This fault is capable of a 6 to 8 point magnitude earthquake. The Foothill Fault is approximately 2 miles to the north of the site in discussion.
There are two gas stations at Wells and Citrus and another approved gas station to be built against our wishes at Telegraph and Wells. That makes the potential of 4 gas stations within 1/2 mile of each other. That is excessive in anyone’s mind. The pollution dome that could be created by these stations is staggering for the population.
I have read an old Geotechnical Report for the site. It was done for a previous developer and is over 18 years old, but geology doesn’t really change. The report shows the soils and alluvial fan sediments to be highly corrosive due to a high sulfate content. No one can explain if the sulfate is natural or due to pesticides used on the site when it was being farmed. There is a heavy clay content in the alluvial fan sediments and it was noted that they are highly expansive. An addendum to the report was written for the previous developer to deal with the soils chemically in order to stabilize them
The water table was hit at 18 feet when drilling 25 foot core samples for the report. The report stated that the water table could be higher or lower given the amount of rainfall received annually. This shows there is porosity and permeability in the soils and sediments in this area. There is no clay cap, this ground water is not a perched water table. Water taken into the ground will travel to the aquifer. This is proof that gasoline could contaminate the aquifer, when spills or leakage occur due to carelessness, accidents, flooding, corrosion of building equipment.
The site is noted on the California Seismic Hazard map as a liquefaction zone. Yes, people build on liquefaction zones all the time. But do they build 16 pump gas stations so close to a city’s water source? Especially when the basin is so riddled with faulting.
Research shows that children are 2 times more at risk of developing leukemia if they live or go to school within 164 feet of a gas station. This developer wants to build affordable housing 80 feet away from the gas pump canopy. The rest of the community is all residential with a Senior Citizen home and affordable housing for farmworkers being right next door to the drive-thrus and gas station.
Fuel trucks would visit this station daily and use the alley that will separate the gas station from the apartment building he has plans for. The noise and fumes from this will be dangerous and intolerable for all residents, but especially children. Currently there are well over 100 children living within the pollution dome that would exist if this station is built.
The County of Ventura declared Saticoy/(just south of Telephone Rd) a Designated Disadvantaged Community (DDC) due to a combination of economic , health and environmental burdens that the residents must tolerate. The City chose not to declare their side of the same census tract with this destination, even though the residents are still subject to the same amount of air pollution from cars and pesticide load from the surrounding agricultural fields.
Ventura’s Planning Dept. has labeled the gas station as a “storefront”, not a gas station. This could affect permitting issues.
This development goes against the Saticoy and Wells Community Plan as well as Ventura’s previous General Plan and the new General Plan 50. It fits none of the criteria for healthy living, healthy food and pollution free businesses.
We firmly believe our complaint is valid and necessary to protect the health of thousands of citizens in the East End of Ventura.