Friday, July 8, 2016
Thursday, July 7, 2016
throw back Thursday
an editorial from march 2010
http://concernedcitizensaroundmurphy.blogspot.com/2010/03/editorial.html
Instead of a recovery plan that protects our right to secure tenure, the
shift continues toward industry, undermining our health and that of our children.
.
Spot Zoning's adverse effects and ramifications fail to preserve the integrity of our residential neighborhoods, result in a piece meal of yet another land use plan developed without thoughtful deliberations, and make any assemblance of a public input process a charade from the beginning.
.
Developed as the master land use plan through the works and recommendation of the Citizens Recovery Committee, and adopted by the Council in 2006, the Waggoner and Ball Plan was submitted to and accepted by the Louisiana Recovery Authority Board as the foundation for the St Bernard Parish Recovery Plan.
.
Subsequent zoning changes, allowed by Council Ordinance, which are
incompatible with the existing land use maps, seem to arbitrarily enforce local code. Although recently "modernized" with the advice of Donald Poland, a professional planner made available through a grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation (http://www.gnof.org/), the local Code of Ordinances: Chapter 22 Zoning left residential properties unprotected. The minimal allowance or required buffer between heavy industry and residential remains unchanged at a mere 100 feet. Recently introduced dockets, if granted, will allow industrial zoning adjacent to residential homes with even less protective footage; not to mention the nearby churches and schools. {Docket
7 - 10 Municipal No. 328 West St Bernard Hwy at Delille Street, Petition for Zoning Change from C2 General Commercial to I1 Industrial -- Public Hearing March 23rd 4pm}
St Bernard Parish needs to move away from politically motivated zoning changes and leave that authority with the Planning Commissioners, instead of Council Ordinance, with appeals of planning decisions heard in State Court.
Citizens Recovery Committee
(http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/IndParishHomepage_CommunityInvol
vement.cfm?EntID=13 ),
the Waggoner and Ball Plan
(http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16762854/Citizens-Recovery-Committee-MasterPlan
-April-2006 )
adopted by the Council in 2006,
(http://www.scribd.com/doc/28294096/StBernardParish-LRA-Resolution-062507-to
-Accept-Waggoner-and-Ball )
submitted to and accepted by the Louisiana Recovery Authority Board
(http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/IndParishHomepage.cfm?EntID=13
)
as the foundation for the St Bernard Parish Recovery Plan
(http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/IndParishHomepage_RecoveryVision
.cfm?EntID=13 ).
the local Code of Ordinances Chapter 22 Zoning
(http://www.scribd.com/doc/17214549/St-Bernard-Parish-Zoning-Regulations-Dra
ft-May-26-20091 )
http://concernedcitizensaroundmurphy.blogspot.com/2010/03/editorial.html
Instead of a recovery plan that protects our right to secure tenure, the
shift continues toward industry, undermining our health and that of our children.
.
Spot Zoning's adverse effects and ramifications fail to preserve the integrity of our residential neighborhoods, result in a piece meal of yet another land use plan developed without thoughtful deliberations, and make any assemblance of a public input process a charade from the beginning.
.
Developed as the master land use plan through the works and recommendation of the Citizens Recovery Committee, and adopted by the Council in 2006, the Waggoner and Ball Plan was submitted to and accepted by the Louisiana Recovery Authority Board as the foundation for the St Bernard Parish Recovery Plan.
.
Subsequent zoning changes, allowed by Council Ordinance, which are
incompatible with the existing land use maps, seem to arbitrarily enforce local code. Although recently "modernized" with the advice of Donald Poland, a professional planner made available through a grant from the Greater New Orleans Foundation (http://www.gnof.org/), the local Code of Ordinances: Chapter 22 Zoning left residential properties unprotected. The minimal allowance or required buffer between heavy industry and residential remains unchanged at a mere 100 feet. Recently introduced dockets, if granted, will allow industrial zoning adjacent to residential homes with even less protective footage; not to mention the nearby churches and schools. {Docket
7 - 10 Municipal No. 328 West St Bernard Hwy at Delille Street, Petition for Zoning Change from C2 General Commercial to I1 Industrial -- Public Hearing March 23rd 4pm}
St Bernard Parish needs to move away from politically motivated zoning changes and leave that authority with the Planning Commissioners, instead of Council Ordinance, with appeals of planning decisions heard in State Court.
Citizens Recovery Committee
(http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/IndParishHomepage_CommunityInvol
vement.cfm?EntID=13 ),
the Waggoner and Ball Plan
(http://www.docstoc.com/docs/16762854/Citizens-Recovery-Committee-MasterPlan
-April-2006 )
adopted by the Council in 2006,
(http://www.scribd.com/doc/28294096/StBernardParish-LRA-Resolution-062507-to
-Accept-Waggoner-and-Ball )
submitted to and accepted by the Louisiana Recovery Authority Board
(http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/IndParishHomepage.cfm?EntID=13
)
as the foundation for the St Bernard Parish Recovery Plan
(http://www.louisianaspeaks-parishplans.org/IndParishHomepage_RecoveryVision
.cfm?EntID=13 ).
the local Code of Ordinances Chapter 22 Zoning
(http://www.scribd.com/doc/17214549/St-Bernard-Parish-Zoning-Regulations-Dra
ft-May-26-20091 )
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Update: incursion in neighborhood
“Valero does plan to build a new Security Building, Warehouse, Maintenance Bays, Maintenance Offices, Safety Offices, Nurses Station, and Fire Station within the existing footprint of the Refinery in the future, when funding is available” Valero would spend over $20 million on these buildings
Update from (June 28th planning commission) public hearing: Valero
Energy did not make the expected presentation at yesterday's Planning Commission public hearing, although additional information was
available in the docket folder pertaining to location of easements and working with the parish if access from the building into the neighborhood needs to be barricaded.
If this building is being forced into a neighborhood, the least that could be done to protect residents is to prohibit, by barricade or removal of street, refinery traffic from entering a neighborhood. At a time when environmental justice works to increase the space between incompatible uses, Valero Energy seeks commercial incursion via an administration building and large parking lots.
There is no traffic study at this time, although a traffic study likely should be conducted during the heavier school traffic time and not the slower summer months.
There was no information presented on the size of the building or if it will replace the 5 story building on East Judge Perez or if the current building will be donated to Parish Government, nor any of the promised information which was not included in last months public hearing to change the land use map. One planning commissioner indicated he was just tired of this and just wanted to send this to the council. The planning commission is also waiting on the Office of Community Development to verify the location of Road Home Lot Next Door purchases in the area.
In
response to comments about the effect of commercial encroachment on the character of the neighborhood and the
declining property values from this zoning change, Valero commented they would purchase
houses above market value. The refinery manager cursed the planning commission
which is about par for how Valero treats residents of St Bernard Parish, and according to other Valero communities, about par for how Valero treats the human beings who reside on the other side of the fence.
The Council is expected to introduce the ordinance to change
the zoning for Valero at its Tuesday July 5 2016 7pm meeting, and expected to
conduct its public hearing on Tuesday July 19 2016 3pm meeting. Since residents cannot take off of work, they
are encouraged to contact the council.
There are at least three road home lot next door property(s) in the area of
the proposed building site. HUD and CBDG
grants were used to purchase road home properties and three in this area were redistributed
through the lot next door program. The HUD approved program was NOT intended to give unfair business advantages to corporations to come into our community and take advantage of vulnerable people. The HUD program was intended for people to revitalize their neighborhoods, and former Governor Blanco made clear that residents in the Murphy Oil spill area had the equal opportunity to participate. The Road Home program was not intended to run people out of their homes.
Using lot next door program properties sets a bad precedent either for continued preferential treatment of large
property owners or for other residents to construct on the lot next door
property. Maybe that’s the forward direction
this Council wants . Maybe the Council should instead represent its constituents and support neighborhoods and not corporations.
Local Housing Redevelopment Committee around the 6 minute mark:
http://sbpg.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=b7858681f49ebe4c286eaebe41418696
Transfer of HUD Road Home Properties through the Lot Next Door Program to Murphy Oil is not intended for commercial; it is for the green space.
Local Housing Redevelopment Committee around the 6 minute mark:
http://sbpg.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=b7858681f49ebe4c286eaebe41418696
Transfer of HUD Road Home Properties through the Lot Next Door Program to Murphy Oil is not intended for commercial; it is for the green space.
“Keep in mind it is not a commercial interest because it’s zoned residential and the [adjacent] Murphy lot… is also residential. …… don’t think it’s the same situation [as a previous case] because the Church wanted to use it for commercial purposes, Murphy is just obtaining it as part of their green space.”
above copy of proposed new flood maps showing flooding issues at refinery. when the refinery overflows, its rain water tends to flow into the neighborhood canal, exasperating the municipal storm water system
“Valero does plan to build a new Security Building, Warehouse, Maintenance Bays, Maintenance Offices, Safety Offices, Nurses Station, and Fire Station within the existing footprint of the Refinery in the future, when funding is available” Valero would spend over $20 million on these buildings
“Valero does plan to build a new Security Building, Warehouse, Maintenance Bays, Maintenance Offices, Safety Offices, Nurses Station, and Fire Station within the existing footprint of the Refinery in the future, when funding is available” Valero would spend over $20 million on these buildings
Valero Energy Meraux plant expands into neighborhood
Valero Energy Meraux plans for an office building and large parking lots outside the existing processing plant, further incursion into an established neighborhood
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Communities for a Better Environment
Last Friday [June 24 2016] afternoon there was a problem at the
Valero refinery in Benicia, prompting the facility to send out flares for at
least the next 63 hours.
The “unscheduled flaring” released more than 500
pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air, according to a report the company filed
with the [California] Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
The company will not answer any questions about the
incident.
“What we don’t know is killing us,” said Andres
Soto with Communities for a Better Environment. http://www.cbecal.org/ “It’s a deliberate policy
strategy to keep the media and the public ignorant of what is going on with
these dangerous chemical processes at the refinery.” http://beniciaindependent.com/63-hours-of-unscheduled-flaring-at-valero-benicia-3-bay-area-refinery-flaring-problems-investigated/
The Independent July 1, 2016 by Roger Straw
Here at the Valero refinery in Meraux, Louisiana
are incidents in 2016.
LA DEQ EDMS documents select download document to view (LA DEQ
EDMS document viewer dysfunctional) AI #1238 http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/querydef.aspx
March 25, 2015, January 13, 2016, and January 27, 2016 incidents under investigation, due to potential impact to groundwater. No indications it is associated with current or historic refining operations. http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=10088035&ob=yes&child=yes
Earlier observations were believed to be residual surface runoff from an October 2013 crude oil release. It was only on January 27 2016 when seepage was described by AT&T personnel inside the box, that Valero determined that this may, instead, be the result of historic groundwater contamination.
Variance in January 2015 to operate the crude tower over head fin fan banks with a leak document 9599408 and document 9595798 January 2015
Leak in fin/fan cooler discovered and secured 2/24 Released 1422 # hydrogen, 1316# hydrocarbons, 71# hydrogen sulfide. The in-plant responders used fire water to knock out the fumes. http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=10241768&ob=yes&child=yes
2/26 flaring from middle distillate shutdown, FGRU bypass, treated fuel to flare header
3/5 horrible odor
3/7 horrible odor FGRU bypass for catalyst change our naphtha hydrotreater and benzene unit
3/18 NHGT and benzene catalyst change out and FGRU bypass and amine in refinery sewerage system and amine in sour tank http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=10241792&ob=yes&child=yes
3/18 strong odors process upset sent amine to refinery sewerage, waste water treatment and the sour tank needed to replenish its diesel fuel blanket
4/10 resident reports being sick from sour burnt garbage odor. attributed to from the waste water treatment plant http://edms.deq.louisiana.gov/app/doc/view.aspx?doc=10241800&ob=yes&child=yes
Friday, July 1, 2016
Villere Plantation ruins
UPDATE
The Villere Plantation's brick drainage pump ruins have been entrusted, through a conservation easement to the St. Bernard Parish Historical Society. Unfortunately, the agreement expires at the end of the terms of an EPA consent decree. It would be a shame for our national historical treasure to be lost. Valero Energy has the opportunity to do the right thing and make edits to the consent decree which includes making the conservation easement permanent and merging the politically seated CAP meeting with the public meetings.
The wooded area of the former Villere Plantation would make a wonderful bird and wildlife sanctuary and is perfectly situated to add a wetlands observation walkway at the 40 arpent canal.
The Villere Plantation was listed as a War of 1812 Preservation Priority in the 2007 American Battlefield Protection Program Report to Congress. "The priorities indicate which sites, in the opinion of the National Park Service, merit immediate preservation action, which need ongoing preservation action, which require additional study, and which are best suited for commemoration rather than preservation."
http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/Rev1812_Final_Report.pdf
This area of the old Villere Plantation land, in Meraux, Louisiana, is just west of the natural waterways that are part of the actual British invasion route of the Battle of New Orleans 1814-1815. British Major-General Edward Pakenham's forces used the Panel Ditch and the linear (north - south) canal to the east of the Entergy utility pole easement to reach the Villere Plantation home, which was closer to the Mississippi River. Notes from Parish Historian
map of Villere, Lacoste, Chalmette, and Jumoville Plantations http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/events/orl_villere.html
The Villere archaeological brick ruins are located in the area just north of the Valero Energy crude oil tank farm {page 43 of link } . This area is home to nesting eagles and would be a really cool place not only for a walking history tour but also for a nature trail and bird sanctuary.
below: Photograph by John Messina for Series: DOCUMERICA: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, compiled 1972 - 1977
In time for the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans it would be a nice gesture if Valero Energy could reinstall a historical sign on St Bernard Highway and continue in perpetuity the conservation easement for the archaeological ruins of the drainage machine.
Although not indicated on the above map, Floral Estates is an established residential neighborhood, revitalized since Fall 2005; it was the location of the first S.L.A.B. festival in 2007. S.L.A.B. means support landscaping and beautification, which is a main focus of the Rediscover District C association. The S.L.A.B. festival raised funds for beautification projects throughout the parish. It was held on two concrete slab remnants of houses voluntarily demolished after the Murphy Oil crude oil spill and the levee failures in Hurricane Katrina.
.
The Villere Plantation's brick drainage pump ruins have been entrusted, through a conservation easement to the St. Bernard Parish Historical Society. Unfortunately, the agreement expires at the end of the terms of an EPA consent decree. It would be a shame for our national historical treasure to be lost. Valero Energy has the opportunity to do the right thing and make edits to the consent decree which includes making the conservation easement permanent and merging the politically seated CAP meeting with the public meetings.
The wooded area of the former Villere Plantation would make a wonderful bird and wildlife sanctuary and is perfectly situated to add a wetlands observation walkway at the 40 arpent canal.
The Villere Plantation was listed as a War of 1812 Preservation Priority in the 2007 American Battlefield Protection Program Report to Congress. "The priorities indicate which sites, in the opinion of the National Park Service, merit immediate preservation action, which need ongoing preservation action, which require additional study, and which are best suited for commemoration rather than preservation."
http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/Rev1812_Final_Report.pdf
This area of the old Villere Plantation land, in Meraux, Louisiana, is just west of the natural waterways that are part of the actual British invasion route of the Battle of New Orleans 1814-1815. British Major-General Edward Pakenham's forces used the Panel Ditch and the linear (north - south) canal to the east of the Entergy utility pole easement to reach the Villere Plantation home, which was closer to the Mississippi River. Notes from Parish Historian
map of Villere, Lacoste, Chalmette, and Jumoville Plantations http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/events/orl_villere.html
The Villere archaeological brick ruins are located in the area just north of the Valero Energy crude oil tank farm {page 43 of link } . This area is home to nesting eagles and would be a really cool place not only for a walking history tour but also for a nature trail and bird sanctuary.
below photo of Villere drainage mechanism in the 1930's
below photo of same in the 1970's
below: Photograph by John Messina for Series: DOCUMERICA: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, compiled 1972 - 1977
In time for the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans it would be a nice gesture if Valero Energy could reinstall a historical sign on St Bernard Highway and continue in perpetuity the conservation easement for the archaeological ruins of the drainage machine.
This monument marker was once located at Murphy Oil refinery, now owned by Valero Energy, in an area of the old Villere land closer to the river. This is where the December 23, 1814 scrimmage occurred, prior to the January 1815 Battle of New Orleans (approximately located at 2500 East St Bernard Highway in Eastern Chalmette).
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chalmette_Villere_Plantation_Monument_1972.jpg
map of area with brick ruins of drainage pump
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Wednesday, June 29, 2016
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