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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2 - PUBLIC COMMENT_ArriolaFrom:Soto, Ricardo To:Bernal, Sarah Subject:FW: URGENT: General Plan Update Concern Date:Monday, November 09, 2020 4:30:16 PM Attachments:asthma prevalence in OC.png childhood lead poisoning 2009-18.png Rate of Asthma Hospitalization Among Children Ages 0-17 2017.png Sarah,   This one is not in the folder.   From: Elaine Arriola <elaine.a.arriola@gmail.com>  Sent: Monday, November 09, 2020 3:08 PM To: eComment <ecomment@santa-ana.org>; New General Plan <NewGeneralPlan@santa-ana.org> Subject: URGENT: General Plan Update Concern Good afternoon, My name is Elaine Arriola and I am a resident in Santa Ana, one of the most vulnerable residents of the city. My family and I have gone through enough adverse experiences to haveto go through yet again another. I live in one of the disadvantaged communities impacted by environmental justice. I live in Delhi area where toxic lead levels are way abovehazardous levels. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment considers anything above 80 ppm in a residential area as hazardous to health and sampleshave ranged from 11.4 to 2,687 parts per million, with an average soil sample of 123.1 ppm. How is this okay? It has been long overdue that the city adopts community coalitions ofenvironmental justice concerns into the city's general plan. At the rate that environmental justice concerns are being annoyed, health conditions in Santa Ana are onlygoing to worsen far worse than they already are. My grandma has osteoporosis, something that her doctors found shocking since she is very active still and lives a healthy lifestyle. My auntwho is now 85 was diagnosed with dementia at the beginning of this year which came suddenly. Again her doctors could not find a reason for her diagnosis other than her old age. Ifound it awfully, a coincidence that researchers found that adults who are exposed to high levels of lead can suffer cardiovascular issues, renal problems, osteoporosis, and cognitivedeficiencies. If it is not obvious enough, my family who is living in one of many disadvantaged communities in Santa Ana is low-income. It should not be too much of a surprise to you allsince it is a known fact that environmental justice issues magnify the target against low- income BIPOC communities. I am sure you know this since you are in such a rush to adoptthis general plan. My question to you is, do you care? I do want to bring light to the fact In an article on The Daily Pilot published a couple of months ago in September 2020, it was foundthat "Children who are exposed to lead can develop several neurological issues, including smaller brain volume, lower working memory and processing speed, more limited perceptualreasoning, poor school performance, and asthma," the study says. The amount of children who have been diagnosed with asthma is excruciatingly outrageous. Asthma prevalence wasslightly higher in 2017 than five years prior. I have provided images below with the trends associated with this information. Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases amongchildren in the U.S. and a leading cause of hospitalizations and absences from school. Asthma rates vary by region, demographics, environment, physician diagnostic practices, and access to care. Although identifying the impact of independent risk factors for asthma is difficult,low-income and minority children are at disproportionately high risk for severesymptoms, missed school days, and emergency room visits due to asthma. With all this said I SUPPORT OC Environmental Justice and RiseupWillowick that the following matters MUST be addressed in the General Plan no matter how long it takes: · We need more community engagement, especially in the neighborhoods deemed “disadvantaged communities” · The City needs to develop a Public Health Action Plan to properly address the urgent issue of toxic lead exposures in the City. · Ensure tenant protections for residents who seek action on toxic lead exposures · Free blood testing for residents who might have been exposed to lead · Reducing cumulative impacts from pollution by limiting the number of facilities in the area and no new industry in the area until community is consulted and their demands are met · Establish caps on cumulative air pollution and base permitting decisions on overall emissions, not emissions per facility. Close or move polluters. · Reduce exposure to pollution by cleaning up existing air pollution and creating buffer zones between polluters and homes, schools, and daycare facilities · Install barriers or other mitigation of noise pollution · The City should prioritize preserving existing open space and NOT development that does not provide direct benefits to the existing residents, like market-rate housing, hotels, big corporate business, should not be allowed on current open space. · The City should finalize its Park and Recreation Master Plan before the adoption of the General Plan to ensure that policies are in place to address the deficit that will be caused by the increase in development. · Market-rate and commercial development should not be incentivized at the current rate if it means outpacing the supply of open space · Invest more in parks and green space, more trees, green industry, community centers, libraries, clinics · Include anti-displacement policies in transit-oriented development, like the OC Streetcar route, Main St., Bristol St., etc. · Place housing affordability requirements in transit-oriented development and rest of the focus areas · Ensure the street growth strategy does not lead to the displacement of residents. · Transform current traffic enforcement practices toward non-lethal methods that decriminalizes traffic safety. · Prioritize people most at risk on the street- add policy that measures safety from the barriers to travel while being a woman, queer, trans, senior, youth, (the most vulnerable). · Prioritize shade trees or fruit trees. · Add parking on arterial streets to reduce vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian conflicts, slow traffic speeds, and create human-leveled arterial streets. · Make transit free for Santa Ana residents Please delay the adoption of the General Plan until these concerns are addressed and more and better community engagement is conducted!!!!!!!!! I understand how much time has passed since this plan has been drafted, but in the words ofRobert James Brown: “We have got some very big problems confronting us and let us not make any mistake aboutit, human history in the future is fraught with tragedy ... It's only through people making astand against that tragedy and being doggedly optimistic that we are going to win through." Lastly, in the words of CA attorney general Xavier Becerra: "Every Californian should have the opportunity to live in a community that is healthy and safe. This means that individuals must be able to make informed decisions about the environment in which they live, work, and play, and local governments must make informed choices in the planning and development of communities." Please do not strip us of our right to have a say in the conditions of which we live. Please let us inform you and take us seriously. Thank you from a very concerned resident about the future of the children and families at stake, Elaine Arriola References:https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/entertainment/story/2020-09-10/low-income-and- predominately-latino-neighborhoods-in-santa-ana-affected-by-toxic-lead-report-sayshttps://www.ochealthinfo.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=118279 https://www.ocbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/CommIndicators_Report_091219-WEB.pdf https://www.kidsdata.org/export/pdf?cat=45 Elaine Arriola (she/her)University of California, Berkeley | B.A. Psychology & Legal Studies (657) 346-5196elaine.a.arriola@gmail.com SANTA ANA Issues with the draft, policy analyzation SANTA ANA DRAFT GENERAL PLAN UPDATE TODAY'S PRESENTATION DISCUSSION OUTLINE Deconstructing the most critique applicable policies under the Core Values of the General Plan: Health Equity Sustainability Culture Education Other Health POLICY PS-1.6 FACILITY LOCATIONS Support land use decisions related to community facilities that preserve quality of life for the City’s residents and surrounding community. POLICY CN 1.7 (INDOOR RECREATION) Encourage new development to provide indoor recreation space when located in areas with high levels of localized air pollution or if site is adjacent to freeways or heavy industrial uses POLICY LU 3.11( AIR POLLUTION BUFFERS) Promote landscaping and other buffers to separate existing sensitive uses from rail lines, heavy industrial facilities, and other emissions sources. As feasible, apply more substantial buffers within environmental justice area boundaries. POLICY CM-1.5 EQUITABLE RECREATIONAL SPACES Promote the development and use of municipal buildings, indoor facilities, sports fields, and outdoor spaces for recreation that serve residents throughout the City, with priority given to areas that are underserved and/or within environmental justice area boundaries. Policies that do not enhance the community's quality of life: The people of Santa Ana value a physical environment that encourages healthy lifestyles, a planning process that ensures that health impacts are considered, and a community that actively pursues policies and practices that improve the health of our residents. Equity POLICY LU-1.3 EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF OPEN SPACE Promote the creation of new open space and community serving amenities in park deficient areas , with priority given to those that are also within environmental justice area boundaries. POLICY CM-1.1 ACCESS TO PROGRAMS Provide and maintain access to recreational and cultural programs within walking distance of residential areas. Among areas that are underserved or suffer from a lack of access, prioritize the improvement of access for residents living within environmental justice area boundaries. POLICY PS-1.9 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING POLICY PS-1.9 SUPPORTIVE HOUSING Collaborate with community stakeholders to identify and encourage the development of suitable sites for housing with support services. POLICY LU-4.7 DIVERSE COMMUNITIES Promote mixed-income developments with mixed housing types to create inclusive communities and economically diverse neighborhoods. Policies that neglect the lived experiences of residents and ignore rather than meet the needs of the existing community: Our residents value taking all necessary steps to ensure equitable outcomes, expanding access to the tools and resources that residents need, and to balance competing interests in an open and democratic manner. Figure CM-1 shows how exacerbated the resource disparities in Santa Ana are. All, but three community facilities are located in the northern part of the city. Sustainability POLICY CN 1.17 (INDOOR RECREATION) Encourage new development to provide indoor recreation space when located in areas with high levels of localized air pollution or if site is adjacent to freeways or heavy industrial uses THE CITY'S VISION The City further intends that local economic growth and diversification will reduce and ameliorate poverty, increase overall prosperity, improve health and wellness outcomes, expand housing opportunities, and increase quality of life choices available to City residents. POLICY LU 3.11( AIR POLLUTION BUFFERS) Promote landscaping and other buffers to separate existing sensitive uses from rail lines, heavy industrial facilities, and other emissions sources. As feasible, apply more substantial buffers within environmental justice area boundaries. POLICY LU-1.3 EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF OPEN SPACE Promote the creation of new open space and community serving amenities in park deficient areas , with priority given to those that are also within environmental justice area boundaries. Policies that put the lives of the most vulnerable at risk: Santa Ana values land-use decisions that benefit future generations, plans for the impacts of climate change, and incorporates sustainable design practices at all levels of the planning process. The City is not promoting sustainable alternatives to enhancing the community's quality of life. Removing affordable shopping centers such as Dollar Tree impacts low- income residents drastically. Culture: POLICY EP 3.1 ( LEVERAGE HISTORIC AND CULTURAL ASSETS) Market the City’s historic and cultural assets to increase the attraction of businesses and their employees to Santa Ana’s places and destinations. POLICY LU-1.10 DOWNTOWN ORANGE COUNTY Balance development within the downtown to continue to serve as a cultural and economic hub for existing and future residents. POLICY LU-4.10 THRIVING DOWNTOWN Encourage new development and enhancement of Downtown Santa Ana through creative, sustainable, and innovative design solutions. Policies that profit off our culture, while revising, diluting, and erasing our history, and the people: Our community values efforts that celebrate our differences as a source of strength, preserve and build upon existing cultural resources, and nurture a citywide culture of empowered residents. Culture is the representation of the people, of that which gives it meaning .YOU CAN’T CHANGE EVERYTHING THAT EMBODIES SANTA ANA AND THINK A MURAL WILL BRING IT BACK THE ESSENCE OF SANTA ANA IS BEING DEMOLISHED. . Education POLICY PS-2.6 SCHOOL SAFETY Collaborate with local schools to establish and implement comprehensive and coordinated services that enhance the security and safety of students, educators, and administrators on and off campus. POLICY CM-1.3 EQUITABLE PROGRAMS Encourage cultural programs and activities of local interest that are inclusive and affordable to all. POLICY HP- 2.2 EDUCATIONAL AWARENSS Provide educational opportunities to foster community awareness and pride in Santa Ana's history. POLICY PS-2.4 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Provide alternative methods to improve police services that support community partnerships, build public trust, and proactively address public safety issues. Policies based on an unsustained theoretical relationship with the community and ignore inevitable detrimental outcomes: We are a city that values the creation of lifelong learners, the importance of opening up educational opportunities to all residents and investing in educational programs that advance our residents’ economic well being. Society and institutions form the child, but policies form society and institutions. Figure CM-1. COMMUNITY FACILITIES Figure CM-2. SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS Figure HP-1. HISTORIC RESOURCES - CITYWIDE EMERGENCYThere are too many policies that do not meet the needs of the community. We cannot expect to adopt a general plan that is not prioritizing the needs and protecting the city's existing community. A general plan for the city of Santa Ana has not been adopted since 1982. We cannot expect to have a suitable plan within five years especially during a time in which residents are disproprtionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Right now even by moving forward with this plan, the city is not prioritizing the lives of our residents. This plan should be rewritten and taken more time on with more community input. Whoever wants to be involved should be  allowed. NO MORE VIOLATION OF OUR NEEDS & OUR RIGHTS.