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Residents press council to reconsider Amcor location in Vistancia; council and staff say project approvals follow law
Summary
Residents voiced strong opposition to the proposed Amcor industrial facility being sited adjacent to Vistancia during public comment on April 22, citing water use, chemical contaminants, proximity to schools and alleged zoning changes that they say were not disclosed when they purchased homes.
Dozens of residents used the public-comment period at the April 22 meeting to oppose the proposed Amcor industrial facility sited near the Vistancia community, raising concerns about zoning changes, water usage, potential for chemical contamination, proximity to schools and homes, and the process by which approvals were negotiated.
Several speakers said the land was not marketed or approved for heavy industrial uses when they bought homes in the area and argued that the city had altered land-use designations in recent years. Residents asked the council to renegotiate or relocate Amcor to a more appropriate industrial site, questioned the city’s use of public incentives and asked what protections exist for groundwater and air quality.
Speakers cited water-use estimates and drought concerns: one commenter noted that Amcor’s projected water use (presented in materials as roughly 2 million gallons per day) far exceeded conservation savings and park water reductions; another urged the city to require on-site water recycle and to avoid discharges to reclaimed systems. Other commenters raised legal and procedural questions about whether land-use changes complied with the Vistancia planned-community documents and the loop 303 specific-area plan.
City staff responded during the meeting that approvals and actions to date were in compliance with state law and city code; staff also said remaining steps for Amcor are administrative and that the council would not take additional discretionary votes on the matter at the meeting. Residents pressed for more detailed answers and for city-initiated renegotiation, and some requested specific documents such as the company’s risk assessment and hazard-control plans.
Councilmembers and staff committed to continuing to engage with residents and to answer questions through the appropriate administrative and permitting channels; no new council action or vote on the Amcor site occurred during the meeting. Public commenters asked the council to prioritize public health and water resource stewardship in any further discussions.
