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Residents press council on creek herbicide, recycling service and landfill‑gas proposal
Summary
Several public commenters urged environmental action: a Creek Team member reported a county commitment to stop herbicide spraying in local creeks and to form a non‑regulatory oversight board; the Hickmans pitched a Recycle From Home program serving 16,000+ homes and claiming 30 million cans recycled; another resident urged council support for a biofuel farm to cap a landfill and capture methane. No formal council action followed on those requests.
During oral communications on March 3, speakers raised several environment‑focused concerns and proposals.
Bethany Nelms representing Creek Team said the group secured an agreement at a town hall with County Supervisor Katrina Foley to stop herbicide spraying in San Juan Capistrano waterways (Trabuco Creek and San Juan Creek) and to establish a non‑regulatory oversight board to pilot an alternative pest management program. Nelms asked the city to continue supporting that pilot.
Damien and Ryan Hickman outlined their Recycle From Home program and said they are seeking city participation. They told the council the program serves more than 16,000 homes in multiple cities, has recycled roughly 30,000,000 cans and bottles, paid residents about $1,500,000, and operates at no cost to participating cities (it retains a small service fee from redemptions).
Jeff Weaver raised concerns about landfill gas near a local high school and urged council support for a proposed biofuel farm that would cap the landfill, capture gas and produce energy. Weaver cited county documents alleging roughly 1,000,000 cubic feet of gas near the high school and criticized the county's mitigation plans; no county official responded at the meeting and the council did not take formal action on these requests.
The council thanked the speakers for their comments; items raised were not acted upon at the meeting but were recorded for follow up as appropriate.
