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Residents press council to act on pending petitions and protest concrete plant expansion
Summary
Public commenters told the council that petitioners who filed in February 2025 still await action and that a recent expansion plan for a concrete plant marginalized non‑English speakers and elderly residents; commenters said they will submit letters requesting review of the process and better outreach.
During the meeting’s public‑comment period, multiple residents urged the council to prioritize pending petitions and raised community outreach concerns tied to a proposed industrial expansion.
Former councilor Maryan Benbisky (Westfield) told the council she reviewed the meeting slides and described a petition filed by residents in February 2025 that has not led to a clear process: "...los residentes registraron esta petición sin saber que al final y al cabo no iba a realizar o conllevar a ningún proceso." She asked that the council add the petition to the next agenda so the community would not have to wait another year.
Katy Rodríguez said a March 26 meeting about a concrete plant expansion left residents feeling ignored and without language access. "A pesar de la designación de justicia ambiental, ellos decidieron... expandir la planta de concreto completamente marginalizando a los residentes de la zona," Rodríguez said, adding that nearby residents, including older adults and people with disabilities, had not been notified and that the neighborhood was effectively treated as a "sacrifice zone." She said she and others will send a letter to the council and ask the city secretary to review the permitting process.
Staff read written and chat comments from groups including a Westfield commenter and environmental organizations supporting petitions for specific communities. Several commenters asked whether petitioners who filed prior to the current draft regulations will have to refile; staff said the process is still under review and that the office will follow up.
Why it matters: Residents’ statements underscore community frustration with perceived delays and inadequate outreach and reinforce council discussion about how the petition process must treat language access and lived experience evidence.
Next steps: Council staff said they would ensure written comments are received and that the petition process draft will be revised to address implementation issues raised by commenters.
