Foothills Sentry August 2020

NEWS INSIDE East Orange • Old Towne Orange • Orange Park Acres • Villa Park • Anaheim Hills • Silverado/Modjeska Canyons• North Tustin A Monthly Community Newspaper August 2020 *********ECRWSSEDDM**** Residential Customer Guest Commentary Page 4 Letters To The Editor Page 4 Canyon Beat Page 8 Service Directory Pages 11-13 Prof. Directory Page 13 Classifieds Page 13 Real Estate Page 14 Obituaries Page 15 FOLLOW US at Foothills Sentry The Best News In Town Since 1969 See "Dump site" continued on page 5 Photos by Tony Richards SEE YOU IN COURT Opening salvo fired in legal brief filed by OPA attorneys in the lawsuit challenging a controversial development’s EIR. See Lawsuit, page 2 County issues cease and desist letter to Sully-Miller dump site By Tina Richards The County of Orange has is- sued a cease and desist letter to the operators of the construction waste disposal site on Santiago Canyon Road in East Orange because, after years of unregis- tered activity, the company's be- lated application for a permit was deemed "incomplete." In a July 23 letter, the Coun- ty Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) wrote, “The Registration Permit Application package for a disposal facility at 6145 E. San- tiago Canyon Road, was incom- plete due to the facility not be- ing identified in the appropriate planning document. We are re- questing that you surrender your permit in writing within the next five business days and cease your operation.” Facility operator Chandler Rio Santiago; landowner Milan Capi- tal; and the City of Orange, the ju- risdiction that allowed the activ- ity to continue for years without oversight, have been “caught” by the county and state agency that regulates waste recycling. After years of unanswered complaints to the city about dust, noise, truck traffic and a growing mountain of who-knows-what, a resident’s complaint to the county was investigated by the OC Envi- ronmental Health Division. That governing body acts as the local enforcement agency for CalRe- cycle, which oversees solid waste management (landfills). An LEA inspector visited the site in January and again, with a Regional Water Board represen- tative, in February. Chandler Rio Santiago said there was a grading permit with the city, but LEA had not issued any permits and the water board thought the site was inactive. The city grading permit had expired in 2014. Molehill becomes a mountain Chandler Rio Santiago has been hauling construction waste to the former Sully-Miller site since 2013, on behalf of Milan Capital. Milan has been working with the City of Orange to put housing on the acreage since 2009. Over the last 11 years, Milan has allowed the once relatively flat, pastoral acreage to become a solid waste disposal site, and the city has looked the other way. Advised that LEAwas prepared to issue a cease and desist order last March, Chandler Rio San- tiago agreed to apply for a permit. It hired a consultant to prepare its application, which was rejected in April. A tribe of approximately 300 goats are doing what they do best: eating. The Crest de Ville homeowners as- sociation hired the goats to clear brush off the slope at Cannon and Serrano before fire season. The goats are cost-effective, can get to difficult areas, and may clear the area in four or five days, depending, as they are on "goat time." They are supervised and guarded by several Great Pyrenees. Plans to open Tustin Unified Schools for in-person instruction on Aug. 13, and Orange Unified Schools on Aug. 19 have been temporarily set aside. Governor Gavin Newsom an- nounced, July 17, that all public and private schools in certain counties, including all of Orange County, must suspend on-campus instruction until specific Depart- ment of Public Health criteria are met for 14 consecutive days. The only possible exception, is that a waiver may be granted by local health officials to allow elementary schools to reopen in- COVID concerns keep classrooms closed person instruction if requested by the district superintendent, in consultation with labor, parents and community-based organiza- tions. Dr. Gregory Franklin, TUSD Superintendent, has advised that classes will commence on Thurs- day, Aug. 13, with a distance learning model for all students. When facilities are allowed to open safely, students may contin- ue to attend distance learning via Tustin Connect for the remainder of the school year, or return to school. Orange Unified classes will be- gin on Wednesday, Aug. 19 with a distance learning program, per Superintendent Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen. The program includes improved access to devices and connectivity, live daily virtual teaching to engage students in challenging curriculum. When schools are reopened, districts will adhere to stringent guidelines for social distancing, mask-wearing, testing and clean- ing. Should five percent of stu- dents and staff test positive within a 14-day period, the school would be required to revert to distance learning. The Orange City Council approved, July 2, the closing of sections of Glassell St., creating pedestrian- friendly streets in Old Towne for strolling, dining and shopping. Restaurants set up “al fresco” areas in the new Orange Plaza Paseo, adhering to new outdoor health regulations. Photo by Aimee Armstrong TANKING UP Aging north Tustin reservoir, pipes and pumps get complete overhaul to ensure decades of service. See Cowan Heights, page 3 MEMORY LANE SUSTAINED Repository of relics from days gone by gets dusted, readjusted to benefit history buffs. See Tustin, page 9 FIRE AND ICE Local photographers capture the hot and cold of the natural spectrum. See photos, page 10 PESTICIDE SET ASIDE Ceding to public demand, Orange will stop using chemical sprays in three city parks. See Pesticide-free, page 15