HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01191988 - S.1 ,n /
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: Supervisor Nancy Fanden Contra
Costa
DATE: January 12, 1988 County
TRUCKS WITH TOXIC MATERIALS PARKING IN
SUBJECT: UNINCORPORATED NEIGHBORHOODS AND AREAS
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
That Dan Bergman, Director of Environmental Health, report
to the Board on the toxic gas leak that occurred Sunday,
January 10, 1988, forcing firefighters to evacuate the Tara
Hills Shopping Center.
That Harvey Bragdon, Director of Community Development,
report to the Board on the zoning regulations now in effect
that govern the parking of trucks in and around the
unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. Specifically
zoning regulations that address the following:
1) Trucks over 3 to 7 tons parked on residential streets,
private property and shopping centers.
2) Trucks hauling toxic materials.
That Sheriff Rainey investigate the allegation made by Mr.
Glen Middling of E1 Sobrante, that he stored his tank
trailer in the parking lot with the permission of area law
enforcement officials. If this allegation proves to be
true, please inform the Board as to what law or ordinance
is being quoted that gives law enforcement agencies the
authority to permit parking on private property.
That the Environmental Health Department, Community
Development Department and the Sheriff ' s Department
recommend to the Board how the county can strengthen
existing laws that govern the regulation of transportation,
storage and .parking of large trucks and trucks hauling toxic
materials. Specifically address the following:
1) Who has jurisdiction for enforcement on the streets,
on private property and in shopping centers.
2) What action, if any, can be taken against the driver
and company?
3 ) Do we need to have new legislation introduced?
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT:X YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
ACTION OF BOARD ONJanuary 19,1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT II ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
O
CC: Environmental Health ATTESTED l9 /?So
Health Services Director Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
Community Development Director Supervisors and County Administrator
Sheriff
County Administrator
M3e2/7-e3 BY DEPUTY
140ANest County Times Monday,January 11, 1988
'toxic leak empties shopping. center
By Rosemary Wurst : vapor cloud dissipated quickly in stored it In the parking lot with
51x11 wraerthe wind before causing any prob- the permission of area law en-
TARA HILLS = A toxic gas leets• forcemeat officials.
leak Sunday forced firefighters to The leak was reported to the Woolley said the fire depart-
evacuate the Tara Hills Shopping fire department shortly after 11 ment did not approve the tank
Center anti block off two nearby a.m. when a resident of the Tara storage, adding that it was parked
streets while the owner of a chem- Hills area noticed a bluish cloud on private land and was blocking
ical tank secured a loose clamp, coming from the tank trailer, access to a fire hydrant.The shop-
officials said. Some merchants said they ping center is in an unincorporat-
smelled a bad odor. ed area,so permission would have
The leaking substance was '1'lie tank traller was parked at to come from county officials, he
identified its oleum, a concentrat- the shopping center,on San Pablo said,
ed sulfuric acid capable of causing Avenue. The tank was to the side The driver had not been cited
severe burning and damage to of the shopping center, near Tara Sunday and it,was unclear if he
lungs if inhaled, said Pinole Fire Hills Drive and Brian Road. would be, sheriff's officials said.
Capt. John Woolley. The vapor built up in the tank .
Middling, a chemical truck
The. toxic fumes could have after moisture entered through a , driver, said he did not know how
posed a danger to people in the loose clamp, officials said, the ciamp.came loose, He said he.;
area,but no health problems were Glen Middling of El Sobrante,
reported, officials said. The small the tank trailer owner, said he Please see TOXIC, Page 2A'
TOXIC
From Page 1A off by California Highway Patrol of- according to Woolley.
parked the tank in the parking lot ficers during that time,but San Pab- Sunday's accident is not the first
Saturday night and that no chemi- to Avenue remained open. time Middling's tank has caused
Gals had been hauled In it .since "It's really no big deal, but we're problems. Last year,-a similar leak
Thursday. just being super cautious," said occurred in the parking lot of
According to firefighters, only a Richmond Fire Capt. John Walker. .Safeway on Para Hills Prive, Mid.
residual amount,of the chemical re. Firefighters from Richmond :were,.1 dling said. At that,time,;,he had to
mainet in the tank.The vapor cloud called in to standby in case the situ- pay approximately $600 to the law
was noticeable, they said,.'because atlon worsened. enforcement agencies that handled
of damp weather, The number of emergency crews the incident, he said.
At about 12:20 p.m., firefighters at the shopping center made it look According to Woolley, the tank
suited Middling up in protective like a disaster scene. On the scene will no longer be stored at the shop-
gear plug.an air tank and rnask'and were a sheriff's sergeant and depu in center and may be kept at the
he climbed on top of the tank and ties, several fire trucks, CHP offi- General Chemical plant, p
tightened the clamp. He later cers and Pinole police. County envi-
hooked the tank trailer to his cab ronmental health workers showed Woolley, who is familiar with
and removed It from the lot. up to assess the situation. trucking operations; said private
Three homes were evacuated on Middling hauls the toxic sub- truck drivers do not have many to-
Brian Road for about one hour, as " stance for General Chemical of cations to store chemical tanks, cre-
were customers and employees in Richmond, formerly Allied Chemi- sting a hardship for many.The clos-
the shopping center,-Tara' Hills, cal Corp., to Port Chicago near the est truck stop, he said, is in San
Drive and Rim ttoad were cordoned it Concord Naval Weapons Station, Leandro,
j