EDITORIAL

There have been twin pieces of good news this month for Surf City

residents living in the southeast part of town, near both the Ascon/NESI

dump site and the AES power plant.

The first was the decision by the City Council to declare the area a

redevelopment zone. While the word redevelopment can strike fear into

residents’s hearts -- thoughts of eminent domain and government turned

overly powerful, rise quickly to the forefront -- in this case, the

designation could bring in nearly $1 million for cleanup and improvements

in just the first two years along with additional property tax funds.

Of course, the City Council will have to act wisely, openly and

carefully to ensure that the fears of redevelopment don’t develop into

reality for those living within zone, which is bounded by Newland Street

to the west, Hamilton Avenue to the north, Magnolia Street on the east

and Pacific Coast Highway on the south. And with the decision coming on a

5-2 vote, with Mayor Debbie Cook and Councilwoman Connie Boardman

dissenting, there are at least two skeptics right in the heart of the

discussion who can be counted on to rein in any wayward moves.

The second bit of good news is that an initial step toward cleanup at

the long-neglected Ascon site has begun. This preliminary testing of the

ground at the polluted 38-acre dump will seek out the exact nature of the

contamination, opening the door for nine companies, including most major

oil producers, to work collectively to rid the area of the waste. The

cost of the cleanup is $31.5 million for soil cleanup alone. But with the

land worth well more than that -- not to mention the value of homes there

-- now may be the time, finally, that forces combine to get the site

clean.

A successful cleanup would be a significant legacy for this City

Council and a major boon to the southeast part of town. Everyone with

something to gain should be working to see it happen.