End Syar

End Syar’s Noise and Dust END Neighborhood report – No. 1 January 24, 2002

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On November 5, 2001 over a hundred concerned Healdsburg neighbors met with the City Council to present our complaints, and testify to the unacceptable noise and dust conditions caused by Syar Industries Sand and Gravel plant operating inside the Healdsburg city limit. Jim Syar, President, promised to mitigate the problems. As a first step, it was suggested to have a group of citizens and representatives from Syar tour the neighborhood and the Syar plant while it was operating to get a sense of the problems we all face six days a week.

On December 10, 2001, a small group of neighbors met at Bob Veeneman’s house on Tucker Street to discuss the tour and propose plans to continue putting pressure on both the City Council and Syar to reduce noise and dust. Our goals:

1. REDUCTION in Syar’s hours of operation to 7:00 a.m.--5:00 p.m. Monday--Friday.

2. MONITORING of noise and dust pollution close to the source using up-to-date scientific equipment.

3. MITIGATION plans for dust and noise pollution including corrective actions and firm implementation dates.

The first “tour” with Syar officials, planned for December 20^th, was cancelled because of rain. Our rain-check day was January 9, 2002. Jim Syar, Syar Industries President, his attorney, Vice President John Perry, and noise and dust consultants Syar had brought along, City Council members Mark Gleason, Jason Liles, and Leah Gold, City Manager, Chet Wystepek, City Planning Department Manager, Richard Spitler, Ray Holly from the Healdsburg Tribune, and a group of Healdsburg neighbors -- met at Badger Park at 1:00 p.m. It is difficult to not say “as predicted”, but the noise level was almost indiscernible--both due to wind direction and the fact that the plant seemed to be barely running. Syar management said everything was operating except for the asphalt plant.

The tour of the neighborhood proved extremely frustrating, as we all knew what kind of noise the plant normally generates. We wanted Syar’s consultants, and City Council members who might not have heard this noise before, to hear the full impact. We repeatedly emphasized at various points during the tour, how unlike the real situation this was. We wanted everyone to understand how loud it could get. We said that if it was this quiet, we would have no complaints about the noise. We cancelled the rest of the neighborhood tour up on Fitch Mountain since there would be no appreciable dust to show because of the recent rains, and no noise to hear.

We then all went over to the Syar plant to see the real culprits creating the noise and dust. The noise there was reduced because in reality only a small portion of the plant was operating. They only had one central conveyor and two loaders operating. The noise from the loaders is significant and in the summer they will often have 5 loaders working. Syar said they would be looking into how to muffle the loaders more. Much of the tour looked like a California Road Crew--everyone standing around chewing the fat with little to discuss since the noise was absent.

Syar management said they’re replacing their noisy metal screens with quieter rubber screens, but that it would take several years because they are only replacing the screens as the old ones wore out. We think this is an important mitigation that can be accelerated. We also discussed the location of the current raw material pile, or berm, which acts as an inexpensive and effective sound barrier. Currently there is no berm on the north side, between the plant and the homes on the other side of the river. Also very obvious was the absence of any sound reducing equipment enclosures on the conveyors, screens or crushers. All in all, although necessary, it was a very disappointing tour to demonstrate the noise and dust.

The next Concerned Citizens Meeting will be at City Hall on FEBRUARY 25, 7:00 P.M. to hear Syar’s presentation of their consultant’s report, their proposed noise and dust Mitigation Plan, and Timeline. If you want to see things change, we need you at that meeting! If you or your neighbors have not signed the main petition, please stop by at Terry Rusinow’s store Options at 126 Matheson and add your name. We need to continue to create a solid list of people who oppose the noise, hours and dust, as this will be a long process and we need on-going support from the community if anything is going to change.

Visit our website (www.ourHealdsburg.com) for information and any last minute meeting schedule changes. R3