After going national with a concerning number of child cancer cases, Ladera Ranch residents tonight are expected to get an update on potential changes to the handling of local landscaping in master planned communities.
Get ready to see a major change in how cities and homeowner associations across Orange County and beyond handle landscaping, saying goodbye to things like loud leaf blowers and pesticide spraying and increasingly embracing concepts like native plants and soil health.
There’s ongoing debate over the links between cancer and the use of herbicides and pesticides in everyday life – like weed control in local parks and open space.
Yet after a number of parents in Ladera went public about about the rare cancers affecting their kids, raising unprecedented awareness on social media – a bipartisan avalanche of federal, state and local elected officials stepped up to call for investigations into the cancer cases as well as supporting exploration of potential causes like weed control, soil and watering practices.
[Read: Santana: Ladera Ranch Sparks National Debate on Tackling Toxics]
“Most importantly, your voices were heard,” said Jaclyn French, a Ladera Ranch-based attorney who has become a leader working with residents and the homeowner management association on the issue, publishing a recent email update to subscribers on Ladera Health Watch.
“The emails, questions and concerns raised by residents,” French wrote, “made clear that the community wants a thoughtful transition away from routine synthetic herbicide use while a stronger long-term policy is developed.”
The Ladera Ranch main HOA board is expected to take up the issue tonight at 7 p.m. in the Covenant Hills Village Clubhouse for its regularly scheduled resident meeting.
Commenting on the advisory committee set up by the Ladera Ranch Maintenance Corporation to study the issue, French added that “we also want to recognize that LARMAC is showing that it is listening and responding to resident concerns.”
“LARMAC appreciates the time and input community members and committee members have contributed throughout this process,” said a spokeswoman for the HOA when i reached out for comment, adding that “the Ad Hoc Landscape Pest Management Advisory Committee continues its review and is expected to present its recommendations to the Board at the September 9 open session meeting.”
The local HOA recently announced it was extending a pause on spraying until November. At least one of the area’s subassociations has already voted to permanently end spraying but it’s unclear how the remaining sub-associations in the community of just over 23,000 are reacting.
Earlier this summer, LARMAC officials confirmed the advisory committee held its first meeting on July 23 with the aim of reviewing the HOAs Integrated Pest Management program and considering any recommended changes.
According to a July LARMAC update, “committee members expressed a shared long-term vision of reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides through a thoughtful, phased transition toward organic and cultural landscape maintenance practices where practical. The committee also discussed opportunities to strengthen resident communication and transparency throughout the review process.”
French – who serves on the advisory committee – confirmed LARMAC’s assessment of progress, adding that the homeowner association had already agreed to remove certain pesticides from use, extended a pause on spraying while other approaches are studied and added that “we appreciate the Board and management working constructively with the Advisory Committee.”
At an earlier public meeting on the issue in Ladera, French had noted that transparency at the local HOA had been an issue in the past – so it’s noteworthy to see the local HOA getting credit for collaborating with residents.
“There is still important work ahead,” French stated in her email update last week, adding, “Our focus now is on turning that momentum into a strong, lasting Organic Land Management policy for Ladera.”
There’s been lots of attention on the issue up in Sacramento with state legislators considering several resolutions on the issue.
French also said her group was among many that submitted public comments for the California Legislature’s joint oversight hearing looking into how well the state’s pesticide regulators protect the public.
Local school district officials have already agreed to extend a pause on weed-control spraying until a new Integrated Pest Management plan is in place, one that moves away from synthetic pesticides.
French said locals had presented findings from public records requests to school district officials and asked them to take a closer look at pesticide use at Ladera elementary and middle schools, particularly at San Juan Hills High School.
French also noted that the LARMAC advisory committee is in regular communication with the local HOA and the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, Beyond Pesticides, in supporting an application for a $1 million grant from California’s Sustainable Pest Management Grant Program.
That program could help Ladera develop a pilot program on shifting away from toxics that would be useful to HOAs across the state and locals got just about every relevant federal, state and local elected official to write in support of the grant application.
The California Department of Public Health also contacted French last week, she said, to let residents know that the agency has launched a dedicated public webpage for the Ladera Ranch community cancer concern assessment.
Meanwhile, Orange County’s Agricultural Commissioner Jose Arriaga is still continuing to helm his agency’s investigation, reportedly looking into what kinds of toxins are being used locally and how well residents are receiving public notices about spraying.
In addition, French noted that locals had met with a Cal State Fullerton research team to develop a water and soil testing plan for Ladera Ranch.
And in what could be a signal of where the battle lines in this public awareness campaign are shifting, French last week noted that residents were starting to ask lots of questions to nearby Rancho Santa Margarita Water District — who French said as of last week were not fully complying with public records requests.
French said local activists have been documenting recycled-water conditions throughout Ladera and have “identified problems involving recycled-water identification, signage and irrigation near public-use areas at multiple locations,” adding that “we have shared this information with LARMAC and asked them to perform the appropriate updates.”
Water district officials responded quickly when I asked about local concerns and stalled responses to public record requests.
Officials said they responded in a timely fashion to one public record request from French, but acknowledged administrative oversights that did delay other responses to another public record request, adding that the agency regretted the mistake and was working with French to provide timely responses to records requests.
“Again, we deeply regret the mistake on one of the PRA requests received from Ms. French,” said RSMWD Director of Government and Public Affairs Alyson Piguee in an emailed statement on the issue.
Regarding water quality concerns, Piguee stated, “We understand the questions and concerns that many have about the environment, and these issues matter deeply to our Board members, our staff, and the entire community.
In addition, officials pointed to a web page they have created to specifically help answer residents’ questions.
Piguee added that “SMWD conducts more than 30,000 tests annually, confirming that drinking water meets or surpasses all state and federal regulations,” adding that “SMWD is reviewing relevant water quality data and coordinating closely with public health officials, as well as federal and state regulatory and regional water agencies to ensure we have the best available information. “
Norberto Santana, Jr. is the Voice of OC Publisher and Editor in Chief. He can be reached at nsantana@voiceofoc.org