SAN ANTONIO – Stories of big fires, black smoke, and troubled breathing are being shared across the South San neighborhood. For almost a year, KSAT 12 has reported community health concerns regarding salvage yards, recycling centers, and tire shops in the area.
In the South San and Quintana neighborhoods, there are more than a dozen of these facilities packed tightly together, causing environmental and health issues for residents.
To address these concerns, the city has formed a task force to review and update two city codes: Chapter 11 Fire Prevention and Chapter 16 Licenses and Business Regulations.
Recently, nine industry representatives and nine community members were selected to serve on the task force. Among them is South San resident Debra Ponce, who believes the task force is a step in the right direction.
“They’re taking a step in the right direction,” Ponce said. “That’s what’s most important is connecting the community with city officials and the industry themselves.”
The task force aims to provide recommendations to the city regarding these codes by early 2025.
Read next:
Copyright 2024 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
