Dear Mayor McLewis and City Council Members Zollman, Vice Mayor Maurer and Council members Carter and Hinton:
I am a long time resident of Sebastopol and reside at . My home is about two blocks downwind from A&M BBQ.
I support the enforcement of our existing zoning requirements and oppose a zoning change that would permit the continued operation of the two commercial smokers.
My primary concern is that the smokers cause an ongoing public health nuisance that deeply impacts our neighborhood. Every day woodsmoke is churned out into the air impacting our air quality. The deleterious health impacts of woodsmoke on human health are well known. The people who live in our neighborhood have been breathing elevated levels of carcinogenic gases and microscopic particles that can bypass our nose and throat and lodge deep in our lungs.
Because Walker Avenue acts as a sort of funnel for the smoke, I often smell the smoke. If I don’t stay inside while the smokers are operating I have all the typical symptoms of woodsmoke exposure: irritated eyes, scratchy throat, coughing and a feeling of pressure in my chest. I have suffered these symptoms on and off all year. I wonder what the long term impact of the constant woodsmoke exposure means for my future health.
I am especially concerned about my neighbors who are young children, very elderly and those with respiratory and other health concerns knowing that the woodsmoke is particularly harmful to them. Our neighborhood includes residential care facilities, such as Serenity Villa, that is only a block away from the smokers.
In order to protect my household from the smoke nuisance I was forced to purchase a heat pump system with air conditioning so that I could keep my windows closed this summer. This system cost me $21,000--not an amount I can easily afford.
Finally, I know that the continued operation of the smokers has an impact on my property values. Under California regulations, I would be required to disclose the persistent smoke nuisance to any potential buyer. I am sure most buyers would have strong concerns about moving to a home with this problem.
I understand that A&M has been exploring smoke-control equipment with Councilman Carter. I consider it a great injustice that this exploration has taken months of time and meanwhile our neighbors continue to breathe wood smoke and to live close to a public health nuisance. It is clear that the business has received far more consideration and help than the people living in our neighborhood.
I am quite skeptical and have little confidence that the cheap (compared to a on the market system), home made system being proposed will even work. If the City is considering permitting A&M BBQ to continue operating the smokers with filtration you must also require that the system is demonstratively effective by setting forth objective performance standards, testing, monitoring and maintenance and periodic verifications.
Regards, Kimberlee Keller
Thank you for your time and attention to this important health matter.