Fish Farm Failure
Some folks might think that continuing conversation about Jesus Quirk-Silva’s and Ahmad Zahra’s aquaponic farm/event center scheme would be like smacking a dead mackerel.
Well, here at FFFF we believe it’s never a bad idea to remind the public of hare-brained proposals made by bureaucrats and supported by bobble-headed politicians.
So to recap: last spring the Fullerton City Council deliberated on a scheme to create an aquaponic farm on the site of the abandoned Union Pacific Park site. The problem was that the exclusive negotiating deal was with a guy who had no financial wherewithal and proposed an event center on the site – just like he had done in Anaheim and Aliso Viejo. Staff even dredged up a last minute “partner” to sell the deal. The idea was rejected, but not for lack of trying.
And we have just received word from down south in Aliso Viejo about the negative impacts of an identical operation there, Renewable Farms, run by the same people.
Let’s hear from a MV resident to a concerned Fullerton resident:
My name is Dena LeCave and I am a resident of Aliso Viejo. While looking into information and press on Renewable Farms I came across a story from the Fullerton Observer regarding the aforementioned. I wish to congratulate you on terminating your contract with Renewable Farms. As a long time resident of the city of Aliso Viejo, 20+ years, I am astonished and horrified by what our city council has allowed to happen to my community, neighborhood and particularly our quality of life since Renewable Farms started hosting wedding receptions on the vacant land behind our home. We live less than 50 yards from the event center for Renewable Farms and they host weddings every single Saturday night and have been doing so since May. The noise, lights, music and constant yelling goes on for 7+ hours.
The city has done little to alleviate the problem and has instead hamstringed us by making these events private by the City, meaning we have almost no recourse in getting them to quiet down.
I do not wish to take up your time, I’m sure you’re quite busy, but if you would like to further discuss our situation you may email me back or call me.
Thank you, and have a good day.
Sincerely,
Dena LeCave
Ms. Le Cave’s words have the ring of truth, all right, and they certainly would have applied to the proposal in Fullerton – problems that show the complete lack of concern, disdain even, that our staff shows for this neighborhood. And then of course there was the attitude shown by Quirk-Silva and Zahra about the residents who would have suffered the negative impacts of this proposal, without so much as a by-your-leave. Their current concern over public input on the park site is extremely recent and undisputedly hypocritical.
And of course the deal would have illegally converted a public park into a private, fenced and gated place to hold events, and incidentally an aquaponic facility, effectively giving away parkland – something our City Attorney Dick Jones just got caught approving in Westminster. Of course there was no parking, no business plan and nothing but a site plan to recommend it to the Council, so naturally Quirk-Silva and Zahra latched on to it like a couple of lamprey eels.
I bet the thing mysteriously comes back as a staff presentation to the dopey committee that was created.
They really hate us, don’t they?
And btw what is that awful thing with the teeth??
Councilmember Ahmad Zahra, who represents District 5 (south Fullerton), spoke in favor of the agreement with Renewable Farms, and said that parking and other concerns could have been addressed during the negotiation process with Renewable Farms.
“One of the most important things for me is to make sure the community is involved in all of this, and the outcome ends up being a benefit to the community as a whole,” Zahra said, prior to the council vote. “South Fullerton in general and Truslow in particular have not been the most looked after neighborhoods, and I think this is something that would revitalize the neighborhood.”
Anyone with half a brain knows this would have ruined the quality of life for the residents who live on Truslow, Valencia, Ash, Elm, Rosslyn, Malden, and, on both sides of Harbor Blvd.
Ahmad Zahra, you’re unfit to lead. You’re a bad brand. You were arrested by your own Police Department for assault, battery on a woman, and graffiti. The DA filed charges. Everyone knows the DA gave you a deal to plea guilty, do community service, and seal the record. Only because you have no prior record.
Everyone knows the idiot Zahra reads 4F. You can run, but you can not hide, Ahmad!
Did it ever occur to you that besides parking, both light and noise from the event center (365 days a year) would have had a negative effect on your supposed constituents quality of life?
It’s now more apparent than ever, you have zero consideration for the residents of South Fullerton in general and Truslow in particular.
“South Fullerton in general and Truslow in particular have not been the most looked after neighborhoods, and I think this is something that would revitalize the neighborhood.”
There you have it. The patronizing attitude and the government can fix it belief- hallmarks of the tiny liberal brain. The government of Fullerton CREATED THIS FUCKING MESS and Zahra wanted to let it keep on going with an idiotic scam that would have revitalized nothing.
Perhaps I was absent that day, but how did they get from aquaponic farm to wedding event center?
.It was just a natural combination. The recipe is simple.
Build a gazebo, put up a fence and a gate.
Grow a hedge.
Lock the Mexicans out.
The get Zahra to tell his Spanish speaking tools to yammer about green grass, blue skies and clean air.
The staff tools that presented the scam only had glowing things to say about their exclusive negotiating partner. If it wasn’t for this blog, staff would have pulled off the scam. This type of trickery is par for public employee union run government like Fullerton. There is never any contrary views presented when “Staff” wants to expand their control of our resources. Fortunately, the stars have aligned to create a Council majority which understands that. We are lucky that presently there are only 2 boobs that fall head over heals for every wasteful scheme that they are spoon fed by the people that get raises by creating more expenses for the City.