Highlights of the La Jolla Shores Association May 11 meeting included discussion about the city’s continued use of an allegedly carcinogenic lawn-care product in local parks and a proposal to form a Maintenance Assessment District (MAD) for community improvement. “Roundup used on grass in parks has been deemed unsafe to use by the state of California,” said association board member Terry Kraszewski. “Now that it’s considered unsafe to use, we are hoping it will be discontinued.” “The city will continue to use it until they have certain documents that say it can’t be used,” replied association chair Nick LeBeouf. Justin Garver, District 1 staff representative, said he believed the flagship Monsanto lawn product, routinely used in public parks like Kellogg and Laureate in the Shores, is tied up in litigation and that the product will continue to be used by the city until that issue is resolved in the courts. Meanwhile, noted Kraszewski, “Our pets and our children playing in the parks are contacting it. We ought to be the first to be out in front in discontinuing its use.” California’s Environmental Protection Agency has issued plans to list glyphosate, the toxic active ingredient in the herbicide, as a carcinogen. According to a notice of intent issued recently, the effort falls under California’s Proposition 65, in which the state is required to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. The state agency’s announcement follows a March classification of glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Roundup is sprayed on crops all over the world and is the most popular weed killer in the United States. The agribusiness giant maintains the safety of its product and has demanded reports of its being harmful be retracted. In his president’s report, LeBeouf proposed setting in motion the process of creating a MAD to do Shores public improvements. “Month after month,”he said, “we talk about changes. Some happen. Some don’t happen.” LeBeouf said a Shores MAD would help “fund projects we don’t get done due to lack of funding.” Citing successful creation of a Bird Rock MAD that’s funded traffic roundabouts and their maintenance, LeBeouf added, “I think the board should really consider the MAD to answer a lot of problems that don’t get answers with the city.” LeBeouf suggested board members consider his proposal, which is to be revisited at a later association meeting. LeBeouf also suggested, with super-busy July Fourth drawing near, that the association board be proactive in creating and posting signs warning visitors that “overnight camping is not allowed. We need to form a committee to get those signs up on July 3.” “Teamwork makes the dream work,” concluded LeBeouf, adding, “It starts here — and works its way up.” The next association meeting will be Wednesday, June 11 at 6:30 p.m. in Building T-29 at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. For more information, visit ljsa.org.
