South Bay Echo for Oct. 21
AES extension, rotten eggs, pumpkin races and a haunted house
Hello friends… Welcome to the eighth edition of South Bay Echo, your source of local hometown news with a real estate angle.
This Substack is brought to you by Rosetree Real Estate, a full service real estate brokerage dealing in residential and commercial properties to both own and lease. We offer generous referral fees too! For more information visit RosetreeRealEstate.com. DRE# 02145024
AES Redondo power plant granted two-year extension
It was no surprise to anyone Tuesday, Oct. 19, when the California Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously to allow the AES Redondo Beach power plant to continue operating with its once-through ocean water cooling system for another two years. The move pushes the plant’s closure date now to 2024.
The state water board, made up of five members appointed by the Governor, said their hands were tied, although it was anyone’s guess what might happen if the board disregarded recommendations from its staff and the California Public Utilities Commission. The case was made that the Redondo generating station is needed as a backup power source during peak demands on the grid, although the plant suffered three breakdowns this year that put it out of service.
That a state board which regulates water quality could be the final arbiter of this polluting power plant’s fate is another example of the twisted nature of California environmental policy, which so often seems to protect wildlife more than people.
Speakers one after another at Tuesday’s water board hearing testified to the harmful emissions into our neighborhood, the soot that rains down onto personal property and the children that could be affected downwind at Beryl Heights Elementary School. Because the plant is an older facility, some of the regulatory standards — especially for particulates — are not as stringent as they would be for a modern plant. State regulators, however, are focused on fish that are trapped in the ocean water intake pipes. Far less concern, it seems, is being placed on human health. For those who want to see the plant finally shutdown and demolished, they will take whatever they can get.
Can you smell that smell?
This is the year of rotten egg smells. First in July, a critical event at the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant left the city of El Segundo dealing with putrid odors for months now. Then about three weeks ago, another foul odor crept up this time in Carson from the Dominguez Channel.
The County Department of Public Works says the smell is coming from decaying organic material that combined with lower than normal water levels have exacerbated aromas. Last week, crews began treating the channel with Epoleon, an environmentally friendly odor neutralizer typically used in industrial facilities, according to The Daily Breeze. Reimbursements for air purifiers and hotel rooms have been insufficient, Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragan, whose district covers part of the area affected, told the newspaper.
One thing everyone can agree on who’s driven anywhere near the Dominguez Channel in recent days is that it really does stink to high heaven, sort of a mix between rotten eggs and an outhouse. It’s the kind of smell that gets deep into your sinuses making it hard to breath. I think it’s your body saying it would rather die than smell this stuff again. The rotting detritus can at times waft into Torrance, North Redondo, San Pedro and even Long Beach. People in the area have reported nausea, dizziness and soreness in the throat, nose and eyes. Unfortunately, it’s a smell that many South Bay residents have become all too familiar with this year. Let’s hope it goes away sometime soon.
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Home prices up but inventory still down
For any home buyers looking for a lull in the historically high real estate prices lately, they didn’t get a reprieve in the month of September or the third quarter for that matter. Overall in the beach cities home prices rose from about 13% in Torrance to 19% in Manhattan Beach year-to-date in September. Those are some hefty returns that shows the South Bay has strong resilience and could be immune to greater market forces. Inventory is another question as the number of homes sold in September fell year-to-date just as many market watchers were expecting the numbers to rebound more typical of seasonality trends. In Redondo Beach and Lawndale, the number of homes sold in September fell by 23% from this time last year, in Manhattan Beach by 21% and in Hawthorne by 19%. Torrance, meanwhile, saw a slight uptick in homes sold, 170 in September for an increase of 6.9%. There’s not a whole lot to read into this other than it may take a while longer for the market to truly shift to a buyer’s advantage. Right now, the leverage still lies on the seller’s side while high prices and stiff demand still don’t show much signs of abating.
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30th annual pumpkin races in Manhattan Beach
This Sunday, Oct. 24, join friends and family for the 30th annual Manhattan Beach pumpkin races. What started as a neighborhood tradition has become a world-renowned affair. If you aren’t participating in this year’s races, that’s OK. They can use some encouragement. Races begin at 2 p.m. on Manhattan Beach Boulevard just up from the pier. Each pumpkin is decorated and mounted with rollerblade wheels then let go to coast down a race track. Consider it the South Bay version of soap box racers.
Haunted House of Misfits at South Bay Galleria
If you’re looking for a haunted house, your desire for fright could be satisfied at the South Bay Galleria’s Haunted House of Misfits. Here you’ll pass through a maze while being chased by a merry band of misfits and monsters. The haunted house opens nightly 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. through Oct. 31. Concessions are available along with tarot card readings, face paintings and other activities on certain days. Tickets are $15 Monday and Tuesday. All other nights are $20. For more information and advance tickets click here.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading and see you next week.
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