Oceanside rejected a proposal last week to eliminate the use of chemical pesticides in city parks because it would increase maintenance costs by $250,000 or more per year.
The chemical-free plan would include hiring a full-time crew of four people to pull weeds by hand and capture gophers and ground squirrels in live traps, said Nathan Mertz, public works division manager.
About nine residents spoke in favor of the idea, saying it would safeguard the health of children and boost the city’s reputation as a steward of the environment. But City Council members balked at the idea, saying the increased expense could be used to cover other city needs such street maintenance and public safety.
“We are essentially trading two police officers ... or you name it ... for a pest management policy” if the plan is approved, said Mayor Peter Weiss.
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He suggested the city continue with its present pest management policies until November, then take another look at the budget and decide whether to adopt the non-toxic approach. A majority of the council agreed.
“We can’t afford it at this time,” said Councilman Christopher Rodriguez.
Gophers and ground squirrels dig holes in playing fields that can trip or injure children playing sports, Councilman Jack Feller said; that could be a greater danger than the occasional use of conventional traps or pesticides.
Councilwoman Esther Sanchez was the only one on the dais to support the plan.
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“This is the cost of maintaining the health of our children,” Sanchez said. “It is a priority to me.”
The policy would be part of Oceanside’s “integrated pest management program,” which covers landscape maintenance at the city’s 45 parks, recreation centers and community facilities.
Only a handful of Southern California cities have adopted non-toxic maintenance plans. Most of those are aimed at reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals such as glyphosate, which is found in widely used weed-killers such as Roundup.
Encinitas adopted a pest management policy that stopped the use of glyphosates in city parks in 2015.
Carlsbad, Oceanside’s neighbor to the south, adopted a policy in 2017 that stresses the use of organic, non-toxic pesticides in most cases.
Organic pesticides and herbicides generally use plant-based ingredients or some other naturally-occurring material. They are generally more expensive and need to be applied more frequently than the chemical versions.
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March 15, 2020 at 07:02PM
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Oceanside nixes pesticide-free parks plan - The San Diego Union-Tribune
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