High-Noise District Is Rejected

The Redondo Beach City Council has rejected a controversial plan that would have created a high-noise district in the city near the Southern California Edison plant and required residents living there to notify future buyers and renters of potential noise problems.

The so-called “noise overlay zone,” which would have extended 2,500 feet in all directions from the plant and included hundreds of homes, was proposed by a citizens group studying the city’s General Plan. The zone was meant to put an end to longstanding disagreements between the power plant and neighboring residents over noise.

Opponents argued that the noise zone would have reduced property values and unfairly punished homeowners for Edison’s noise. One resident, Larry Cote, said the plan would essentially create a “noise ghetto for Redondo Beach.”

The council voted against the noise-overlay zone Thursday night but promised to continue pursuing mitigation measures. An Edison representative said the company has invested $3.5 million in reducing noise and is eager to reach an agreement with the city.

The city prosecuted Edison in 1990, alleging that the utility violated city noise restrictions, but the court ruled in the Edison’s favor. The city is appealing the decision.