99 Ranch under fire
Can a Chinese restaurant co-exist with a residential neighborhood?
It's not certain if the Hearing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District will determine that today but it has certainly received quite an earful.
Today is the abatement hearing at AQMD's Diamond Bar headquarters about the complaints of odor coming out of 99 Ranch market. Residents east of the grocer say the smell is so strong, they can no longer spend time in their backyards or open their windows.
In November, 99 Ranch opened and took over the space of Albertsons. The store, which specializes in Asian groceries, has a hot deli area selling dim sum, barbecue pork, roast duck and other Chinese food items. There's a seating area where customers can eat the food, too.
The Hearing Board, a five-member committee appointed by the AQMD Governing Board and operates independently from AQMD, took testimony from both sides of the debate this morning.
Jill Wirtz, a London Avenue resident who said she can not use her backyard pool anymore because of the smell, characterized her feelings as "disgust and frustration."
"I'm asking for your help today," Wirtz said to the board. "I'm asking you to get our lives back."
Supporters and employees of the market testified, too.
Jennifer Luu, who lives five miles from the market and a frequent customer, wonders if the complaints stem from a lack of understanding of Asian culture.
"There's a human tendency to attack what has been identified as alien -- It doesn't smell like my food, it stinks. It doesn't smell good to me, it must be bad," Luu said. "I'm not understanding why the intolerance for 99 Ranch."
On May 14, the market temporarily suspended it's barbecue and fish fry service. It also stopped stir-frying foods, which means no more fried rice or chow mein at the deli. Neighbors say the smells have lessened but are still present.
To date, AQMD has received approximately 230 complaints since the first complaint was received in March. The air quality agency has issued to the market multiple notices of violations of public nuisance.
Care to weigh in? Are there any residents out there who can describe the smell? Any 99 Ranch shoppers out there?
It's not certain if the Hearing Board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District will determine that today but it has certainly received quite an earful.
Today is the abatement hearing at AQMD's Diamond Bar headquarters about the complaints of odor coming out of 99 Ranch market. Residents east of the grocer say the smell is so strong, they can no longer spend time in their backyards or open their windows.
In November, 99 Ranch opened and took over the space of Albertsons. The store, which specializes in Asian groceries, has a hot deli area selling dim sum, barbecue pork, roast duck and other Chinese food items. There's a seating area where customers can eat the food, too.
The Hearing Board, a five-member committee appointed by the AQMD Governing Board and operates independently from AQMD, took testimony from both sides of the debate this morning.
Jill Wirtz, a London Avenue resident who said she can not use her backyard pool anymore because of the smell, characterized her feelings as "disgust and frustration."
"I'm asking for your help today," Wirtz said to the board. "I'm asking you to get our lives back."
Supporters and employees of the market testified, too.
Jennifer Luu, who lives five miles from the market and a frequent customer, wonders if the complaints stem from a lack of understanding of Asian culture.
"There's a human tendency to attack what has been identified as alien -- It doesn't smell like my food, it stinks. It doesn't smell good to me, it must be bad," Luu said. "I'm not understanding why the intolerance for 99 Ranch."
On May 14, the market temporarily suspended it's barbecue and fish fry service. It also stopped stir-frying foods, which means no more fried rice or chow mein at the deli. Neighbors say the smells have lessened but are still present.
To date, AQMD has received approximately 230 complaints since the first complaint was received in March. The air quality agency has issued to the market multiple notices of violations of public nuisance.
Care to weigh in? Are there any residents out there who can describe the smell? Any 99 Ranch shoppers out there?
Having moved to Rancho last week after being persuaded by the convenience of having a 99 Ranch down the street, I was shocked to see such action taken by the residents. They live in back of a commercial complex. If not 99 Ranch, the next restaurant to open may be a southern bbq, fried chicken store, or even stronger in flavor, an In-N-Out and the smell would be no worse. Would the residents be complaining if it were a Long John Silvers versus 99 market's stinky fish? To me it seems as a difference in culture. I'll be there on Weds.
I won't believe that it has anything to do with culture, simply because it should not end up being one culture wins out over another.
The residents there aren't used to the smell, and that's all the issue really needs to be.
I'm used to it, because I am Asian. I've been to many Asian markets, both here and overseas. Yes, it's very different than what most most people here have experienced. It can't be quantified as one being better than the other.
What I haven't seen in print is that anyone is asking 99 Ranch to stop selling those item. The residents just want the aromas abated.
Smell is our strongest sense. Too much of a normally "good" aroma can be bad. Since the residents have never experienced those before, it comes out overly strong to them.
I feel bad for the residents. I love my Asian food, but I respect that the neighbors don't. Abating the odors would just be a part of being good neighbors and a cost of doing business in that part of Rancho Cucamonga.
After attending the hearing on 6/1, I see begin to see the story of the homeowners and the case that 99 Market is trying to present. I seem to think the concerns from the owners are genuine but at the same time I wonder if the where a different business would they have pressed the case? One speaker said that Albertsons had smells too but not as frequent since their deli was further west. While in the hearing room, I could hear homeowners complaining when Phillip Gonzalez testified that a new Chinese restaurant would be soon opening this month in the plaza. Given only 3 minutes I could not speak my full mind, but home owners knowing that they do live in back of a commercial zoned property would expect food smells. There has to be some median where both parties can agree on.
If some kind of abatement is agreed on, that would be a win win though it would cost 99 Ranch some money to implement whatever abatement measures. Closing the store is a no no. RC would lose the the revenue. Surely many ppl would stop coming. I see ppl from Fontana, Upland, Ontario coming out of their way to visit 99 Market. Loss of the deli section would greatly diminish the value of the market and I'm sure it would close and revert to the former state of the former Albertsons. 99 Ranch loses revenue, the city loses revenue, and plaza will again become an empty eyesore for the community.
At the four corners of this same intersection are a Taco Bell, Lampost Pizza, Wing Stop, Juan Pollo, China Star, Del Taco, Taco Factory and a Dairy Queen. There's more at play here than smell. What are the demographics of the surrounding neighborhood? The city council?
I'm not saying anyone is being overtly racist, but let’s face it, if it was a white neighborhood complaining about the smell from a KFC how do you think the story would pan out?
I am a resident next to the market and, I have lived here for 10 years. There were never any odors that infiltrated our backyards and homes every day before the market opened! Should the inside of our homes smell like we are cooking, when we are not? To address the cultural difference issue, no matter what type of food I smelled, if it was in my backyard and house every day I would still address the issue in the same manner, as I think anyone would. The odor only began to occur after the market was open. I have shopped at the market and appreciate the convenience to my home; however, the smell is an odor nuisance and we should not be subject to the cooking smells everyday! There are several devices that can be implemented into their venting system; the supermarket is aware of the devices and has chosen NOT to install them. These filtration devices are commonly used by several chain restaurants that emit strong cooking odors. With that said, all the large chain supermarket needs to do is install the device and this will end the odor nuisance in our previously odorless neighborhood!
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