”
I am sure this has been brought up before, but more than a few
days a week there is a ‘manure’ smell that wafts from the manure
facility down on Condit Road. Has anyone done any tests to see if
this is safe to breathe?
”
“I am sure this has been brought up before, but more than a few days a week there is a ‘manure’ smell that wafts from the manure facility down on Condit Road. Has anyone done any tests to see if this is safe to breathe? Not only may it be potentially hazardous to breathe but it is not helping to attract businesses and families to Morgan Hill. When we first moved here and I told people up north (families who come down here for soccer tournaments) that we were looking at houses in Morgan Hill, they said ‘Why? It stinks there!’ They naturally assume all of Morgan Hill smells like this. All those families who come for the tournaments leave with a bad impression of Morgan Hill. Word gets around that Morgan Hill is not the place you want to settle down and have a family. Has any action been done to have the facility moved?”
Dear Stinks, a couple of things. First, the odor most likely comes from the South Valley Mushroom Farm on Diana Avenue, not a manure facility, though Red Phone agrees the smell can be a bit overwhelming at times. Second, the odors are not dangerous, according to Chris Rummel with the Santa Clara County Environmental Health Department.
And, there are seven mushroom farms in South County, but just the Diana Avenue farm that is in the city limits, and it has been here for nearly 50 years. Good caller, you bought your home here – as have hundreds of others – knowing about the odor.
Obviously, living with the smell is preferable to living up north. But, your wishes may come true. The company has applied for a general plan amendment, perhaps making it easier to sell to a developer.
Longterm city plans call for an auto dealership at that location. That would be a blow to local agriculture and another step toward Morgan Hill resembling one of the many communities up north.
Say it ain’t so!
Water tank gets a new paint job
“Dear Red Phone, the other day I saw a crew of workers atop the large green water tank on that hill west of downtown. What were they doing? Thanks.”
Dear Tanked, Red Phone contacted Karl Bjarke, deputy director of public works. He said there was a crew painting the Nob Hill tank. It is one of 12 water storage tanks in the city’s inventory and holds two million gallons.
The two million gallons is enough water to meet the needs of seven families of four for one year.
“It’s the city’s practice to paint our tanks every 15 years,” he said.
