A $14 million retrofit of a proposed Nestlé water-bottling plant has ground to a halt after the city of Sacramento issued a stop-work order while investigating whether the work began before the company had legal authorization from the city. Late Friday afternoon, the city's Community Development Department issued a stop-work order for Phases II and III shortly before an interim or "urgency" ordinance request was added to the City Council's agenda for Tuesday night. The council is being asked... Suzanne StevieGee 2009-10-28T14:48:48Z 2009-10-28T14:48:48Z

I'm not sure the city has a legal right to stop construction of the plant. What I've heard is that they don't need any special permitting since the property is already zoned as industrial. We could do what they did in an Australian town though and ban the sale of bottled water. The residents there were furious over the prospect of an outsider taking their water, trucking it up to Sydney for processing and then selling it back to them. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31822716/ns/world_news-world_environment/

StevieGee 2009-10-28T14:48:48Z Marion Millin 2009-10-28T01:11:03Z 2009-10-28T01:11:03Z

Back 'atcha Rhonda. You are too kind.

Marion Millin 2009-10-28T01:11:03Z Marion Millin 2009-10-28T01:07:30Z 2009-10-28T01:07:30Z

Excellent coverage. Another :thumbsup:

Marion Millin 2009-10-28T01:07:30Z Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T23:03:21Z 2009-10-27T23:03:21Z

Marion writes, "So, you think civic fraud and illegal behavior is justified by "jobs"?" You hit the hammer on the nail-- it appears some people do think civic fraud and illegal behavior is justified by jobs or promises of jobs... That's the same misrepresentation of facts that caused so many to vote for Mayor Johnson-- Promises, Promises by any means necessary ignoring deceit, illegal activity and then we're expected to trust in that person. All that glitters is not gold and there is much fools gold in Sacramento and Nestle is appearing to be yet another leprechaun in search for a pot of gold.

Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T23:03:21Z Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T22:54:59Z 2009-10-27T22:54:59Z

Gosh Thank You Marion -YOUR PASSION, DETERMINATION AND INSIGHT is teaching me so very much- I LOVE to read your comments. I wish I could meet you. I absolutely agree with your post and where their is smoke, their is fire. I read on another article where Mayor Johnson disgrees with the stop work order and well that's no surprise seems he has no problem with people not following the rules or under-handed tactics... what's good for the goose (Mayor Johnson) he seems to feel it's also good for the gander -corporations (Nestle) to go behind the backs of public process... in the spirit of halloween I'd say our mayor has no problem with --TRICKS FOR TREATS Marion- I so enjoy reading your comments

Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T22:54:59Z Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T22:45:19Z 2009-10-27T22:45:19Z

Thank you waldorfandstatler for your comment "I love how they try and lure us with the promise of jobs and then turn around and give the jobs to non Sacramentans." I agree it is an awesome article, awesone news and your comment is awesome as well.

Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T22:45:19Z Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T22:43:25Z 2009-10-27T22:43:25Z

'Bite back little pirhanas! we'll win this fight together! This is the kind of world I want to live in. People engaged!!'-- I couldn't agree more and it makes me so happy as well. This is why I like Sacramento Press- the people are engaged!! It's not fostering hate (as mentioned in a previous article I read) Sacramento Press is giving the voice to the people and in turn those elected into office are reading, responding and held accountable.... Thank you geofreak

Rhonda Erwin 2009-10-27T22:43:25Z Denise Coleman 2009-10-27T19:28:29Z 2009-10-27T19:28:29Z

BRAVO!

Denise Coleman 2009-10-27T19:28:29Z geofreak 2009-10-27T19:05:56Z 2009-10-27T19:05:56Z

Yay! It makes me so happy to see the people stand up and tell their government what to do with the corporations who take advantage of old laws. Nestle knows exactly what they are doing. They see an old zoning code and a city who hasn't addressed this too important issue...so they swoop in like sharks. Bite back little pirhanas! we'll win this fight together! This is the kind of world I want to live in. People engaged!!

geofreak 2009-10-27T19:05:56Z Kathleen Haley 2009-10-27T18:30:55Z 2009-10-27T18:30:55Z

Good job, Suzanne!

Kathleen Haley 2009-10-27T18:30:55Z betsyphair 2009-10-27T16:39:42Z 2009-10-27T16:39:42Z

I have been studying Nestle's practices since 2003 when they first showed "overt" interest in McCloud. It is my opinion that corruption follows them wherever they go. Anyone can be bought off. I have evidence of the huge conflict of interest between Siskiyou County and Nestle. The first comment posted sounds like it is from Nestle's PR firm. They do that in blogs all over the country! Wherever Nestle goes there is "fishy" stuff. They feel they are entitled to do whatever they please and will falsify information to achieve their goals! I can back up with facts what I am saying. Go to STOP NESTLE WATERS DOT ORG.

betsyphair 2009-10-27T16:39:42Z r8rs1 2009-10-27T15:19:59Z 2009-10-27T15:19:59Z

i spend alot of time in the building department (save midtown ) & your statement is misinformed good morning

r8rs1 2009-10-27T15:19:59Z waldorfandstatler 2009-10-27T14:46:25Z 2009-10-27T14:46:25Z

awesome article, awesome news, take that Nestle and your non-existent job offers. I love how they try and lure us with the promise of jobs and then turn around and give the jobs to non-Sacramentans. Jerks.

waldorfandstatler 2009-10-27T14:46:25Z Marion Millin 2009-10-27T07:09:17Z 2009-10-27T07:09:17Z

Jim Knapp, No. I didn't. Please don't include me in any more of your ravings.

Marion Millin 2009-10-27T07:09:17Z Jim Knapp 2009-10-27T06:38:08Z 2009-10-27T06:38:08Z

Gee Marion...just the other day didn't you say there was no evidence of corruption in Sacramento...

Jim Knapp 2009-10-27T06:38:08Z Marion Millin 2009-10-27T06:26:49Z 2009-10-27T06:26:49Z

In Suzanne Hurt's previous piece on this issue: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/16287/Discussion_grows_over_Nestl_plant "Neither Nestlé nor the city's Economic Development Department would disclose the rate paid to lease the building from Buzz Oates Real Estate Co." "The warehouse was nothing more than four walls, a ceiling and a floor when Nestlé's lease began two months ago..." Aka a "Buzz Box." Two months later: "Crews are halfway through building warehouse docks, reinforcing concrete flooring to support heavy equipment, and building a front office, lab, and areas for manufacturing, chemical storage and shipping, said Chris Kemp, a project manager who has overseen manufacturing and quality assurance at Nestlé facilities since 2002." "Nestlé applied for a building permit through the city's Facility Permit Program in order to make tenant improvements, including underslab plumbing, demolition of existing partition walls and construction of new ones. "Questions also are being raised over whether it was correct to use the Facility Permit Program in this instance. "I'm not sure if it all adds up," McCarty said. Something smells fishy. "Nestlé also questioned the legality of the stop-work order. The company said the stop-work order may not be legal because the city already had issued a start-work authorization for Phase II. "The city has not provided any evidence to support this stop-work order despite the rules that require they do so within 24 hours," said O'Rourke. Has Nestle provided any evidence of the required Start-Work Authorization for Phase I? If it's a paperwork SNAFU, that's easy enough to sort out. If it's another squirrelly Sacramento-style permit violation, then: "The city gave Nestlé preliminary authority to start work on Phase II, but that doesn't give the company the right to continue the work. In addition, no building permit was issued for Phases II and III, said Sheryl Patterson, senior deputy city attorney. "We do have the right to issue a stop-work order when no building permit has been issued," she said. Looks like the City has the right to tell Nestle to Shut The Phase Up. And is this tangled web a way for a multinational corporation to evade local review and the public process, invited by a new mayor to sneak in the backdoor, bust open a Buzz Box and sell us back the water they stole? Great job, Suzanne Hurt and SacPress. Thanks for being on top of this and being so thorough.

Marion Millin 2009-10-27T06:26:49Z Marion Millin 2009-10-27T05:32:10Z 2009-10-27T05:32:10Z

This is a city overrun by the sort of illegal and incomplete permitting and oversight alleged in the article. So, you think civic fraud and illegal behavior is justified by "jobs"?

Marion Millin 2009-10-27T05:32:10Z savemidtown 2009-10-27T04:45:12Z 2009-10-27T04:45:12Z

Maybe with Mr. Thomas gone we will see actual leadership. Thank You! Mr. Kwong, I do hope this Council has your back.

savemidtown 2009-10-27T04:45:12Z Steven Bourasa 2009-10-27T04:16:59Z 2009-10-27T04:16:59Z

It's only 60 jobs in exchange for our water supply. hmmm. let's go green! Let's say no to the bottled water industry!

Steven Bourasa 2009-10-27T04:16:59Z trapper 2009-10-27T03:41:31Z 2009-10-27T03:41:31Z

This city does not want the taxes generated by this plant anyway; and people in Sacramento don't need more jobs even though unemployment’s hovering near 13%. This is a city over run by NIMBY’s.

trapper 2009-10-27T03:41:31Z