Pesticide, Herbicide Used By The City Will Be Reviewed By Temecula Subcommittee

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula has formed a City Council committee to review pesticide and herbicide use across the city following calls from residents for safer practices and greater transparency about chemicals applied in parks and other public spaces.

The City Council voted Tuesday to create the ad hoc subcommittee, signifying that the work can truly begin. The two-member panel is expected to examine Temecula’s current pest- and weed-control practices, consider alternatives to synthetic chemicals and return to the full council with its findings or recommendations once that information is gathered..

The issue was brought to the council by resident Mariane Konstantara, the founder of Toxin Free Temecula. For her, having the committee formed is a "huge milestone" that comes "after years of records requests, research, and hard conversations," she said. "It would not have happened without every single person who showed up, spoke up, and refused to let this issue be ignored."

The committee’s formation follows nearly 90 minutes of public comment and council discussion on July 28, when dozens of residents wearing green “Toxin Free Temecula” shirts urged city leaders to reconsider the use of chemicals in places frequented by children and pets.

At that council meeting, residents asked the city to reduce its reliance on synthetic pesticides and herbicides, increase public notification before applications and consider organic or less-toxic alternatives.

Konstantaras told the council during the July meeting that “safer alternatives exist and communities are already using them successfully.”

She pointed to other California communities that have limited certain chemical applications on municipal property and urged Temecula to take similar steps.

“Why should we wait for a tragedy before choosing the safer option?” she asked.

Three companies currently provide pest and weed control under city contracts: Nieves Landscape LLC, Landscape Systems Inc. and South County Pest Control Inc.

Products used by the contractors contain active ingredients including glyphosate, fluazifop-P-butyl, clethodim, isoxaben, indaziflam and aminopyralid. Anticoagulant rodenticides are also used.

The products are registered for use by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency when applied in accordance with their labels and applicable regulations. Registration, however, does not mean a product is free of risk, and debate continues over the effects of chemical pesticides on people, animals and the environment.

During the July discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Matt Rahn cautioned that products marketed as natural or organic are not automatically safer. Some alternatives can carry their own health or environmental risks, he said, underscoring the need for the city to evaluate available products and scientific evidence.

During that session, Councilmember Zak Schwank requested that the pesticide and herbicide issue be placed on the July 28 agenda. Councilmember Brenden Kalfus has also said he has spent roughly a year reviewing municipal pest- and weed-management options.

The council agreed unanimously at the July meeting to bring back the formal creation of an ad hoc subcommittee. Tuesday’s action completed that process.

Unlike a standing council committee, an ad hoc subcommittee is created for a specific, limited purpose and generally concludes its work after delivering recommendations or completing its assigned task.

"To everyone who’s been with us since the beginning and everyone who just joined the movement: this is YOUR win too!" Konstantaras said. "Now, the real work begins. Our focus turns to the pilot program: getting our parks and playgrounds transitioned to organically maintained turf, with real oversight and real accountability. We’re not slowing down — we’re just getting started."

No immediate ban or change to Temecula’s pesticide and herbicide practices was approved Tuesday. Any policy recommendations developed by the committee would need to return to the full City Council for consideration.

Information about committee meetings and agendas is expected to be posted on the City of Temecula’s meeting webpage.