ALPINE, Calif. (KGTV)— This sign on Sequan Truck Trail Road is causing commotion among neighbors in Alpine. A proposed battery storage facility isn't sitting well with neighbor who live on this road, like Tammy.
"I've lived in Alpine over 40 years and this is just garbage,” says the longtime East County resident. Her house sits just above the area where the proposed storage facility is set to be built and she believes that's too close for comfort.
"Our house is right next door, so it's super dangerous for all the kids and animals, livestock, everything.”
The facility is receiving a ton of pushback from neighbors who live in the area, for the many health risks they believe it poses. But their biggest concern, potential brush fires in an already dry area.
"It is a high priority to them as far as fire concern and I just don't think that this is something we deserve to have in our back country," says Misty Lewis, who has lived in Alpine since 1992.
And she believes there are more dangers that can pile on top of one another.
"We have 40 plus houses to the west of this facility and there's only one way out, which is this road," Lewis explains. "So if this catches on fire, you're gonna have 40 families down there trapped with little kids, their livestock and they're not gonna be able to get out.”
On September 11, 2024, the Board of Supervisors directed San Diego County Fire to develop a technical study with recommendations that consider setbacks from residential uses as well as best practice safety standards, including 2023 NFPA 855.
And this week, neighbors received an e-mail from the county about another meeting with the public for their input on the facility. So Thursday is their chance to learn more about the facility and also give feedback which is why many hope to spread the word to more residents.
"If people don't start stepping up we are going to lose everything," says Lewis.
"We moved out here to get away from stuff like this," says Tammy. "It's, it's crazy how Alpine's grown, but that happens. But we don't need this stuff cause that's super dangerous.
