Seated in the front row of a meeting room last Thursday at the Holiday Inn off Orchard Road in Aurora, Julia Hirschberg had her back to others, yet finally felt as if she was no longer “shouting into the wind.”
There was a “moment in time” as she was sharing her experience about living right behind Hello Fresh’s Factor facility in Aurora “that I could feel the room empathizing with me,” Hirschberg told me. “I felt support for the first time from neighbors … and when I left I was filled with gratitude for them.”
Those are pretty emotional words about a hastily-called community meeting. But this one took place between Aurora residents and representatives from Hello Fresh, which has produced nor only plenty of prepared meals in its food preparation facility in Aurora since January of 2021 but also plenty of controversy.
It’s not like the city or company turned a deaf ear to neighborhood concerns about the smell, noise and diesel fumes coming from the facility. Earlier this week Factor officials from Hello Fresh told me the company has invested an additional $4 million so far into upgrades in cleaning and exhaust systems and the city installed a sound barrier along the southern end of the property.
But for residents tired of the smells and sounds, it was not nearly enough, with some pinning their hopes on Ald. John Laesch, who not only offered a sympathetic ear but helped organize a grassroots group to keep the issue front and center as he mounted a second campaign for mayor against Richard Irvin.
Days after his mayoral victory on April 1, Laesch talked to Hello Fresh executives who agreed to meet with residents for the first time, which surprised Aurora Ald. Carl Franco, 5th Ward, because he had “not been invited” and only heard about it from the two company executives who flew in from their Phoenix headquarters last Thursday for this meeting.
Still, Franco was glad to hear the meeting seemed to go well, according to Hello Fresh, which stated in an email to me later that “it gave us an opportunity to listen and hear the concerns directly from our neighbors.”
Hirschberg, whose home is right behind the facility located on Indian Trail and Orchard Road, was one of many who described to Factor Chief Operating Officer Dan Seidel and Karl Gentles, head of local government relationships, how the fumes, noise, vibrations and air pollutants from the food plant have continued to impact their health and overall lifestyle.
Medical complaints included respiratory, thyroid and autoimmune issues, as well as headaches and chronic migraines. Neighbors also voiced concerns about noise vibrations that shook walls and furniture, the inability to use their yards or even open windows and fears about their property values and long-term health.
Nicole Bakalis, who took part in the meeting via Zoom, let her feelings be known with a letter that was read and which received a round of applause. Even though her home on Verona Ridge is about a mile and a half away from the facility, she told me on Wednesday that the food odor and diesel fumes have profoundly impacted her family’s lives, creating headaches, nausea and skin issues.
“This area was not zoned for a 24-hour factory operation and all the logistics that entails,” her letter stated. “While I am not opposed to bringing jobs to Aurora, this is definitely not a suitable location for this establishment. Factor is an environmental hazard to our community. Formerly healthy people, young and old are getting sick from the company’s daily operations. In addition the employees do not seem to respect the neighborhood whatsoever.
“Our quality of life has been so negatively impacted by your presence, there is very little I can foresee you offering that would change my stance.”
Hello Fresh’s executives did not walk into the lion’s den last week without an action plan, however. High-odor recipes, they say, will be moved to other company locations; industrial air scrubbers have been ordered and should be operational in November; pressurized and upgraded ductwork is being built, as are grease interceptors to reduce sewer impacts.
In addition, there will be adjustments to dock operations, as the company will be testing alternative transportation methods, including live loading, to cut down on trucks’ idling times. Also on the to-do list are investigating disruptive alarms, auditing lighting and building additional sound barriers to connect with the Orchard Road barriers planned by the city.
This meeting also gave residents a chance to present their own wish list: health testing/monitoring, independent environmental testing, noise ordinance enforcement from the city and financial compensation for any health problems and loss of property value.
Still, neighbors made it clear what they really want is for relocation of the 24-hour facility, which they insist should never have been allowed near a residential area.
Moving the facility is out of the question because the company is doing all it can to mitigate these problems, insisted Franco, also noting that because there are no city or EPA violations, Hello Fresh would have grounds to sue if forced out by the city.
For his part, Laesch said he’s committed to advocating for stronger enforcement and ongoing resident involvement.
The main goal was “to bring both sides together … there has been a lot of frustration and suffering over the years,” he told me, also adding that if the current plan and back-up plans don’t work, then another option would be to “look at other properties.”
The company reiterated at the meeting – and later in the email – its desire to “being a good neighbor.” That includes improving transparency and communication, even encouraging residents to continue documenting health and property impacts, as well as reporting any issues directly to the company.
Both sides agreed the problems are serious. And there will be a follow-up meeting.
But mistrust remains. Bakalis, who says she contacted the city multiple times in the past about the problems with no response, feels as if the company is trying to “placate” them.
“What they are offering to do now is what they said they were going to do three years ago,” she said. “That’s where there’s that lack of trust.”
Likewise, while Hirschberg left the meeting feeling good about neighborhood support and that company representatives “genuinely want to hear our experiences,” those positives did not necessarily translate to optimism.
“Unless the city can truly hold them accountable,” she stated, “I don’t see any reconciliation or (resolution). We are sitting ducks.”
dcrosby@tribpub.com
