Irwindale, California

The city became the new permanent site for the annual Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California in 2005, after it moved from its previous home at the Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore.The majority of the housing is found on the southeastern portion of the city, near Arrow Highway and north of Cypress Street near Irwindale Avenue.[8] Significant economic growth did not arrive until the advent of the automobile, which drove up demand for the area's rocks and sand for the paving of roads.[9] In the summer of 1987, city councilman Joe Breceda approached Al Davis, owner of the National Football League's Los Angeles Raiders, about building a new stadium on the site of one of the disused pits.[10] The deal included a $10 million nonrefundable signing bonus paid directly to Davis regardless of whether the plan would be executed.[11] In the event, both parties were served multiple lawsuits, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers demanded strict environmental impact assessments, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors demurred, and the project was canceled.[3] Irwindale, along with many surrounding cities in the San Gabriel Valley, is identified as a Superfund site by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.[14] Contaminants include high levels of volatile organic compounds such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE), perchlorate, 1,4-dioxane, and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA).According to the 2010 United States Census, Irwindale had a median household income of $63,250, with 10.4% of the population living below the federal poverty line.Shortly after Huy Fong paid off the loan early and stopped contributing to the city, Huy Fong became involved in lawsuits brought by its neighbors and the city of Irwindale, who complain of the odors of jalapeño pepper and garlic generated by the plant.[43][44] Irwindale Chamber of Commerce views the sand and gravel mining industry as a significant part of the city's strength.[45] On March 25, 2015, advocacy groups and concerned residents stood outside city hall and protested the opening of a new hazardous waste site, owned by CleanTech Environmental Inc.[46] The protesting groups were most concerned with the facility's placement adjacent to an ecological reserve and landmark, the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area.[46] He also cites the fact that recycling oil reduces California's carbon footprint and allows the waste to be turned into other products.