On Monday, March 23, more than 45 Belle Haven residents and community partners attended an evening meeting with city staff and Caltrain representatives to address the storage of ballast materials near Chilco Avenue. Residents expressed a strong and urgent concern regarding health impacts, aesthetics and long-term effects of these materials being stored in close proximity to residences and two local schools. They cited several studies where ballast materials have been found to irritate asthma sufferers and have the potential to lead to other serious respiratory problems. Caltrain representatives responded to resident questions during the meeting, which was facilitated by the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center and ensured that all concerns were voiced and addressed. Caltrain committed to working closely with Menlo Park residents to secure the removal of the materials and identified a potential storage location outside of the neighborhood. In addition, Caltrain will provide an update to staff and residents by April 3 on the proposed solutions, with a timeline that reflects the residents’ urgency. A comprehensive meeting summary is available online.