The effect of local planning actions on environmental injustice : Corpus Christi's refinery row neighborhoods

Public health problems associated with industrial and hazardous waste facilities seriously and disproportionately impact some communities more than others and have been the subject of environmental justice research for decades. This report aims to 1) evaluate whether and how local planning policies have contributed to a concentration of minorities and poverty adjacent to industry in Corpus Christi's north side, and 2) examine actions that planners and city officials could take to successfully mitigate environmental justice problems. City plans, reports and zoning maps relating to the north side were reviewed to understand whether the City has contributed to the neighborhoods' proximity to industrial sites. These documents suggest that city actions have had some role in the minority neighborhoods' proximity to environmental hazards, especially in the early years of planning in Corpus Christi. Lessons learned from these planning documents are discussed, as well as recommendations for future planning efforts in the north side.