LOS ANGELES — Yesterday, the Los Angeles City Council approved a motion introduced by Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez to fund off-site testing of wastewater, storm water and soil of a property slated for mixed-use development in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood. Hernandez’s motion directed the City’s Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN) to develop a robust multi-lingual outreach plan to gather and record community input and provide local residents with regular updates on the testing process.
Various sections of the 5-acre plot have previously been used for industrial purposes such as rock and gravel operations, sheet metal construction, and electronics manufacturing and previous sampling and testing at the site has indicated high levels of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals. Pointing to concerns about the potential for contamination in surrounding areas, including a nearby elementary school, Hernandez’s motion allocates discretionary funds from her office to pay for the expanded community testing and outreach plan.
“My constituents have rightfully raised serious concerns about the potential impact that construction on this site may have on surrounding areas,” said Councilmember Hernandez. “Thorough offsite testing practices and robust community outreach campaigns that prioritize safety and transparency for our constituents should be standard practice. I’m grateful that my colleagues joined me in supporting this important motion and I hope that we can work together to make comprehensive sampling and testing alongside culturally competent outreach the norm for all development projects in the City.”
The development project, which was approved by City Council in December 2020, is a new 468-unit apartment complex with underground parking and ground-level retail space. Councilmember Hernandez’s motion, which was introduced last week, and came before Council for a vote on Wednesday, February 1st, directs LASAN to develop English, Spanish and Chinese outreach plans to gather and record community feedback on the project and disseminate regular updates on the implementation and findings of the expanded testing plan. The motion also allocates $146,000 in Council District 1 discretionary funds to pay for the expanded testing and sampling plan.