EnvironmentLA

Background: The City's Small Sites Neighborhood Assistance Program provides a range of environmental services to smaller, neighborhood-oriented problem sites affecting communities, in order to improve the utilization of those sites. These parcels are typically less than one acre and are located on or in proximity to commercial corridors. Examples of such sites include former gas stations, deserted oil wells, derelict auto repair facilities and abandoned vacant or underutilized lots.

Program services provided by the City of Los Angeles include Phase I & II environmental site assessments, remediation plans, community involvement programs, legal and regulatory coordination, and planning/ revitalization design. Additionally, the program facilitates the formation of working group teams of the appropriate departments on an as-needed basis (i.e. Recreation and Parks, Housing, MOED Housing and Business Team, CDD, CRA, Fire Department, BOE, Operation Clean Sweep and the Nuisance Abatement Program). The City can also assist with issues relating to sustainable development, illegal dumping, landscaping, and hazardous and toxic materials.

To date, successes of the Small Site Neighborhood Assistance Program include: • Leveraged $200,000 from the USEPA Petroleum Assessment Grant in order to provide Rockwood Park (CD13) with a Phase II report to convert property into a pocket park. This grant is also being used to work with Recreation & Parks on the East Wilmington Greenbelt Site (CD 15) to determine the extent of environmental challenges from past industrial use and abandoned oil wells near the property. Additional funds will be used to create an inventory of potential small brownfield sites throughout Los Angeles and conduct other assessments at properties targeted for green and open-space revitalization. • Leveraged $200,000 from the USEPA Cleanup Grant Program, providing $200,000 in cleanup activities for the conversion of Rockwood Park (CD 13) into a pocket park. Leveraged $500,000 from the California Integrated Waste Management Board to provide illegal dumping assistance on and near brownfields sites. • Leveraged $750,000 for Sheldon Arleta landfill to improve landfill gas systems as part of the conversion into a park and recreation center.

The City has conducted outreach efforts establishing an open and ongoing process for accepting additional sites through Council staff recommendation. To date, an initial list of over 50 small sites potentially in need of assistance has been compiled. Phase I assessments have been performed for over 15 properties in order to provide history of site usage, current property use and infrastructure, future zoning restrictions, environmental challenges, etc. Copies of these reports will be shared with the appropriate parties in order to market these sites for revitalization.

 

Contacts
For more information on the City's Brownfields Program please contact: 
Nuna Tersibashian of EnvironmentLA at (213) 978-0872, or
Dan Weissman of the Community Redevelopment Agency at 213-977-2687