The Los Angeles City Council Friday requested the city attorney to prepare and present a draft ordinance to establish a temporary ban on large cold storage warehousing and distribution uses in industrial areas of the Boyle Heights Community Plan area.
In a 10-0 vote, the City Council approved a motion introduced by Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights, which came in response to a June 17 fire that erupted at a Lineage Logistics cold-storage warehouse fire. Mayor Karen Bass, Jurado and the City Council had also requested the planning department to delay or restrict any permits for the property, located at 1400 S. Los Palos St.
There was no discussion on the matter.
The warehouse fire resulted in a disaster for Boyle Heights, whose residents dealt with toxic smoke, hazard cleanup, rodents and flies, and the stench of rotting food for months.
The proposed interim control ordinance would prohibit the issue of any demolition, building, use of land, grading and other applicable permits or certificates of occupancy for large cold storage warehousing and distribution uses. The City Council is expected to vote on the draft ordinance at a future meeting.
“Given the scale of the Lineage warehouse fire incident, its is critical that all pending investigation into the cause of the fire can proceed without interference. The completion of investigation and analysis of the Lineage site by the Department of City Planning, Department of Building and Safety, and other departments or outside parties, and the resulting recommendations to establish a new review and approval process of large cold storage warehousing and uses … remain pending,” according to a report from Vincent Bertoni, director of planning.
The interim control ordinance would be in effect for 45 days with the possibility of 10-month and 15-day period, which can be further extended for an additional year or a 22-month and 15-day period, or until appropriate zoning, building, and or fire code regulations have been considered by the city, which ever comes first.
Meanwhile, the South Coast Air Quality Management District announced Friday that Lineage Logistics completed all actions required by an abatement order. This follow months of cleanup at the facility’s Freezer 1, the source of persistent odor in surrounding communities since July.
South Coast AQMD said it concluded its air monitoring efforts on Nov. 10. Two air monitoring sites were identified at Eastman Avenue Elementary and Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School for particulate matter (PM2.5) on June 19th. A continuous hydrogen sulfide and methane monitor was added at Eastman Avenue Elementary School on July 9 followed by a continuous ammonia monitor on July 23.
Clean up of Freezer 1 was completed on Sept. 5, with air monitoring results being consistent with typical background levels. Additionally, Lineage will no longer be required to conduct fenceline and community air monitoring under the order.
Since the agency’s 20-week air monitoring efforts began, it has done the following:
- 46 samples were collected for analysis of carbonyl compounds and air toxic volatile organic compounds
- Over 6,500 hourly particulate matter data points were measured
- Over 2,800 hourly hydrogen sulfide data points were measured
- Over 2,800 hourly methane data points were measured
- Over 2,400 hourly ammonia data points were measured
- Five mobile monitoring surveys were conducted for air toxic metals and VOCs
- Five roaming spot checks were performed for ammonia
According to the agency, over the past weeks, AQMD received only two complaints on Oct. 21 and Nov. 3.Inspectors responded to the complaints but did not confirm any odors that were traced back to Lineage Logistics’ warehouse.
Residents can continue to report odors or air quality concerns to 1-800-CUT-SMOG, via the South Coast AQMD app, or at aqmd.gov/complaints.
While the order’s requirements have been met, Lineage remains subject to all South Coast AQMD rules and regulations, including its Rule 402 on nuisance, and California Health and Safety codes.
Lineage racked up 39 notices of violations between July 12 and Aug. 28, and those continue to move through the enforcement process. NOVs can carry penalties of up to $75,000 per day, per violation depending on various factors including negligent or willful misconduct, according to South Coast AQMD.
On Aug. 6, AQMD’s Hearing Board, an independent, quasi-judicial panel, approved an abatement order against Lineage, and required them to take actions to reduce odors from their warehouse during cleanup activities and
conduct community air monitoring. The enforceable order contained more than 90 conditions designed to contain, reduce and eliminate odorous emissions, focusing on food waste removal from Freezer 1.