A day after the City Planning Commission advanced a proposal for the development of a warehouse and distribution center in the Harbor Gateway -- residents Friday said that without additional mitigation measures to address health and environmental concerns, they are ready to appeal.
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Prologis, a company specializing in supply-chain and logistics real estate, is seeking to construct a one-story, 53-foot tall, 340,298-square-foot warehouse on a combined 15-acre lot at 15116-15216 S. Vermont Ave. and 747-861 W. Redondo Beach Blvd.
The project would also feature a 25,000-square-foot mezzanine and up to 40,000 square feet of office space, as well as 194 parking spaces, 36 dock- high truck loading positions and more parking spaces for up to 71 truck trailers.
Since 2018, Prologis pursued the project. Its original plan called for a larger warehouse, which was challenged by two appeals. Before a hearing could happen, the company postponed its project.
On Thursday, the City Planning Commission approved an updated environmental impact report for a modified project plan, which reduced the original floor area by 1,000 square feet, and 40 fewer parking spaces as well as other minor design changes, according to planning documents.
Prologis representatives agreed to further concessions during the hearing. The company offered the following:
-- Increasing the height of a sound and screen wall from 14 feet to 18 feet, along with enhancing the landscape and adding public art;
-- Reducing the number of truck trips between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. to 105 truck trips; and
-- Limiting the use of its 36 loading docks by 25%, prohibiting use for loading and unloading, between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
"Reaching this milestone -- eight years after we first filed our application -- is a major achievement and a testament to our commitment to revitalizing this Harbor Gateway property," Lauren Achtemeier, Prologis vice president officer, said in a statement.
According to Achtemeier, their plan is to clean up and transform a long-vacant and blighted site into a "sustainable, state-of-the-art logistics facility." The company anticipates the project will bring an economic boost to the Harbor Gateway area, with approximately 240 construction and 350 operations jobs, and more than $6 million in tax revenue for the city over the next decade.
Harbor Gateway residents argued the project is ill-suited for the area. They fear the project will only perpetuate harms as a result in an increase of truck noise, air pollution and impacts to traffic.
The project site is bounded by a Union Pacific railroad line to the north, Orchard Avenue to the east, Redondo Beach Boulevard to the south and an eastern span of Vermont Avenue to the west. The Harbor Freeway (I-110) and Gardena Freeway (SR-91) are located within one mile and two miles of the site, respectively.
Rosalie Preston, a member of the Redondo/Alondra neighborhood, has lived in the community since 1986. She was one of two people who originally filed an appeal against the project.
She told CNS that residents strongly oppose the project because of air pollution, and traffic impacts on Redondo Beach Boulevard, which is already difficult to use.
"The way the street is constructed, there's like very short segments. So the trucks coming out of Orchard going south to turn left, that part of Redondo Beach Boulevard, is very short currently," Preston said. "So, to add these big trucks to that mix...".
She added that the environmental impact report did not analyze the cumulative impact of having California Waste Services using Orchard Avenue. The state agency has a facility, at 621 W. 152nd St., about 0.2 miles from Prologis' proposed warehouse.
In a letter dated Dec. 17, 2024, Los Angeles Unified School District's Office of Environmental and Safety expressed deep concern about the project, noting the development would be in proximity to Amestoy Elementary, Peary Middle School, Gardena Elementary and 153rd Street Elementary School -- in Gardena.
Los Angeles City Councilman Tim McOsker, who represents the 15th District, encompassing the Harbor Area, showed support for the project, but also advocated on behalf of his constituents.
He also called for a fund to support other mitigation measures such as the purchase of filtration systems, road repairs and traffic calming measures.
Sophie Gilchrist, a spokesperson for McOsker, told City News Service in an email that the councilman stood by his comments. He remains concerned about the impacts of truck traffic in and out of the facility between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. given the proximity of the access route to residential buildings.
"If the project moves forward, the councilman will also work to protect the community's interests through a strong community benefits agreement, or similar mechanism," Gilchrist said in an email to CNS.
Preston hoped the councilman would be able to weigh in on the planning commission's decision, adding the "community is prepared to file an appeal."
Among other concerns, residents urged for additional soil and water testing of the site, home to former manufacturing facilities -- such as Virco, a manufacturer and supplier of furniture, on the western half and a Pacific Electricord on the eastern half of the lot.
A former Arco gas station stood at the southwestern corner and demolished in 1994. The L.A. Regional Water Quality Board has monitored ground water contamination as a result of Electricord's manufacturing of electrical cords.
Residents highlighted another issue, pointing to a 2021 fire in Carson at a Prologis warehouse. Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit in 2022 against 10 defendants, among them Liberty Property Limited Partnership and its parent company, Prologis Inc.
The warehouse on South Avalon Boulevard was leased at the time by makeup companies Virgin Scent Inc. and Day to Day Imports Inc. A fire erupted at the facility fueled by flammable materials. Fire crews extinguished the flames in three days, resulting in chemicals and fire debris entering the Dominguez Channel.
A strong odor emitted from the channel that caused health impacts to residents and later deemed a public health nuisance.
Preston questioned how Prologis would ensure that a future tenant would respect the rest of the community and prevent a similar situation from occurring at Harbor Gateway.
Prologis has denied any wrongdoing and has maintained it had no role in the fire.
"At the time, the space was under the exclusive control of a tenant. Even before the fire, Prologis had filed a lawsuit to evict the tenant. In April 2024, Prologis secured a judgment against the tenant, which found Prologis had no control over the property," Mattie Sorrentino, a spokesperson for the company, told CNS in an email.
Multiple lawsuits against the company have already been dismissed, Sorrentino added.
"In 2021, the cause of the odor event was unknown. Since then, multiple scientists have investigated the circumstances leading to the odor event (e.g., historic drought conditions, September 2021 Carson earthquake, landfills), concluding the fire was not the cause of the odors," Sorrentino said in the email.
Meanwhile, residents believe the land can be used for something different: affordable housing and open green space.
Plans now head to the City Council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee at a future date for discussion.
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